The Monmouthshire Way

The Monmouthshire Way is a 116 mile circular walk that explores the ancient county of Monmouthshire in South East Wales. It has been designed by South Wales Long Distance Walkers Association member, David Morgan.

Monmouthshire is a county of considerable variety and the walk visits the towns of Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny, Pontypool and Usk. In doing so it follows two key Welsh rivers, the Wye and the Usk.

The route meanders across the fertile agricultural land of the county before rising into the Brecon Beacons National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage 'Forgotten Landscape' near Blaenavon. The eastern valleys and their broad whale back ridges are included, and the wide variety of terrain visited also includes the ancient forestry of Wentwood and the Gwent Levels that were originally drained by the Romans.

The route can been broken down into eleven stages:

Stage 1 - Chepstow to Trellech
Stage 2 - Trellech to Monmouth
Stage 3 - Monmouth to Llantilio Crossenny
Stage 4 - Llantilio Crossenny to Pandy
Stage 5 - Pandy to Llanthony
Stage 6 - Llanthony to Abergavenny
Stage 7 - Abergavenny to Whistle Inn
Stage 8 - Whistle Inn to Pontypool
Stage 9 - Pontypool to Usk
Stage 10 - Usk to A48
Stage 11 - A48 to Chepstow

More Information

The Long Distance Walkers Association website has details of the walk here.

A website all about the Monmouthshire Way can be found here with maps and descriptions of each section. For example:

Stage 1
Chepstow to Trellech: 13.5 miles

From Chepstow Castle, the Monmouthshire Way leaves the town by following the Wye Valley Walk uphill towards Chepstow Leisure Centre. However, instead of following the Wye Valley Walk into the woodland, the route visits the ruined mansion house of Piercefield House.

The Wye Valley Walk is re-joined for a short stretch before the Monmouthshire Way leaves it again to follow a beautiful route via St. Arvans to Itton and Chepstow Great Wood. Heading north, the Monmouthshire Way visits Ravensnest and passes the 17th century Fountain Inn on its way to the medieval town of Trellech via Catbrook.

The Monmouthshire Way is currently not waymarked, but work has commenced to find funding that will mean that the route obtains official status.