There are walks you do for the views and there are walks you do for the feeling. May Hill is both.
The brisk climb to the summit gets your heart pumping; crisp air fills the lungs, earthy smells engage the senses, natural beauty surrounds, and joy fills the heart. Fallen crab apples, grazing horses, bracken flattened where wildlife have bedded down, the subtle variations of colour through the seasons… May Hill is alive.
Where Counties Meet
Rising between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye, the characteristic crown of pine trees at its summit has long been a compass point for travellers; visible for miles in every direction – a silhouette anchoring the horizon. And from the top, on crystal clear days, walkers can count twelve counties spread beneath them from the country lanes of Gloucestershire to the gentle folds of Herefordshire, the Severn Vale, Forest of Dean, the Cotswold escarpment, Malvern Hills, and even distant glimpses of Wales.
Steeped in History
Long before it became a favourite for walkers and picnickers of today, May Hill was known as Yartleton Hill. The first record of the clump of pines at the summit dates back around 400 years when Prince Rupert of The Rhine and his Cavaliers took cover there during the Siege of Gloucester in 1643. But what you see today was re-planted in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. These pines form one of the most recognisable silhouettes in the West Midlands and the heart of a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The origin of its name change remains disputed – some believe it to be named after Captain May, who used it to navigate the treacherous Severn estuary, and others believe it’s derived from the May Day celebrations that have crowned its summit for centuries.
The more enduring story is the latter.
Earlier versions of the May Day ceremony reportedly included mock battles between youths, but now, each dawn on May Day sees morris dancers (and an audience) climb to the summit to greet the sunrise and welcome in Spring with music and movement.
A Literary Landscape
Writers and artists have also long been drawn to May Hill. Dymock Poets, Edward Thomas and Robert Frost walked its slopes; Ivor Gurney wrote of “May Hill that Gloucester dwellers ’gainst every sunset see”, and John Masefield immortalized it in “The Everlasting Mercy”. Composer Gerald Finzi’s ashes were scattered here in 1973. A bench on the summit honours Forest of Dean chronicler Winifred Foley and her husband, who made their home in nearby Cliffords Mesne. And artist Valerie McLean has dedicated an entire book of paintings and drawings to capturing the hill’s shifting moods, exploring how a single landmark can contain endless variations.
Common Ground
May Hill Common, acquired by the National Trust in 1988, is a working common where traditional grazing rights continue. Horses, cows, pigs, and occasionally sheep roam the hillside, keeping the landscape open in a way that modern management alone couldn’t.
Bracken and gorse compete with muddy pools and patches of open grass, creating a rich mix of habitats that justify its SSSI and Key Wildlife Site designations.
Each season has its own beauty, but Spring definitely transforms May Hill. Wild daffodils adorn the top of the hill, bursts of bluebells on the woodland floors contrast with subtler displays of gorse blazing yellow, unfurling bracken and birch abound, and in some places the Heath bedstraw is so well established it can appear as though there’s been a shower of hail.
Walking the Hill
May Hill is open from dawn until dusk. A network of public footpaths cross the slopes and cycle routes weave up from Newent, Huntley, and other nearby communities for those who prefer two wheels to two feet.
You can catch the Daffodil Line to Newent or Kilcot and continue on foot, or, for a shorter walk, book The Robin to May Hill or Cliffords Mesne Village halls, where you will also find refreshments on some days of the week.
Dog walkers are welcome, though May Hill is a one-pawprint rated site and dogs must be kept on leads to protect grazing livestock and wildlife.
As spring unfolds and May Day approaches, May Hill comes into its own. Be sure to experience this place where history, nature and tradition meet.
Pick up a copy of ‘10 Walks with the Bus’ in Daffodil Country for a detailed look at the Newent Circular to May Hill.
