From Chepstow to Gloucester

From 25th to 30th of April, together with my whole family, I walked about 70 km from Chepstow (Wales) to Gloucester (England).

From Chepstow to Monmouth we followed the Wye Valley Walk; often on woody tracks and, mainly, on the Wales side of the river.

At Monmouth we took the Wysis Way through the Forest of Dean and, finally, across the Gloucester country side before getting to Gloucester.

We were jolly lucky with the weather: fresh but often sunny and no rain at all.

The landscape was beautiful but, especially in Wales, not so well kept and clean  as in other part of British trails (e.g. Ridgeway, South Down Way, etc.).

The signposting of both trails is far from satisfactory.  In spite of my long distance walking experience, we lost the track from time to time.

Gear: no sensibly different from my ultra-light equipment of previous hikes without camping gear: 4.2 kg with food and 1 l. water.
 
Highlights: woods and forests, carpets of anemones, violets and bluebells (sadly not yet in full blossom), huge oak and yew trees, red kites; Tintern Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral.






Conclusion: I would rank this hike of average quality compared to my previous ones. One week later we could have enjoyed full blossom of bluebells.

A final word about Tintern Abbey: I was a little disappointed. But, as Proust so remarkably analyses: there's the result of the real world impact on the imagination constructions!

Look at the photos taken during the hike.