This is a great autumnal circle in the Wye Valley from Tintern taking in the river, woodlands and ancient ironworks in the Angidy Valley. It's about 6.8 miles/3.75 hours walking. Use the map Explorer OL14 Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean, ref: 536 596. Park in car park at the Old Station, Tintern, just to the north of Tintern, which is well marked off the A466. The main facilities are closed for winter but the cafe opens at weekends in November and December. Parking is reasonable. Alternatively, start at the Tintern ironworks: in Tintern, turn off the A466 at the side of the Royal George and follow the road towards Llanishen. After a mile reach the signed entrance to the ironworks car park on the right (start walk at no. 10 Ironworks).

Y ou can enjoy the sight of the winding Wye against the backdrop of autumnal colours on this moderately strenuous circle, much of it in woodland.

There is a pub halfway round, usually only open for lunch at weekends. Although naturally in Tintern there is plenty of refreshments, and a wonderful pub at Brockweir. You could start the walk at the iron works car park and make Brockweir the inn en route. Some stiles may be difficult for dogs. The route is mainly dry.

START

This is a wonderful recreational area on the site of the old Wye Valley railway branch line. Go to the old signal and then turn right down steps through a gate towards the river. Turn left through another gate and follow the river on your right. At the end, just before the bridge, go left through a gate and up steps to the end of the bridge, but don't cross.

1. BRIDGE

Go on to the main road. Turn right and at the bus shelter cross and follow the Wye Valley Walk opposite up through woodland. Fairly shortly, take the left fork (which looks the smaller path) but you will soon pick up Wye Valley Walk markers. Follow the Way, using some wooden steps en route and bending left and then later right. It levels out and continues on through the woods.

2. ROAD

Reach a road and turn left. Take the first turning right to Botany Bay and Catbrook. Continue to climb through the scattered hamlet of Botany Bay. Ignore footpaths left. Pass a small lane left and just past it take the marked footpath left up the drive to Hollytree Cottage.

3. FOOTPATH

At the slight bend just before the cottage, bear up right on the footpath. Continue to climb quite steeply, crossing stiles and following the well marked path. Enter a fairly young woodland. Continue straight through ignoring crossing tracks. Cross a stile into a field and follow the left edge. Then it's another stile and carry on, with hedge on right now. Another stile leads on to a lane. Continue straight on, ignoring the right turn.

4. CHAPEL

Soon reach a junction with a converted Methodist Chapel (1850) ahead. Go ahead down the small lane at the right side of the old chapel. Pass the entrance to White Lye Moor. Continue to a junc- tion. Turn right. Ignore the first wide track left.

5. SIGNPOST

Then, at a finger post, turn left on the path to Wain-y-parc and the Fountain Inn. It winds through the woodland. Reach a junction with a track, still in woods. Turn left and immediately look for a small path on the right by a low post, dropping downhill through bracken. Come out over a stile into a field where you get great views over the valley. Cross diagonally to the far left corner and take the stile near the corner.

6. FIELD

Go down the left edge of the field where you may encounter several horses from the nearby livery farm and go through a metal gate just off the corner. Turn left to a gate with a sign welcoming careful walkers. Go through and turn right and continue to the farm, Wain-y-Parc.

7. FARM

Bear right through. Go through a gate and follow the drive out. Shortly, reach a crossing footpath. Go left over the stile and across to a gate. Then go downhill in the field following the right fence. A stile in the corner leads down steps to a lane and the Fountain Inn.

8. INN

Go through the car park to a track left which leads out of it. Stay on this and it leads to a ruined building. Cross the stile at the side and continue on across the field with a pretty valley down on the left. Cross another stile and maintain direction on what is now a wide grassy track. Follow the next directions carefully: Come to the end of the woodland on your right and a metal gate on the right and continue on about 100 yards on the grassy track. Then leave the track and fork left down the rather rough field. There are no markers. Continue down in the same direction through the field, gradually nearing the bottom hedge. It all looks rather unpromising! Go through a bit of a wet area and then drop down through the hedge to a stile and marker post at the foot. This leads on to the lane.

9. LANE

Turn right. Shortly, turn left on the lane to Tintern (1.5 miles) by the Angidy River.

Cross the bridge and weir and immediately turn left down steps on to a track by the weir alongside the river.

Falling from about 250 metres to just five metres at Tintern in only 5km, this river produced the energy to power waterwheels and a flourishing iron and wire works. Our track leads to the extensive ruins of the old works and two very interesting information boards.

10. IRONWORKS

Having soaked up what you want of the fascinating old works and remains of Britain's first blast furnace, go out through the car park, which is an optional start for this circle.

Cross the lane to a footpath opposite to Tintern. Follow the river on your left and soon cross a bridge and go alongside a pond. At the end, go straight on (not left). Reach a crossing track shortly. Ignore the marked path ahead and instead turn left on the forest track so you are walking along above the river. Reach a wooden seat and a fork of paths. Stay on the top path, maintaining direction. Follow this along and then down to a Tarmac track – the Tintern Trail.

11. TINTERN TRAIL

Turn right and follow it all the way until it leads to the road. Turn right and shortly pick up a pavement and continue on down to Tintern and the main road.

12. TINTERN

For the abbey, turn right. But our route goes left and then crosses the road and goes down the left side of Abbey Mill and over the old metal rail bridge across the Wye following signs to Brockweir. On the other side, continue on along the broad track with the river down on the right. Go left steeply by posts up a rocky path in the Brockweir direction. It levels out and continues on and for a while follows the bed of the old railway which once crossed the Wye to the station where you parked. You have cut across a loop of the river, so it's now down on your left. Continue on and take the first stile on the left into a field alongside the Wye. You can go diagonally right down the field or go ahead to the river bank and turn right. Reach a stile near the white painted Moravian Church. Cross and go along the path by the church.

Turn left on the lane to the only remaining pub, the popular Brockweir Country Inn.

13. BROCKWEIR

Cross the bridge. If returning to the old station, go left down steps and follow the bed of the old railway back. Or if starting at the ironworks, follow directions from 1. Bridge.

The Fountain Inn, near Trellech Grange. Tel: 01291 689303. Open lunchtimes, weekends and by prior arrangement for groups in the week. The Brockweir Country Inn. Tel: 01291 689548. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Sue has published a new book of walks this week – Mendip Miles – a collection of 12 circular walks in the Mendip area which is available in local shops and bookshops or direct from Sue at the special price of £7.66 to include p&p. For details, email her at supeter@sgearing.freeserve.co.uk