Contrary to popular opinion, the winter weather in England isn’t always rainy, cloudy, wet, and cold. Admittedly, February and March were quite cold, but they were not without sunny days. That said, the time of my departure was rapidly approaching when I decided I had to take advantage of the next truly beautiful day to see some of the natural beauty of Wales. As it happened, I awoke one Wednesday in May to a sky of total blue with balmy temperatures that convinced me to take the day off. I hastily threw together my travel and hiking gear and set out for what would become a 14+ mile, seven-hour trek from Chepstow to Tintern Abbey (round trip). Those in a hurry could probably have done the trip in three hours, but I took my time, taking photographs and lunch whenever the still leafless trees parted. The scenery was stunning. Atop the Wye Valley cliffs where I hiked (via both the Wye Valley Walk and Offa’s Dyke Trails), I heard the sounds of sheep and lambs from the farms below.
Hiking from Chepstow to Tintern
