Hello Autumn!

The perfect time to visit the Wye Valley as the leaves change colour from green to reds, oranges and golds. This is the season to bathe yourself in nature and to breathe deeply. Walk through a thick carpet of carnelian leaves in our woodlands (or toss some in the air before taking a photo for an instagrammable moment) collect conkers and pine cones, and cosy up around an open fire to toast marshmallows. Watch an early sunset (one of the advantages of of shorter days) with a glass of award winning local wine and wait for our dark skies to fill with stars in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales' first International Dark Sky Reserve.

With more than 1,000 miles of public footpaths and two designated landscapes Monmouthshire has plenty of wide open space in stunning countryside to enjoy. From national trails to short circular walks in and around the Brecon Beacons National Park in the west, and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the east. Visit our walking page to see all our routes or use our route search function to find short and circular walking routes starting / finishing in a specific location in Monmouthshire. Just enter a town or postcode for a list of walks starting and finishing there.

Monmouthshire's not just a beautiful landscape, we also have bustling high streets packed with independent shops and cafes. Some shops sell local products, others are specialist outlets for products from elsewhere. All offer a personal service. Choose from Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow, Magor, Monmouth, Tintern and Usk.  

We're coming up to Halloween season, so have a look at all the spooky events and fireworks displays across Monmouthshire. It's also when awards season starts, so take a look at the fantastic success Monmouthshire businesses have had recently on our Award Winners Blog, including at the Great Taste Awards & the Good Hotel Guide. 

Make your promise to Wales before you visit and look out for the 'We're Good to Go' COVID-19 secure industry kitemark for assurance that the business is following government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, ensuring processes are in place to maintain cleanliness and aid physical distancing.

Please check ahead before visiting as many venues will require booking. Please check the latest Welsh Government guidance here : https://gov.wales/coronavirus and plan your visit before setting off.