21 monmouthshire monmouth

Roger Butler peers over steep slopes on a roller coaster along Offa’s Dyke

TINTERN ABBEY AND DEVIL’S PULPIT CIRCULAR Level Moderate Elevation gain 328m Length 8.2km (2hr 35min) Description A loop that includes Tintern Abbey and a climb to Devil’s Pulpit for spectacular views

Andrew Galloway walks a linear route that’s a microcosm of Wales’ best bits

It is tempting to think of autumn and early winter as the time to stop touring for the winter and settle down to a few months of Barbados sun or watching Pointless, depending on budget. Certainly, no

■ Distance: 6¾ miles/10.8km ■  Time: 3½ hours ■  Grade: Moderate

THE area where the River Tees approaches the sea has been largely industrial in recent times, but the upper stretch of the river is very different in character. Here, while the villages, hamlets and r