Why not make a day of it? Or longer?
See Jonty Clark’s website for more of his wonderful illustrations. The relevant Telegraph article is here.
Food & Drink
Take a trip to Tintern, see the Abbey and have lunch or tea right next to it in
The Anchor Inn
Lunch
is also available at The Piercefield
or it may be possible to combine a garden visit and home made lunch or tea at High Glanau (see below)
Where to stay
the award winning –
The Chicken Shed
Best hotels in Monmouthshire 2022
Fancy trying a Michelin-starred restaurant, with rooms, or historic priory hotel? Kerry Walker of The Independant provides this handy list of 11 of the best.
Gardens
Wye Valley Sculpture Garden
15 minutes away. Featured in the English Garden (four pages AND front cover) – sculpture by Gemma Woods. Four acre plantsman’s garden, wonderful location overlooking the Wye. See blog post here.
Dewstow Gardens and Grottos
25 minutes away. “A labyrinth of underground grottoes, tunnels and sunken ferneries. The rock gardens are made up of a mixture of real stone and faced stone using various forms of Pulhamite. A rediscovered Edwardian Wonderland. Open 10 am – 3.30 pm.
High Glanau
15 minutes away. Another Arts and Crafts garden – Avray Tipping’s own home garden, restored by Helena Gerrish, also author of ‘Edwardian Country Life – the story of H Avray Tipping’. National Gardens Scheme
Tredegar House
40 minutes away. Unusual restored 18th century formal gardens. I like them, but not fashionable..
Dyffryn Gardens
An hour away. Improving? We hope..
Ridler’s Garden
An hour and a half away. Definitely worth the trip if it’s open. National Gardens Scheme
The National Botanic Garden of Wales
An hour and a half away.
Aberglasney
One and three quarter hours away.
Llanover Garden School
30 minutes away An improving garden and a garden school to improve you. Lunch and meet the Big Garden Names.
Other Attractions
Tintern Abbey
10 minutes away Ruined, I’m afraid. Tintern is also the home of the famous Tintern Philosophy Circle.
Chepstow Castle
12 minutes away History! One of the oldest castles in Castle ridden Wales.
Wye Valley
10 minutes away This website includes places to eat in Monmouthshire
Wye Valley Walk
12 minutes away For the energetic.
Forest of Dean
30 minutes away A world of its own, strange and slightly foreign.
Monmouth
25 minutes away Sweet market town, with Waitrose AND local shops. Website full of information
Chepstow Racecourse
10 minutes away A little light gambling…?
Raglan Castle
15 minutes And Raglan – home of the sleeves, and once of the Lord Raglan who ordered the Charge of the Light Brigade
Abergavenny
30 minutes Don’t forget the Food Festival – though you may have to come with a party if you want to visit Veddw at the same time: it’s in our groups only season.
And for the sheer joy of the area as a place to visit, see here – a piece by Joan Bakewell.
Events
Canoe The River Wye
Almost 250 years ago an Anglican cleric’s enthusiasm for the river’s beauty changed the way we travel. Canoeing it proves a great way to celebrate his pioneering legacy. Read The Guardian Review
Visit the Wye Valley website for more information