The Wye Valley around Tintern

Or should I say, ice cream stops for Milo the sausage dog!

Our destination today was Brockweir. A small village which nestles along the Wye. We often visit the farm/community shop and cafe there because they serve great scones and ice cream. On arrival however we found it closed and undergoing restoration to its old building.

Views of the village

Brockweir Farm Shop/Cafe

We therefore continued to the Old Railway station in Tintern which is a great tourist spot and a good place to walk your dog. It is also a great picnic place with tables inside and outside the old station.

There is also an interesting signal box where you can get married and train carriages with information on other local attractions and history about the site. The railway carriages have been there for many years and appeared after I had written to the council suggesting that it would be a good idea to put them there!

The Alpacas

Opposite the old railway station is the sculpture garden. A really interesting place with some remarkable sculptures. It is openevery Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday and showcases the work of 22 incredible sculptors within the beautiful gardens. I remember going to the old house several years ago to a masked ball. Did we have some fun that day?

The Sculpture Garden

It is then just a short distance to Tintern with its magnificent Abbey ruins. There are two great places to eat here - the Anchor Inn and the Monks tea room. Mrs Williams who ran the latter was a friend of my husband and I. It has however undergone some changes since it was affected by fire but it still retains its old charm. Milo likes a walk here along the riverbank as well as enjoying his ice cream.

Tintern Abbey

I remember one unusual visit to the Abbey several years ago when bizarre French travelling performers set up an unusual and eccentric set in the grounds. It included a dissected and re-essembled rickety mighty organ and on the upper level an intricate giant iron window indicated that we were inside Notre Dame. On the other side hung two enormous bells which resembled cow bells rather than church bells. We were promised fire in abundance and when darkness fell it became important as 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame ' was played out.

The Notre Dame set and a sudden balancing act performance!

Sitting in the front row health and safety rules were not apparent and we loved every minute! The footlights were even a fire which burned beyond the board which separated us from the performance area and inches from grandson Zak. At one point a goat ate part of the set and the horse thundered and crashed into the board making my daughter gasp! The same horse nuzzelled her husband thinking he might be holding an apple while the 'dead' woman's flaying hand brushed against my face as her body hung lifeless from the saddle of a galloping stead.

From the smell of the swaying incense burners to the singing, the chanting, dancing and acting, which rivaled that of any Shakespearean bards, the evening progressed. The story was played out mostly in English with strong french accents and for three hours a lone gypsy woman provided the music on a violin. An unusual but memorable performance with plenty of action!

At Christmas time there is a great torch lit procession through the village which culminates inside the Abbey. Several years ago I joined this procession. Over 600 of us joined the choirs in the abbey and by the light of our flaming torches sang carols. The stone arched walls soared above us and the black night sky was our roof. This procession is organised by the Round table. My friend Joyce is a member and she also has asked us over the years to join them in the old stone Abbey restaurant for a great Burn’s night celebration as well.

A little way along the picturesque twisting road which passes through Tintern is a vineyard which produces award-winning wines, meads and sparkling wines. Years ago, my husband and I knew the owners and we spent some happy times there drinking their wine. It is thought that the sunny slope where the vines are grown is the same one that was used by the monks many years ago.

Parva Farm & Vineyard, Chepstow NP16 6SQ

To get to Brockweir, we had taken the road through Tidenham where my children went to the primary school. They progressed then to Wyedean. They were there at the same time as JK Rowling and reminisce as they remember the teachers who became characters in her Harry Potter books

This road and the one past the vineyard pass through forests and both arrive at Chepstow. Milo likes a walk here on the grassy banks around the castle and an ice cream in the tourist/cafe information shop

Chepstow Castle

For more than six centuries Chepstow was home to some of the wealthiest and most powerful men of the medieval and Tudor ages. Building was started on Chepstow Castle in 1067 by Earl William fitz Osbern, close friend of William the Conqueror, making it onie of the first Norman strongholds in Wales. In turn William Marshal (Earl of Pembroke), Roger Bigod (Earl of Norfolk) and Charles Somerset (Earl of Worcester) all made their mark before the castle declined after the Civil War. These magnates and power-brokers were constantly on the move. Chepstow was just one residence in their vast estates – an impressive shell into which they would bring their gold and silver vessels, rich silk and brightly painted furniture. Although a partial ruin the castle is well worth a visit and hosts events like Castell Roc which takes place this year between 5-28 August.