Opposite, left to right:
Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail
The Old Station, Tintern
news
The Hardwick
Shire Hall, Monmouth
Newport Transporter Bridge
Overlooking the Wye
from Upper Wyndcliff
Historic viewpoints back on show
Spectacular views of the Wye Valley, originally devised for 18th century
tourists, are accessible to walkers once again following the completion
of conservation works on the Piercefield Walks.
The dramatically-named viewpoints – cliff-top path and encountering these various
The Alcove, The Platform, The Grotto, structures and dramatic views was all the rage
Double View, Giant’s Cave, Lover’s Leap and – it was the ‘theme park’ of its day and the
Eagle’s Nest – lie on a 3-mile section of the culmination of the fashionable Wye Tour.
Wye Valley Walk along the west bank of the The conservation work – undertaken as part
River Wye starting at Chepstow. They were of the £2.8 million Overlooking the Wye
originally created around 1750 for Valentine scheme, supported by the Heritage Lottery
Morris, owner of the Piercefield estate, and Fund and managed by the Wye Valley Area
later owned by Nathaniel Wells, Sheriff of of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
Monmouthshire and said to have been the Partnership – has been complex and often
richest black man in Britain in 1800. Paid for dangerous. However, the results are
by the profits of Morris’ sugar cane plantations spectacular and, in the case of The Alcove,
in the Caribbean, these viewpoints are integral rather unexpected. The conservation work
to one of the earliest designed landscapes in revealed a much larger structure than was
the UK. The route deliberately hides the originally thought to exist.
surrounding landscape from the walker and Go to wyevalleywalk.org for maps and further
The recently restored
then suddenly reveals the view at an information, or to purchase the official route
Eagle’s Nest viewpoint
awe-inspiring point. Back in the 18th century guide. (map ref D6) wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
the experience of progressing along the wyetour.adventa.org.uk
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