THE WYE VALLEY WALK

A journey through two countries and three counties, the 136-mile (218km) Wye Valley Walk is a delightful long-distance footpath. Beginning in Chepstow, where the mature river passes right through the town, the walk wends first in a northerly, and then a northwesterly direction to end deep in Mid Wales at the birthplace of the River Wye - the Hafren Forest. The trail leads through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where sightings of kingfishers, otters and other riverine wildlife are not uncommon. The lush pasture of the lower Wye eventually gives way to the beautiful woodland of the river's middle reaches, and the walker crosses back in Wales at the book town of Hay on Wye. Here the terrain becomes more mountainous and the landscape wilder, giving the walker a sense of real freedom as the narrowing, rushing river is followed upstream.

Walking the Wye Valley is an ideal choice for a self-guided walking holiday. Though the total mileage to be covered on this long-distance walk is substantial, allowing a fortnight reduces the average daily distance to a very manageable 9 miles (15km). And the beauty of following a river valley is that the path rarely ascends steeply - making the walk suitable for little legs, whether they belong to children or canine family members. In fact, with careful choice of accommodation the Wye Valley Walk can be a very dog-friendly walking holiday indeed!

Despite being a contender for the title of most scenic walk in Wales, the Wye Valley Walk is never busy with hikers. If you relish quietude while walking but enjoy ending the day in a bustling town, this is one of the best UK wilderness walks around. Many interesting and historic towns have grown up on the banks of the Wye. The Wye valley Walk thus provides the perfect opportunity to explore the markets, bookshops, gastronomy and architecture of towns including Chepstow, Monmouth, Ross on Wye, Hereford, Hay on Wye, Builth Wells, and Rhayader.

Drover Holidays has created the perfect Wye valley Walk holiday: Our self-guided package is for independent walkers, and includes:

• Pick-up at Chepstow railway station at the start of the holiday.
• 15 nights accommodation in quality B&Bs and guesthouses.
• Door-to-door luggage transfer - your bags are transferred to the next overnight stop, so all you need to carry is a small day-sack.
• Emergency vehicle back-up.
• Custom maps, highlighting your walk day-by-day and marking facilities.
• Comprehensive route guide including directions and plenty of background information.
• First aid kit.

There are no set departure dates for this self-guided holiday, so you can start on any day of the week - just choose the dates to suit your party.

So, if you are tempted to head off on the Wye valley Walk, but don't want to compromise on comfort, get in touch for further information or to make a booking. Or you can browse other Welsh walking and cycling tour itineraries here. Don't forget all our tours include a hassle-free baggage transfer service.