Walking tour day 3:
Just leaving the Crown Inn at Woolhope and the reality of walking has hit as it is pouring with rain – a real storm, with thunder and lightning. We had a glorious morning walking from Ledbury where we played the first gig last night at the Royal Oak, a packed cellar bar. Yesterday’s walk was in the beautiful Malvern Hills and our pantheistic moment of the day came when – thanks to the Internet and YouTube – we were able to stand at the top and listen to Elgar’s Nimrod – music inspired by this area.
Today about 35 people started the morning’s walk but we are down to about 28 this afternoon due to the weather. 40 miles walked since the start on Sunday. Crossing classic Herefordshire farmland with the Black Mountains in the distance and the sky clearing from the west. First big gig tonight in Hereford at The Barrels … great local beer …. JJ

Walkers set off from the Hop Pole in Bromyard. It’s a sunny day. Only 19 miles to Malvern.  

On the Thursday of the Homecoming Tour, John and the Reluctant Ramblers walk to Yarpole for a rather special gig in St Leonard’s Church. The villagers, ably led by Rose, are gearing up for an influx of walkers.

Will you please let Rose know by email to r.stimson@btinternet.com if:

— you would like to buy a packed lunch from The Gallery Café for the walk on the Friday. They will cost £5.50 each and comprise sandwiches, crisps, cake and fruit They can be collected on Friday morning from the start of the walk.
Sandwich choices are: Cheese and cucumber / Ham / Egg and cress on either brown or white bread. If you have already ordered sandwiches, please can you let Rose know which bread you would like?
For sandwiches please let Rose know by 5pm on Friday 9th September. This is earlier than was said previously.

— you want to join the buffet supper at the Bell on Thursday night at 6pm @ £7 per head — please let Rose know by 5pm on Tuesday 13th September

For both of the above, please have cash.

The village shop, located at one end of the church, will be open for walkers to re-stock. The shop (and café) will be open when the walkers arrive, staying open until 5.30 and then it will open again during the concert interval.

Parking on Thursday:
If you plan to park in Yarpole on Thursday then please  email info@jj-rr.org for details of the special parking that is being made available. We need to keep the spaces clear in the front of the church. We should co-ordinate lifts to the start of walk. The walk starts at 9am from the Barneby Arms which is a 20-25 min drive from Yarpole plus allow time for parking. See the walks page for more details.

Friday – walking Yarpole to Leintwardine

The walk on Friday morning will start from the Parish Hall (HR6 0BE) where car parking is available at the rear in return for a small contribution to Hall funds. Also Coffee/tea and croissants will be available there for anyone who can’t get breakfast or who needs extra fuel.

Click here to see the T-Shirts and Hoodies available for this tour.

JJ writes:

“Summer Festivals run right through September these days – and on top of that we have our major Walking Tour of the year. It is a chance to ramble through some glorious Herefordshire / Welsh Border landscape, share the journey with like-minded people, visit some great pubs, see JJ and the Ramblers play some cracking gigs – and take part in music sessions yourself.

This is a Homecoming for me and a chance to re-trace the steps of our very first walk 7 years ago – completing 1,000 miles since the start of that original walk, as we finish our walk into Kington. 

This year it has the added significance of fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support – with added poignancy since one of the people who has shared every Rambling Tour with us, John Poultney, a lovely man, should have needed their support in his final days so recently. I am aiming to raise £5,000. All donations welcome, no matter how small – it all adds up www.justgiving.com/fundraising/John-Jones-Oysterband.

From the Malvern Hills to Hergest Ridge … one magical week. Meet You There. JJ ”

 Details of the walks and gigs available here: jj-rr.org/hereford-100-the-homecoming-tour/ (regularly updated).

Further information on the walks is now available on The Homecoming Tour page.

See here for details of the gigs on this walk.

Venue and ticket information is now available for the gigs in September.

See jj-rr.org/homecoming-tour-gigs for details.

JJ writes:

“7 years ago I started out on the very first Rambling Tour from my home, here  on the Welsh Borders, not sure how it would be received , whether I would last the pace, not sure really where we were going  and not sure anyone would give a damn. As ever my good friend Colin was with me  and  musicians Al Scott , Tim Cotterell , Dil Davies and Boff joined us at different times. We crossed Herefordshire into Gloucestershire, calling at Wychwood Festival and out across England, ending up finally at the Big Session Festival in Leicester. Sometimes there were 12 of us, on occasions just 3. Fans and friends carried our instruments in their cars and we met many people on the way who have subsequently become regular Ramblers with us.

Boff expresses wonderfully  in his blogs the hardship and joys of this connection with the land in movement and music. For me, what was an escape from Road Touring and a personal challenge became an inspiring source of ideas for songs and a chance to meet people who had only ever seen me on stage. A collision of the public and private that has been so rewarding…