{"id":"6984670d533dbb4b730fc9ec","title":"Wye Valley May 2024","path":"walks/scrapbook/holidays/wye-valley-may-2024","contentMarkdown":"# Holiday 22 - Wye Valley - May 2024\n\nOur base was in the picturesque market town of Crickhowell, Powys, South Wales near Abergavenny. Known also for being featured in Lord of The Rings. Situated on the River Usk via the 17th century stone bridge; to the southern edge lies the Black Mountains and east forming part of the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park. Well placed for a range of walks in and around the Wye Valley.\n\nOur self-catering accommodation was a converted chapel with oodles of space and an upstairs living-room affording great views over the rooftops to Table Mountain. The town provided a variety of shops, eateries, pubs and information centre.\n\nThere were four nights of shared cooking providing meals for the group and three nights eating out at local pubs, which worked well. There were four organised walks and two free days, with plenty of sightseeing opportunities in the surrounding area. The weather was better than expected, mostly dry, one day of heavy rain during a day off, and couple of scattered showers.\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-signpost.jpg)\n\nCleddon Falls: 5.2 miles with 423 feet of ascent\n\nSituated in the area of Llandogo the walk took a route through ancient woodlands the cooling shade appreciated given the warm day, on to the waterfall at Cleddon and followed by excellent views of the River Wye.\n\nTable Mountain: 4.4 miles with 1,194 feet of ascent\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-cleddon-falls.jpg)\n\nVisible from and starting at the house, Crug Hywell an iron age hillfort we all agreed was definitely worth the climb for magnificent views over the town and expansive valley. The weather dry though very warm was clear, and allowed us to enjoy the best scenery.\n\nTolkien's Shire: 6¼ miles with 700 feet of ascent\n\nA change in weather to rain and mist saw us adapt to a new lower level walk into the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Following the river then paths, fields, tracks and lanes with views of the Usk Valley and Brecons. Highlights included the rapid flowing Grwynne Faw river following torrential downpours the previous day. There was also much interest seeing the impressive ‘Tolkien Tree’ as featured in the novels.\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-table-mountain.jpg)\n\nSymonds Yat: 6.2 miles with 751 feet of ascent\n\nA walk through ancient forest and along the River Wye to the Biblins Rope Bridge, connecting the Forest of Dean with the wider Wye Valley – an area of outstanding beauty. Converted in 1424 to a footbridge and further rebuilt in 1957, it now requires constant restoration and safety checks due to riverbank erosion and flooding. The group safely crossed and returned, to then head up on a steady climb to reach the viewpoint at Symonds Yat Rock with reward of spectacular views of the winding River Wye and surrounding countryside.\n\nOverall feedback/comments about the holiday from the group:\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-tolkein-tree.jpg)\n\n• “Great house, walks, food and company.”\n\n• “Lovely week and happy memories.”\n\n• “The organiser worked hard to find the most suitable accommodation for the dates and we all got a say. Room allocation was fair. Pre-meets helped group to gel and agree walks, cooking duties etc. Group leader was always calm and patient with us, even when the GPS played up and paths were unclear/blocked. The walks were great – well researched. We all cooked in pairs once and ate out the other evenings. We had fun. We helped each other and we look forward to the next opportunity.”\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-rope-bridge.jpg)\n\n• “A great holiday, the leader providing a well organised week and good value. Really nice house with plenty of amenities in good location, lovely meals prepared by everyone, good variety of enjoyable walks, and group who all worked together to ensure an excellent time.”\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-symonds-yat.jpg)\n\n![Click to englarge](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume0/images/wye-valley-horseshoe-pub.jpg)\n\n*Thanks go to Ann for organising the holiday and to Kathy for writing it up.*","contentHtml":"

Holiday 22 - Wye Valley - May 2024

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Our base was in the picturesque market town of Crickhowell, Powys, South Wales near Abergavenny. Known also for being featured in Lord of The Rings. Situated on the River Usk via the 17th century stone bridge; to the southern edge lies the Black Mountains and east forming part of the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park. Well placed for a range of walks in and around the Wye Valley.

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Our self-catering accommodation was a converted chapel with oodles of space and an upstairs living-room affording great views over the rooftops to Table Mountain. The town provided a variety of shops, eateries, pubs and information centre.

\n

There were four nights of shared cooking providing meals for the group and three nights eating out at local pubs, which worked well. There were four organised walks and two free days, with plenty of sightseeing opportunities in the surrounding area. The weather was better than expected, mostly dry, one day of heavy rain during a day off, and couple of scattered showers.

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Cleddon Falls: 5.2 miles with 423 feet of ascent

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Situated in the area of Llandogo the walk took a route through ancient woodlands the cooling shade appreciated given the warm day, on to the waterfall at Cleddon and followed by excellent views of the River Wye.

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Table Mountain: 4.4 miles with 1,194 feet of ascent

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\"Click

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Visible from and starting at the house, Crug Hywell an iron age hillfort we all agreed was definitely worth the climb for magnificent views over the town and expansive valley. The weather dry though very warm was clear, and allowed us to enjoy the best scenery.

\n

Tolkien's Shire: 6¼ miles with 700 feet of ascent

\n

A change in weather to rain and mist saw us adapt to a new lower level walk into the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Following the river then paths, fields, tracks and lanes with views of the Usk Valley and Brecons. Highlights included the rapid flowing Grwynne Faw river following torrential downpours the previous day. There was also much interest seeing the impressive ‘Tolkien Tree’ as featured in the novels.

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\"Click

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Symonds Yat: 6.2 miles with 751 feet of ascent

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A walk through ancient forest and along the River Wye to the Biblins Rope Bridge, connecting the Forest of Dean with the wider Wye Valley – an area of outstanding beauty. Converted in 1424 to a footbridge and further rebuilt in 1957, it now requires constant restoration and safety checks due to riverbank erosion and flooding. The group safely crossed and returned, to then head up on a steady climb to reach the viewpoint at Symonds Yat Rock with reward of spectacular views of the winding River Wye and surrounding countryside.

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Overall feedback/comments about the holiday from the group:

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\"Click

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• “Great house, walks, food and company.”

\n

• “Lovely week and happy memories.”

\n

• “The organiser worked hard to find the most suitable accommodation for the dates and we all got a say. Room allocation was fair. Pre-meets helped group to gel and agree walks, cooking duties etc. Group leader was always calm and patient with us, even when the GPS played up and paths were unclear/blocked. The walks were great – well researched. We all cooked in pairs once and ate out the other evenings. We had fun. We helped each other and we look forward to the next opportunity.”

\n

\"Click

\n

• “A great holiday, the leader providing a well organised week and good value. Really nice house with plenty of amenities in good location, lovely meals prepared by everyone, good variety of enjoyable walks, and group who all worked together to ensure an excellent time.”

\n

\"Click

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\"Click

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Thanks go to Ann for organising the holiday and to Kathy for writing it up.

\n"}