Catherine & Hugh’s guidebook

Catherine & Hugh
Catherine & Hugh
Catherine & Hugh’s guidebook

Sightseeing

A national icon – still standing in roofless splendour on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall from grace.
167 locals recommend
Tintern Abbey / Abaty Tyndryn
167 locals recommend
A national icon – still standing in roofless splendour on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall from grace.
Our favourite castle - remote with stunning views. White Castle is the best preserved and most imposing of the trio of Monmouthshire fortresses known as the ‘Three Castles’ – which includes Grosmont and Skenfrith – built to control the border.
Whitecastle
Our favourite castle - remote with stunning views. White Castle is the best preserved and most imposing of the trio of Monmouthshire fortresses known as the ‘Three Castles’ – which includes Grosmont and Skenfrith – built to control the border.
Beautifully preserved Chepstow Castle stretches out along a limestone cliff above the River Wye like a history lesson in stone.
112 locals recommend
Chepstow Castle
112 locals recommend
Beautifully preserved Chepstow Castle stretches out along a limestone cliff above the River Wye like a history lesson in stone.
The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen.
134 locals recommend
Raglan Castle
Castle Road
134 locals recommend
The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen.
Charming 18th-century Round House and Naval Temple. Stunning views in all directions!
National Trust - The Kymin
Kymin Road
Charming 18th-century Round House and Naval Temple. Stunning views in all directions!
A beautiful medieval church with lovely views over the Wye Valley.
Penallt Old Church
A beautiful medieval church with lovely views over the Wye Valley.
For at least 4,500 years the Freeminers of the Forest have been mining here, leaving behind magnificent caves and an abundance of amazing stories.
115 locals recommend
Clearwell Caves
The Rocks
115 locals recommend
For at least 4,500 years the Freeminers of the Forest have been mining here, leaving behind magnificent caves and an abundance of amazing stories.
A unique collection of world class, contemporary sculpture, both permanent and temporary, within the Forest of Dean.
90 locals recommend
Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
Speech House Road
90 locals recommend
A unique collection of world class, contemporary sculpture, both permanent and temporary, within the Forest of Dean.
Symonds Yat is a village and popular tourist destination which straddles the River Wye in England. Famed for its natural river scenery and wooded expanses, Symonds Yat Rock is a limestone outcrop rising some 500 feet rising from the banks of the River Wye - a great place to spot the resident Peregrine Falcons!
191 locals recommend
Symonds Yat
191 locals recommend
Symonds Yat is a village and popular tourist destination which straddles the River Wye in England. Famed for its natural river scenery and wooded expanses, Symonds Yat Rock is a limestone outcrop rising some 500 feet rising from the banks of the River Wye - a great place to spot the resident Peregrine Falcons!
Wander through the tropical greenhouse with butterflies from around the world.
55 locals recommend
Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo
55 locals recommend
Wander through the tropical greenhouse with butterflies from around the world.
Beautiful setting. Open on Sundays through the summer months and in February for the snowdrops.
Wye Valley Sculpture Garden (Winner of Sustainable Venue Award)
Beautiful setting. Open on Sundays through the summer months and in February for the snowdrops.
A wonderful open garden with two acres of ornamental garden and two acres of woodland, plus a dramatic reflecting pool.
Veddw House Garden
A wonderful open garden with two acres of ornamental garden and two acres of woodland, plus a dramatic reflecting pool.
Fantastic open garden in the Brecon Beacons, featuring a swimming pond and incredible treehouse!
Nant y Bedd
Fantastic open garden in the Brecon Beacons, featuring a swimming pond and incredible treehouse!

