WALKING THE WYE VALLEY (Apr 2017)

WALKING THE WYE VALLEY

Secluded charm, ancient woodland and the majestic river Wye.

Rambling through the Wye Valley, the ruins of Tintern Abbey come into view – beauty in stone in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The chants of long-ago monks seems to echo round these stones.

Perhaps the most unspoilt river valley in Britain, the Wye flows though breathtaking scenery rich in both Welsh and English history. From the source of northern Wales down to the Bristol Channel, the river passes many evocative and famous sites – Symonds Yat, Kilvert country, Tintern Abbey – and conjures up vivid memories of the 19th century Wye-tourers in search of the ‘picturesque’.

The area enjoys a relatively mild climate and its vineyards continue the tradition of producing wines probably started by the Romans. Over 800 years ago an abbey was built at Tintern and its ruins still stand tall. Further downstream lies the historic border town of Chepstow with its early Norman, stone built castle.

We’ll follow sections of the Wye Valley Walk, the Offa’s Dyke Path and surrounding trails meandering along the hillsides high above the majestic River Wye often emerging at superb viewing points such as Symonds Yat Rock and the Eagle’s Nest. We can take in the area’s rich history and discover the myths and legends of these borderlands.

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Welsh: Dyffryn Gwy) 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.

The River Wye (Welsh: Afon Gwy) 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 covers 326 square kilometres (126 sq mi) surrounding a 72-kilometre (45 mi) stretch lower down the river, from just south of the city of Hereford to Chepstow

This area covers parts of the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, and is recognised in particular for its limestone gorge scenery and dense native woodlands, as well as its wildlife, archaeological and industrial remains. It is also historically important as one of the birthplaces of the modern tourism industry. The area is predominantly rural, and many people make a living from tourism, agriculture or forestry.

The Lower Wye landscape was formed by the river acting on a series of layers of rock, the river has incised into the margins of the Old Red Sandstone plateau to form a gorge with substantial river cliffs. The steepest parts of the Wye gorge are cut through the Carboniferous Limestone. Here the combined action of the river, natural joints in the rocks and quarrying have exposed many vertical faces, particularly between Tintern and Chepstow.  Geological interest extends underground, and there are many rock shelters and solution caves in the area.

The first brass made in Britain was founded at Tintern in 1566. Wire-making followed, with water mills situated on all the tributaries of the lower Wye. The area resounded to the noise and smoke of heavy industry for the next 400 years and gave rise to many pioneering industries. At Redbrook, copper works were established by 1691, and a century later the village became one of the world's major tinplate manufacturing centres.

“Poem by Leonie Allen - The Wye Valley 2017”

Now Steve was our leader in Wye

Two new back markers we'd hear him cry

It's so they can chat

As we view Symonds Yat

It's quite undulating, I'm not going to lie

Is it up hill we'd hear Sandra say

We'll do back marker if it is, all the day

Then As Heather looked round at the sky

Her foot found what felt like a pie

So in quarantine she had to stay

Now Steve he said "We will stop

On the way to the walk, at the shop"

Baby Belle Jim did buy

Perfect with croissants he'd cry

As one in his mouth he did pop

We'd go along listening for Chiffchaff

While we walked along having a laugh

Was that a great tit or nuthatch we heard

No it was "Kar" making sounds like a bird

With the grass she found  by the path

"Look a Kingfisher" - spied Pat

"On that log it is sat"

Oh no what bad luck!

It's only a duck

We thought that it looked a bit fat!

Now Sally she liked to eat cake

"When's it lunch time?" a plea she would make

We'd find a comfy spot if we were able

(Well- Diana would always find a table!)

And sit by a stream or a lake.

"Do you want the good news or bad", Steve did say

"I hate to say this but we've come the wrong way"

Oh look it's Welsh on the sign

"Lowri please read it one more time

We could listen to you all the day"

We are quite an eclectic band

There is Shirley with her map, always at hand

There's Deborah, Kamala and Norma

Who've escaped without any trauma

And Gery who knows all about land!

Now it's time for us to go far away

Hope we meet again soon, some day

to Steve, raise your beers

Steve we say cheers

We've  really enjoyed our holiday!!