Monmouthshire: Castles, Walking Trails and Landscapes
Accommodation in Monmouthshire
Discover Monmouthshire along a wide variety of routes and in many different places: medieval castles, old abbeys and landscapes sit alongside long-distance walking trails and activities on the water. When planning your hotel stay, you can first consider which focus suits your trip – culture, walking, cycling or nature, for example.
Walking trails with different route profiles
The walking trails differ in length and route. The Three Castles Walk is a 19-mile circular route connecting the medieval castles of Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle. The Monmouthshire section of the Wales Coast Path runs for 14 miles from Chepstow to Magor. It is mostly flat, with some steeper sections in Chepstow. The approximately 17-mile section of the Wye Valley Walk runs almost entirely along paths through wooded areas. The length, circular route and character of each trail offer different ways to compare the routes with your own plans.
The Offa’s Dyke National Trail also offers a different perspective on the landscape. Its views include the Wye Valley from Chepstow and Tintern to Monmouth, the hills as far as Abergavenny and the Black Mountains. By contrast, the defining feature of the Wales Coast Path is its mostly flat route from Chepstow to Magor.
Castles, a bridge and abbeys
The region’s history can be seen in buildings from different periods. Construction of Chepstow Castle began in 1067 under Earl William fitz Osbern, a close friend of William the Conqueror. The castle is among the first Norman fortifications in Wales. Raglan Castle was transformed into a splendid country residence under various Earls of Worcester; its grand features include a gallery and a Renaissance garden.
Monmouth is home to Monnow Gate and Bridge: this fortified medieval river bridge is the only one in Great Britain whose gatehouse still survives. Tintern Abbey was founded by Cistercian monks in 1131. The abbey church, built later, is considered a masterpiece of British Gothic architecture. For planning your visit: Tintern Abbey is 300 metres from bus route 69 between Chepstow and Monmouth, and 250 metres from regional NCN Route 32.
Llanthony Priory is a ruin around 900 years old and is among the important medieval buildings in Wales. Usk is home to the Rural Life Museum, housed in a 16th-century malt house. The region’s attractions range from fortified buildings and a river bridge to abbey ruins and a museum in a historic building.
Waterways, cycling and nature
The Wye Valley Greenway is a shared path for cyclists, walkers and wheelchair users. It connects Wyedean School, Sedbury and Chepstow with the picturesque village of Tintern and passes through the one-kilometre-long Tidenham Tunnel. The tunnel section is closed at night because bats live there, and from 1 October to 31 March. Check seasonal access information before your visit.
There are various options for other outdoor activities: Llandegfedd Lake near Usk offers windsurfing, dinghy sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and open-water swimming. Guided canoe or kayak trips on the tidal section of the River Wye pass Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle. Dirt Farm Wales focuses mainly on downhill and freeride mountain biking. These activities offer different experiences, from time on the water to mountain biking.
The landscapes also vary: the Gwent Levels are a lowland area in the south of Monmouthshire, reclaimed from the sea as far back as Roman times. They include eight ecologically important Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Magor Marsh is the last relatively natural wetland and fen area on the Gwent Levels. The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is a diverse wildlife habitat and offers a long-distance route for walkers and cyclists. Monmouthshire also has five official Dark Sky Discovery Sites.
Local events and getting there
The Abergavenny Food Festival takes place every year over a weekend in September; exact dates vary. The festival includes hands-on food workshops, and the programme may change from one year to the next. At Abergavenny Baker, participants can mix two or three doughs by hand in practical classes and bake four or five different breads.
If rail connections are part of your travel plans, stations with long-distance services are located in Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicot, Chepstow and Abergavenny. When choosing where to stay, you can use your planned activities and the connections that matter to you as a guide, without combining the different places into a single day-trip itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Usk, Monmouth, Caerwent, Chepstow, Abergavenny, Llangybi, Raglan, Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, Caldicot, Skenfrith, Magor, Llandogo, Llanishen, Mamhilad, Govilon, Llanarth, Llandenny, Portskewett, Penrhos, Penperlleni, Gilwern.
For the broader travel overview: Wales.
