This is a very tranquil circle from Wentwood Forest, west of Chepstow, through the glorious surrounding Welsh countryside and round the edge of Gray Hill, calling in at a village pub en route. It's about six miles/three hours walking time. Use the map )S Outdoor Leisure map 14, Wye Valley & Forest of Dean, ref: 228 938.

Park in the Foresters Oak car park, at the north end of Wentwood Reservoir. The reservoir can be accessed from the A48 west of Caerwent either up through Llanvaches or through Llanvair-Discoed. The parking area has picnic tables and great views across the Severn estuary.

This walk is very close to the Severn Crossing and yet has the feel of being deep in the Welsh countryside. It starts from Wentwood Reservoir and goes through the forest, across Bica Common, and then explores the pretty valley of Castrog Brook before climbing steeply up and over down to Llanvair- Discoed and a pub.

Then, a track climbs for about 15 minutes to take us back along the side of Gray Hill. There are great views back across to England. It's a good doggy day out, too. Walking is mainly on good tracks and footpaths, although after rain, expect mud in the woods and forest.

START

From the entrance to the car park, cross the road and take the marked path opposite through trees, entering the edge of Wentwood Forest. Reach a broad crossing track and turn right. Continue to a junction. Leave the track and go, more or less, straight over on a path. Soon come to a broad track and join this. It is wide and dry and stony. On your left is a plantation of Christmas trees and mixed woodland on the right. After a couple of minutes, reach another junction and stay on the main track. It may be muddy in parts.

1. WOODS

Enter beech and oak woodland and continue straight on ignoring side forks. The woodland becomes almost exclusively oak. Eventually, come out into the open on to the edge of common land with birches. Join a Tarmac track and go left.

2. COMMON

You are now looking across the valley and gradually descending towards the hamlet of Bica Common. Don't get as far as the bottom, but instead turn right on a Tarmac farm drive to Rocks Cottage. Stay on this, with easy walking and pleasant views across the valley.

Go through a gate ahead marked to Ty Hendre and start to drop down. Pass one turn right leading to cottages. Drop down and bend round towards a cottage. Before you reach it, follow the arrow left across grass to Castrog Brook. Turn right with the brook on your left through a pretty area of woodland. Cross a couple of stiles and enter a field.

3. VALLEY

Follow the woodland on your left in this shallow valley. In the corner, go through a gate and continue through the valley. Ignore a footbridge on the left and just carry on through a gate ahead, still following the brook.

4. HILL

At a gate on to the lane and a waymark sign, turn right steeply uphill in the field towards a wood. Cross a track and go up steeply, with the fence on your right. Up in the corner in the wood, join a track along the top of the wood and turn right through a gate into the field. Head diagonally up across the field, and find a track which continues in the same direction through a band of woodland.

Go over a stile by a gate into a field, and go straight across (not right). You are now walking in park-like country.

Cross a stile and continue on following the left fence. Pass over on your left a large country house, Penhein. Cross a stile in the corner and turn left. Go over another stile and from here begin to get some great views across the Severn. Follow the fence line downhill and look over some of the houses in the village of Llanvair-Discoed below. Cross a stile in the corner on to a drive.

5. DRIVE

This is the winding drive to Penhein. Go straight over down across grass. Cross another loop in the drive and go ahead to a stile into a field. Bear left and go into another field, and then follow the boundary of trees and bushes on your left downhill. Curve around left and continue on downhill towards the village. Find a stile hidden under conifers by a corrugated iron barn. Come out on to the village lane and turn left.

6. LLANVAIR-DISCOED

At the foot find the welcoming Woodlands Tavern in the village. Turn right through the village, climbing gently. Pass over on your left, set back behind the church, the ruins of Llanvair Castle.

Built in the 13th century, it consisted of a square and two round towers, blended with a farmhouse. Coins, urns and other Roman remains have been found here.

Continue up and turn right on the first lane which is a No Through road and very quiet. Follow it uphill all the way to the top, ignoring side footpaths. It is quite a pull. Pass a house at the top. The lane bends left and then continues to climb less steeply.

Stay on what is now a track and simply follow it round below Gray Hill which is up on your right. Begin to get some views left over Wentwood Reservoir. Join a track coming from the right and continue on until you come out to the road. Turn right back to Foresters Oak car park.

Woodlands Tavern, Llanvair-Discoed, NP16 6LX. Tel: 01633 400313. Closed Mondays. The village has an Open Gardens weekend on May 16 and 17 (10.30am-5pm). £5, free to under 16s.