Great walking for all

Monmouthshire Cottages hold  a Visit Wales Walkers Welcome Award

You may gather we welcome walkers!

Where to walk

Excellent walking is available from our doorsteps. Your cottage is  within yards of  access  to miles  and miles of Forestry Commission land and public footpaths which walkers (and their dogs) can enjoy.

Foxes Reach and Tintern Abbey Cottages are close to Offas Dyke, the Wye Valley Walk and the Tintern Trail. Offas Dyke joins the Wales Coastal Path at Chepstow and this makes it possible to walk right around Wales!  You can walk from both these cottages through Tintern and along the river or climb up to Offas Dyke and gaze down.  Forestry commission land and riverside meadows are great for letting the dog off the lead. (Please follow the country code and keep him away from stock)

Tintern Abbey Cottage physically adjoins the famous Wye Valley Walk  and the Stoney Way and it is right on the new and exciting Monmouthshire Way. Foxes Reach, a couple of miles above Tintern, is also right on the Monmouthshire Way.

The 69 bus which runs through Tintern makes it easy to do a delightful linear walk from Monmouth or from Chepstow back to Tintern along the riverbank. Virtually a taxi service from. or back to, Abbey Cottage!  In May each year Rotary Club offers a Charity walk “Walking the Wye” for Breast Cancer Research. Fancy dress is often spotted (!!)  and the distances are 1 mile to 20 miles. Your choice and unmissable!.

We supply our guests with a whole series of detailed walks on line.

Discover Easy walking and strolls

We can recommend masses  of walks – including quick and easy ones from our doorsteps for those just arrived. Plenty of places to give your dog and yourself  some fresh air.

Flat and easy walking is available along the Monmouthshire Brecon Canal. Always something to watch and some good pubs along the towpath too.

Around Tintern area the  three mile Monks Walk is along riverbanks and ancient footpaths used by the Monks of Tintern Abbey  and has the advantage of passing through Tintern Old Station with its cafe, home made cakes, cappuccinos and interesting exhibits  ( cafe April to October walks all year)

Discover the best routes with (or without )  my dog ??

All of our cottages have some walks printed which you can take in your hand and follow but  between booking and arrival we  direct you to many more.

Increasingly they are available as an app which you can put on your phone and follow round. Some even open extra pages of information and history. Fantastic really.Some of the longer walks with this interpretation  are suitable for breaking into sections and give guidance about steepness (or not ) of their routes.  You could do one section  a day and tomorrow start where you left off!  This is a specially good option if you  would like to walk one of the long distance footpaths without having to move on each night.

The Forest of Dean (10 minutes by car from Tintern Abbey Cottage and Foxes Reach ) has a particularly lovely collection of “Sammy’s Walks”  as a local book produced by Sammy the dog and his owner and great for you and your dog too!  Buy it before your holiday!

“10 Easy walks in The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean”  is available as a download  . Distances 1-4 miles and no stiles or other difficulties.

Discover challenging walking

We are in easy reach of Abergavenny (  half an hour from Foxes Reach or Tintern Abbey Cottages). Abergavenny is the Gateway to the Brecon Beacons National Park and to the Black Mountains. Here you can find true mountain walking for the toughies amongst you  (please come properly fit and equipped) . There is a constant programme of guided walks and all kinds of published ones to please the hardiest walkers, climbers  with something different nearly every day. . Please contact the Tourist Information Office / Brecon Beacons National Park Information Office in Abergavenny.

But there are also some handy cheats for the slightly less tough! Why not drive up the steep narrow lane between Llanthony Priory  to Hay Bluff and you can experience high open mountain. Once on the top walk up there without the climb ( but you  still need to be prop[erly equipped) and afterwards drop down into Hay on Wye with its  Literary Festival, boutiques  and bookshops and reviving cappuccinos!

Walk up the Sugar Loaf Mountain, well used and waymarked. Burn some calories!

The Wye Valley itself also has some more demanding areas – if you use a map you can plan to include them. Start your morning from Tintern with a climb up to Offas Dyke and the Devils Pulpit with is panoramic views (or again you can drive  round to this point and walk on the Dyke without the climb up)

The Wordsworth Walk close to Tintern is only a couple of miles long- but those miles are steep!

Can we find others to walk with. A walking Festival?  Or a walking guide?

The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tour Guides offer excellent scheduled walks . Please see their website.

There are  active walking  groups in Chepstow, Monmouth and Abergavenny. These groups arrange regular walks and there are some really excellent walking Festivals in Monmouthshire. If you time your visit you could join an organised walk most weekends March to October and when there is a Walking Festival there is a walk or more than one every day  It is necessary to pre book these walks. If you are interested in Walking Festivals have a look on line, especially at the Monmouthshire Cottages Facebook page where you will see links to them – or ask us before you firm up your cottage booking date.  We are glad to help.

What if the weather is wet?

If the weather is wet -well then you will get wet and muddy. But if you have brought outdoor clothes that’s part of the fun. We know you need to start each day warm and dry so we have  washing machines and tumble driers in the cottages. And the hot tub and spa baths will ease those muscles before you pull a cork or head off to the pub. You and your dog will snooze by the woodburner, sleep well,  and tomorrow you will be ready for another walk!

GEOCACHING

Geocaching is  absolutely amazing in this area. A high tech way to get out and have some fun and there are there are masses of caches! Think of it as a walk with treasure hunting. It will even persuade teenagers out on the trail. See the special page of this website.