It's the annual Mum and Daughter holiday times and this time we wanted to head to the Wye Valley. Joining us was my mum's best friend also. We were staying in a lovely Air BnB on the Kymin in Monmouth called the Long Barn. The views were vast overlooking the Black Mountains and we got to witness the most beautiful sunsets and it was dog welcoming so Digby came with me this week.
Before getting to our cottage we went to the shops in nearby Monmouth in the Wye Valley, incidentally crossing the border in to Wales, famous for Monnow Bridge, a 13th Century gatehouse bridge where the River Monnow reaches the River Wye. We had a wonder, taking in the Shire Hall, remains of the Norman Monmouth Castle and a look around the Regimental Museum.
That night we went back to settle in to the barn and cook a nice evening meal taking in all the beautiful scenery.
The next day we decided to take a walk locally and walk to the top of the Kymin itself. They Kymin is simply a hill overlooking Monmouth, however at the top is a National Trust Round House and was basically a club house for a gentlemen's club where they could dine and do whatever gentlemen had to do? However this Kymin club did build a Naval Temple next door which Nelson said it was one of its kind in celebrating the Royal Navy.
The rest of the walk around the Kymin took us through agricultural farm land where we saw sheep grazing and free range chickens and lush woodland which directed us back to our lovely barn.
That afternoon we decided to visit Abergavenny as it was a bit rainy. We wanted to get an afternoon tea and sea what Abergavenny had to offer. We had a lovely open Norweigan inspired sandwich and cake at Emmeline's Tea Room which was delicious, before taking a wonder around the town.
Abergavenny is promoted as the "Gateway to Wales", and you can see why. The town is nestled amongst lots of hills which makes you feel you have left England behind and as such is a walkers paradise right here. It also is close to Brecon Beacons National Park. This town also holds the remains of a Norman Castle which are slightly more impressive than the ones we saw in Monmouth.
The market town is full of boutique shops and wonderful eateries. I certainly would like to come back here to do some hill climbing in the future. Abergavenny also hosts an annual food festival that is is famed for.
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