Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksMonmouthshire and the Lower Wye

Monmouthshire and the Lower Wye

Three Castles Walk: Grosmont to Skenfrith

Between two of the three Norman castles held as a single lordship, through the Monnow valley on quiet field paths.

Distance
6.2 mi / 10 km
Time
3 hr 20
Ascent
280 m
Difficulty
Demanding
Shape
There and back

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

The waymarked route runs south-east from Grosmont to Skenfrith by field paths and lanes. Undulating farmland.

Worth knowing

  • All three castles are free, unstaffed and open at any time.
  • Skenfrith sits right on the Monnow and is the prettiest of the three.
  • The full circuit is nineteen miles and can be split at any of the villages.

What you’ll see

Both castles, the Monnow valley, and rolling border farmland between them.

Background

Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle were granted together to Hubert de Burgh and rebuilt by him in the thirteenth century.