Local Attractions

Blaenavon World Heritage Site

Well worth a visit, in particular Big Pit National Coal Museum. A visit to Big Pit includes a 300ft descent into the old colliery, where a former coal miner will take you on a fascinating and personal tour with the sights, sounds and smells of the mine creating an impression of what working life was like at the coalface. The best part is nearly everything you can visit here is free!
http://www.visitblaenavon.co.uk

Canoeing & Kayaking Down The Wye

Hire canoes or kayaks and make your way down the stunning River Wye either with or without a guide. There are three excellent providers: Monmouth Canoe, Forest Adventure and Adventure River.
http://www.forestadventure.co.uk
http://www.monmouthcanoe.co.uk/river-wye-canoeing/
http://www.adventureriver.co.uk/

Clearwell Caves

Clearwell Caves are natural caves, extensively mined for iron ore to make some of Britain’s most complex and oldest mine workings. The mine dates back well over 4,000 years, when early miners dug for ochre pigments to make paints.
http://www.clearwellcaves.com/index.html

Raglan Castle

A stunning statement of wealth and power. Everything’s impressive about this place, from its great tower, which evokes memories of earlier fortresses like Caernarfon, to the great gatehouse, which ‘wows’ the visitor just as its owner intended. If, as they say, an Englishman’s home is his castle, then William Herbert’s Raglan is the Welshman’s equivalent.
http://cadw.gov.wales

Tintern Abbey

The appeal of this exceptional Cistercian abbey remains as enduring as ever. An area of outstanding beauty complemented by this outstanding beauty in stone. If only the walls could talk! The chants of countless monks echo through the masonry here.
http://cadw.gov.wales

Usk Castle

Enchanting, romantic ruins overlook the small town of Usk, and the wide river valley beyond. Within a natural and peaceful setting, the ancient walls are covered with creeper, and old stone towers invite you to explore. This is a medieval castle that fell into disuse 500 years ago, waiting to be discovered.
www.uskcastle.com/

Usk Rural life Museum

Housed in a 16th century malt barn, the inspiring Usk Rural Museum houses a vast exhibit of over 5000 artifacts. Gain a cultural insight into rural life between 1850 and 1950.
http://uskmuseum.org/

White Castle

White Castle is one of the most well preserved castles in Monmouthshire, with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.
http://cadw.gov.wales/

Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo

Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo are passionate about butterfly conservation, and they also support sustainable Butterfly Farming worldwide.
At the zoo, you can walk with butterflies from around the world. It is indoors, it’s tropical and it’s teeming with exotic butterflies which fly around as you discover their fascinating lives in close-up. See for yourself every stage of their life-cycle: Egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and some of the world’s most beautiful butterflies.
http://www.butterflyzoo.co.uk/