The Wye Valley was ‘discovered’ by the early tourists of the 18th century and it soon became popular with famous people such as poet William Wordsworth and artist JMW Turner. They were drawn to the beautiful river and surrounding countryside which seemed so different to other places.

However, they weren’t the first to consider this an ideal place - the Cistercian monks built Tintern Abbey in the 12th century. Once it became a ruin it only added to the romantic appeal of this area.

In the year after the Norman Conquest, Chepstow Castle was built as the first stone castle in Wales - just over the border from England. It was added to over the centuries and has many key players in the history of both Wales and England associated with it.

We begin with a guided tour of Chepstow Castle, have lunch in Tintern and then head to Monmouth where we will explore the town, hear about the famous people connected with it and walk across the famous Monnow Bridge, home to the last remaining medieval gatehouse in Britain.