The Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean are linked both by geography - the forest forming the eastern rim of the valley for much of the Wye's lower reaches - and by history, since they share a common heritage as a border between England and Wales.
The imposing ruins of medieval castles in the area are a striking reminder of
ancient warfare in the area (Skenfrith and Garway are featured here). There are
also ecclesiastical ruins at Tintern, Llanthony and Abbey Dore.
This
guide focuses on the middle and lower sections of the Wye Valley, roughly where
the river leaves its upper reaches in mid-Wales to enter Herefordshire. It
includes the 'Wyndcliff Walk' - a popular excursion for the Romantic poets,
writers and artists who came here during the Romantic period in the 18th and
19th centuries, when it became fashionable to explore what were considered to be
wild and untamed places. Hay-on-Wye, Hereford and the walled town of Chepstow
are also covered, as is the classic view over the winding Wye Valley from
Symonds Yat.
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