All walks › Newport and the Gwent Levels
Newport and the Gwent LevelsThe Gwent Levels at Redwick
Flat grazing marsh below sea level, drained since Roman times and cut by a grid of reens, with a sea wall holding back the Severn and enormous skies.
- Distance
- 3.4 mi / 5.5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 10 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Lanes and field paths link the village to the sea wall and back, following the reens across the levels. Completely flat, and the sea wall gives the only viewpoint.
Worth knowing
- A mark on Redwick church records the height of the 1607 flood, well above head height.
- The reens are deep, steep-sided drainage channels. Keep dogs and children away from the edges.
- Very few walkers come here. It is one of the quietest landscapes in south Wales.
What you’ll see
The reen grid, grazing marsh, the sea wall and the Severn beyond, and the flood mark on the church.
Background
The levels were drained by the Romans and maintained ever since. The 1607 flood, probably a tsunami, killed some two thousand people along the estuary.