Thursday, 7. May 2026
Chepstow, Monmouthshire
The Sun was shining this morning and I wanted an easy day out (ahead of my long road trip to Scotland next week). So I hopped in the car and drove about an hour down the road to the England/Wales border. My idea was to do a bit of a walk along the River Wye.
When I arrived in Chepstow though, I decided there was enough to see and do in the town itself (and I didn’t really feel like a long walk because the route up to the Wye Valley Walk was up hill).
Situated right on the border, the town of Chepstow is in an area which is often called the birthplace of British tourism – because of the Wye Tour – a boat tour of the area which became popular especially in the early 1800s.
No boat tours for me today, but I did visit the Chepstow Museum – free entry, by the way – and it offered a very interesting insight in to the history of the town. The wider area – the county of Monmouthshire – is a rural county, and one of Wales’ least densely populated counties. Half of the population live in the main towns of Abergavenny, Monmouth, Usk, Caldicot and Chepstow.
After visiting the museum I went for a little walk around the town, found the castle, and had a bit of a walk beside the Wye. There’s a couple of pubs by the river, which if I’d been there at lunch time I might have stopped at – but it was a bit after the lunch service time so I went to the local Wetherspoons instead (The Bell Hanger). It was their curry club day, so I had a curry, then a chocolate brownie, and to drink, I chose a “raspberry refresher” (not something I’ve had before but it was refreshing).
Then I headed to the Eagle’s Nest Viewpoint, about 3 miles outside Chepstow. Of course, on the walk from the car park to the viewpoint, I hadn’t spotted the sign which offered the choice between the ‘moderate’ route and the ‘strenuous’ route. I was of course on the strenuous route. Wish I’d noticed that on the way up. My legs are regretting it now!
On the way back – having come down the M5 and used the M48 Severn Crossing, I drove back up the Wye Valley. I’d planned to stop at Bigsweir Bridge, which marks the road border between England and Wales as it crosses the river, but….there wasn’t really anywhere to park….so I kept on driving. My return journey took me through the Forest of Dean. Very scenic!
Easy weekend ahead I think – and then next week I’m off to an Essential Tremor conference / awareness day up in Scotland.
Have a great weekend!
Nos da,
FH.
This post is also available in: 🏴 Cymraeg
