Tintern's Great Outdoors

Tintern is set in a wonderful landscape which is home to an amazing variety of wildlife and offers great opportunities for outdoor exploration.

“The excellent variety of wildlife along the river (heron, kingfisher, otter) and arguably the finest selection of native British trees to be found in the wild. Peregrine falcons and the rare red kite are also both native to the Wye Valley.”   The Guardian

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain and is important for its rich variety of wildlife habitats.

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The River Wye (Welsh: Afon Gŵy) is the fifth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The upper part of the river passes through the settlements of Rhayader, Builth Wells and Hay-on-Wye, but the area designated as an AONB surrounds only the 72-mile stretch lower down the river, from just south of the city of Hereford to Chepstow.

Cicerone guide: Walking in the Wye Valley
by Mike Dunn
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The walks in this guide are designed to showcase the variety and beauty of the Wye’s changing landscapes. From the high moorlands of its source, to the sprawl of the Hereford plain and then into the ancients forests and steep gorge in the Lower Wye’s AONB. The River and its lands have a long history, from the Neolithic to the present, so any walk exploring this ancient border region is full of historical, as well as scenic interest. Not to mention the wildlife and flora along the way; red kites in the Upper Wye, otters downstream, with world-renowned woodlands shading the river banks.
Alongside detailed route descriptions for every walk, are annotated OS maps, as well as key information on timing, distance, ascent, where to park and public transport access. In addition, the guidebook provides a range of advice on getting to and around the Wye Valley, where to stay and what to take to make the most out of your walks. The information on the geology, history and points of interest along the way are designed to enhance any walk, whether its a full day in the Upper Wye’s Cambrians or a leisurely valley wander. The result is an ideal companion to exploring the impressive range of walking the Wye Valley can offer.

What’s inside?

• 30 half- or full-day walks, all but one are circular, exploring from sea to source
• beautiful photography and useful route maps for every walk
• plenty of practical as well as background information

Cicerone Press Limited, Juniper House, Murley Moss Business Village, Oxenholme Road, Cumbria, LA9 7RL. Tel. 01539 562069 email info@cicerone.co.uk
£12.95 176pp. Paperback Gloss Laminated ISBN: 9781852847241

The following links to external sites provide an introduction to the rich variety of outdoor activities and wildlife in the area.

Chepstow Walkers Are Welcome – the starting point for walking in Monmouthshire and the Wye Valley. See details at http://www.walksinchepstow.co.uk

Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) official site at www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk

Wye Valley & Vale of Usk tourist guide www.visitwyevalley.com

Gwent Wildlife Trust including wildlife reserves managed by the Trust in Monmouthshire www.gwentwildlife.org

Devil’s Pulpit walk from Tintern as posted in The Guardian

The Devil’s Pulpit & Brockweir walk details from Tintern www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks/walk_b/1272

The Wye Valley Walk: 136-mile walk from Chepstow to the source of the Wye www.wyevalleywalk.org

Bat Conservation Trust for Wye Valley information on bats, including lesser horseshoe bats, www.bats.org.uk

Visit Wales gateway to holidays, short breaks and weekends in Wales www.visitwales.co.uk