Tintern, Abbey, Offa's Dyke, Wine and Sheep

Today, Sunday 1st May, we had a number of activities based around our visit to Tintern in Wales. Of course, the dramatic ruins of Tintern Abbey featured on our visit. Then we had a 6 mile walk on the English side of the River Wye - on the high ground overlooking the abbey and also affording distant views across to the new Severn Bridge. For some of us, a visit to a combined sheep farm and vineyard pleasantly rounded off our foray into the Principality.

On our lunch stop on the English side of the Wye we have enjoyed
our view across the river into Wales and to Tintern Abbey.

Here you will see some of our experiences along the River Wye. Happy browsing!

• Our Day
• Tintern Abbey - what Henry VIII left us
• Our Walk - Offa's Dyke, Devil's Pulpit and Some Views
• Walk Features
• Of Wine and Sheep
• Our Last Evening


• Please Read Me!

Tintern Abbey - what Henry VIII left us

We assembled outside Tintern Abbey. Some of us were keen to start our walk without delay. However, it was still early in the day, and there were not yet many visitors to the abbey at this hour. Yes, Henry VIII - naughty boy - left this abbey in ruins. However, there is still a lot left, reminding us of the erstwhile grandeur of this famous building. It was founded in 1131, to be exact. It was the first Cistercian foundation in Wales and the second in Britain. Just to set the scene!

Here we are, outside Tintern Abbey, and ready for our day on the banks of the River Wye.




At the entrance, the Abbey looks like a pile of old stones but ...




... in the nave the majestic nature of the building unfolds.




Sun and shade ...




... play around the ornate columns.




Here is the grand view of the abbey from the south west.




The columns of nave and aisle ...




... are a tad reminiscent of La Mezquita in Cordoba, in Spain's sunny south.

Offa's Dyke, Devil's Pulpit and Some Views

This short walk, approaching 6 miles in length and with a total ascent of about ⅓ Km, took in the high ground on the English side of the River Wye. There were good views across to Tintern Abbey from the stretch by the Devil's Pulpit. It is said that, in his sermons from the said pulpit, the Devil tried to lead the monks in the Abbey into temptation - that is, off the path of the straight and narrow. How well he succeeded is not documented, but we enjoyed our walk which also included part of Offa's Dyke. From our path, there was also a fine view of a more recent structure, namely the new (second) Severn Bridge. Thanks, Nicky, for suggesting and leading this nice walk.

On our route, there was a good sprinkling of wild garlic. We also came across this nice culinary herb on our 2009 CLOG visit to Minehead (May 1 to 4).




It was still bluebell time in these parts.




Here is the Devil's Pulpit and below is the Abbey, whose monks - so legend has it - used to receive the full torrent of the Devil's sermons from the said pulpit.
The child, dressed suitably in black (!!) wanted to be in the picture!




And here is Gill in front of the said Pulpit.
I'm reasonably sure that Gill does not have any devilish intentions!
However, she is enjoying the walk!




A little further along the path is a nice natural lunch stop. A lunch stop with a view!




We are ready to go, but there's still time for a quick picture of some of our party.




The location of Tintern Abbey on the banks of the Wye is certainly impressive.




And here is a bit more of a close-up.




Further along the path is a fine view of the Second (Newer) Severn Crossing. The viewpoint is a few yards off the main path and not marked. It requires a hunch and instinct to know it might be there! Three cheers for instinct - in this case, anyway!




It was a bit hazy, but here is another view in close-up.




There are a fair number of bluebells ...




... along Offa's Dyke Path.




This Yew stands plonk in the middle of the said path.




From the Offa's Dyke Path one can get to the - almost riverside - railway path. Oh, Dr Beeching!




The railway path affords ...




... nice, almost river-level, views of Tintern Abbey ...




... before it (the path of course!) disappears into a tunnel.




Here are two more ...




... views of Tintern Abbey.




The Wye has to be crossed ...




... before our starting point in front of the abbey is reached.

Of Wine and Sheep

It was time for some more tourism. How about a visit to the winery and sheep farm in Tintern Parva? A husband and wife team bought the winery a few years ago. Hubby was more interested in sheep farming, but his better half had a liking for wine. Perhaps the thought was that a nice roast lamb dinner really needs a correspondingly nice red wine as an accompaniment. So the marital duties were - so it seems - suitably assigned! Anyway, we enjoyed the wine tasting and learnt something about the many different varieties of sheep.

This is where we tasted the wines ...




... guarded over by a fierce Welsh dragon.




Inside, there is a poster which seems to make excellent sense!




There's some wine-related decoration ...




... and opposite, some of the actual wines themselves, ready for
our discerning palates - err, for our delectation, that is!.




Outside is the source of the wine - a sloping vineyard,
suitably positioned to catch as much sun as possible!




And now, the sheep. Many different appearances and wool colours - natural, no dye.
There were Blue Texels, White Texels, ... and many more.




It was lambing time ...




... and some ewes were penned in ...




... having just given, or about to give, birth.
A sign that spring was surely here, and summer fast approaching.

Our Last Evening

The Fountain Inn itself was the venue for our last dinner - you could say, a celebratory meal. We were a bit spread out so it was not so easy to record the proceedings. However, I can say that we thanked our hard working organiser, Helen, in the customary way, ensuring that her dinner was on us. And so ended the main part of our CLOG visit to the Forest of Dean.

Here is a farewell picture of "The Fountain Inn".