365 Steps, Penterry Church & Chepstow Park Woods
Details
Distance: approx 10 miles (16km) circular
Elevation gain: 625m
Difficulty: Hard
Start time: 10am
Duration: approx 6 hours
Location: Lower Wyndcliff Car Park, St Arvans, Chepstow NP16 7JB
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PLafSQa6D5zw7aun9?g_st=ac
W3W: ///abruptly.ferrying.nuggets
Prepare for a journey through time and nature on this wonderful circular walk near Chepstow. We will begin with the famous 365 Steps, a steep but rewarding climb following in the footsteps of 18th-century "Wye Tourists" who came to see these "picturesque" landscapes. Our reward at the top is the Eagle's Nest, a double-decker viewpoint offering a breathtaking panorama of the Wye Valley, the Severn Bridges, and distant Cotswold Hills. Our path then leads through quiet fields to the isolated Penterry Church, which dates back to at least 955 AD and stands as a lonely reminder of a village that locals believe was lost to the Black Death. We loop back through Chepstow Park Woods, a 900-acre ancient woodland and medieval hunting park, with a mix of towering Scots pines and ancient broadleaf trees. These woods are a haven for fallow deer, buzzards, and rare greater horseshoe bats.
Because the "365 Steps" can be very uneven and slippery after rain, sturdy walking boots with a good grip are highly recommended for this trek.
Bring snacks and sandwiches, and plenty of water. We'll stop for lunch part way round.
Dogs welcome, please keep on lead while we pass livestock.
This is a recce, I have not walked this route before.
Possible pub stop afterwards at the Piercefield in St Arvans (note google maps' location for pub is wrong at time of writing, I have submitted an edit request)
This event is sponsored by
www.EscapeRoomsCardiff.co.uk