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Cross over the old railway bridge from Wales into England and walk to the old port of Brockweir. Cross over the bridge at Brockweir back to the west bank of the Wye and then follow the river bank back to Tintern. A pleasant hour-long ramble. Stop at the Old Railway Station picnic site for refreshment.
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A former station on the Wye Valley Railway from Monmouth to Chepstow, now a countryside visitor site. The station itself aptly demonstrates one reason why the railway closed by being one mile away from the centre of Tintern. The railway to the south of Tintern can be followed by crossing the river near the Abbey and following a wide and generally level (although muddy) path along the side of the hill for a few miles.
Tintern Wireworks Bridge
Built to carry an industrial railway into Tintern to serve a small wireworks. The railway closed in 1935 and was dismantled in 1941. The bridge remains intact as a footpath and it is the only bridge across the Wye at Tintern. The wireworks themselves closed long before 1935 and little evidence remains. Local legend has it that Tintern wire helped make the first transatlantic telegraph cable.
This 12th century Cistercian abbey has been in ruins since King Henry VIII (the one with all the wives) dissolved the monasteries but it is still impressive after nearly 500 years. A poem by the same name was written by the English romantic poet, William Wordsworth.
A two-hour climb gets you to this outcrop of limestone rock on the east bank of the Wye with magnificent views over Tintern and the abbey. In legend, the Devil called down to the monks and preached to them in vain trying to tempt them to desert their order.