All walks › Monmouthshire and the Lower Wye
Monmouthshire and the Lower WyeChepstow and the Wye Gorge
North from the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain, along the limestone gorge on a path that clings to the cliffs above the river.
- Distance
- 5.0 mi / 8 km
- Time
- 2 hr 45
- 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 Wye Valley Walk climbs from the castle through the woods above the gorge towards Tintern, with viewpoints over the river. retrace your steps or by bus.
Worth knowing
- Chepstow castle was begun in 1067, the year after Hastings, and is the oldest stone castle in Britain.
- The Eagle’s Nest viewpoint above the gorge is a long climb but the view down the Wye is the best on the river.
- The Wye here is tidal with a huge range; the mud at low water is spectacular.
What you’ll see
The castle, the gorge and its cliffs, the tidal river, and the Severn bridges downstream.
Background
Chepstow was the launching point for the Norman conquest of south Wales and the castle guarded the crossing into England.