Food scene

Our local - a Michelin star restaurant.
31 locals recommend
The Whitebrook
31 locals recommend
Our local - a Michelin star restaurant.
Great for a ploughman’s and ale and walk along the river. A unique pub set into the rock, situated by a disused iron railway bridge linking Redbrook and Penallt. Approx 1 hour door to door.
40 locals recommend
The Boat Inn
Lone Lane
40 locals recommend
Great for a ploughman’s and ale and walk along the river. A unique pub set into the rock, situated by a disused iron railway bridge linking Redbrook and Penallt. Approx 1 hour door to door.
The café at Kate Humble’s smallholding in Penallt – open for sit down or takeaway, serving food (great burgers and brownies) Thurs to Sat 12-3 & 5-8pm and Sunday 12-3. Bookings required due to limited tables available.
9 locals recommend
The Pig & Apple
9 locals recommend
The café at Kate Humble’s smallholding in Penallt – open for sit down or takeaway, serving food (great burgers and brownies) Thurs to Sat 12-3 & 5-8pm and Sunday 12-3. Bookings required due to limited tables available.
For real ale tasting and shop.
13 locals recommend
Kingstone Brewery,
13 locals recommend
For real ale tasting and shop.
Silver Circle Distillery produce craft gin here in the beautiful Wye Valley using locally foraged botanicals. Open for drinks (gin cocktails!) and as a bottle shop every week from Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm. Distillery tours and distill your own gin courses available too. * Highly recommended!! *
7 locals recommend
Silver Circle Distillery
7 locals recommend
Silver Circle Distillery produce craft gin here in the beautiful Wye Valley using locally foraged botanicals. Open for drinks (gin cocktails!) and as a bottle shop every week from Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm. Distillery tours and distill your own gin courses available too. * Highly recommended!! *
Super Thai offering takeaway or eat in.
14 locals recommend
The Whole Earth Cafe Bistro
10 White Swan Ct
14 locals recommend
Super Thai offering takeaway or eat in.
For super fresh sandwiches and cakes.
Wigmores Bakery
9 St Mary’s St
For super fresh sandwiches and cakes.
A great pub right on the river at this ever popular spot.
59 locals recommend
The Saracens Head Inn
59 locals recommend
A great pub right on the river at this ever popular spot.
Good food, good atmosphere
15 locals recommend
The Inn at Penallt
15 locals recommend
Good food, good atmosphere
16 locals recommend
The Royal George Tintern
16 locals recommend
A characterful pub with hearty meals.
30 locals recommend
The Ostrich Inn
30 locals recommend
A characterful pub with hearty meals.
Our favourite for a special occasion. Relaxed atmosphere, stonking food.
81 locals recommend
The Walnut Tree
81 locals recommend
Our favourite for a special occasion. Relaxed atmosphere, stonking food.
For the very finest afternoon tea around.
62 locals recommend
The Angel Hotel
15 Cross St
62 locals recommend
For the very finest afternoon tea around.
A lovely spot for lunch or tea and cake with pretty things to look at (very child friendly too)
15 locals recommend
The Art Shop & Chapel
Market Street
15 locals recommend
A lovely spot for lunch or tea and cake with pretty things to look at (very child friendly too)
A super community shop with great produce, a café and lovely outdoor space.
16 locals recommend
The Brockweir & Hewelsfield Village Shop
Mill Hill
16 locals recommend
A super community shop with great produce, a café and lovely outdoor space.
Fine cheeses and more at The Marches Delicatessen in Monmouth. Deli boxes and hampers available too.
The Marches Delicatessen
102 Monnow St
Fine cheeses and more at The Marches Delicatessen in Monmouth. Deli boxes and hampers available too.
Wine merchant in Monmouth.
Fingal Rock
64 Monnow St
Wine merchant in Monmouth.
Great pub food!
13 locals recommend
Lion Inn Trellech
Church Street
13 locals recommend
Great pub food!
Delicious pastries and bread! Sit in or take away. Everything in the café is vegan too - the almond croissant are a must!!
Alex Gooch Bakery and Cafe
Delicious pastries and bread! Sit in or take away. Everything in the café is vegan too - the almond croissant are a must!!
Hard to fault this fish restaurant!
32 locals recommend
Severn & Wye Smokery
32 locals recommend
Hard to fault this fish restaurant!

Activities

Canoe hire and bike hire from a lovely crew * highly recommended *
Wye Valley Experience
Canoe hire and bike hire from a lovely crew * highly recommended *
Super mountain bike trails in the Forest of Dean - downhill as well as family trails - bike hire and a café! A great day out!
97 locals recommend
Pedalabikeaway
New Road
97 locals recommend
Super mountain bike trails in the Forest of Dean - downhill as well as family trails - bike hire and a café! A great day out!
For wild swimming adventures and more on the River Wye, Angela knows her stuff.
Run-Wild with Angela Jones
For wild swimming adventures and more on the River Wye, Angela knows her stuff.
An enchanting woodland with breathtaking scenery in the Forest of Dean.
159 locals recommend
Puzzlewood
Perrygrove Road
159 locals recommend
An enchanting woodland with breathtaking scenery in the Forest of Dean.
For a lovely hill walk, suitable for all the family, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons.
37 locals recommend
Skirrid Fawr
37 locals recommend
For a lovely hill walk, suitable for all the family, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons.
For stand up paddle boarding (SUP) adventures on the Wye and more. . . The perfect way to take in all the river has to offer.
AdAstra Adventures
Old Dixton Road
For stand up paddle boarding (SUP) adventures on the Wye and more. . . The perfect way to take in all the river has to offer.
Grab your bike or walking boots and come and enjoy 1,080 metres of extraordinary railway history dating back to 1878!
Tidenham Tunnel
Bishton Lane
Grab your bike or walking boots and come and enjoy 1,080 metres of extraordinary railway history dating back to 1878!

Food Shopping

26 locals recommend
Waitrose & Partners
110-114 Monnow St
26 locals recommend
11 locals recommend
M&S Monmouth Simply Food
66-68 Monnow St
11 locals recommend
18 locals recommend
Lidl
Redbrook Road
18 locals recommend
Phillips Auto Service Centre Llanishen and Village Shop
The Brockweir & Hewelsfield Village Shop
Mill Hill
16 locals recommend