Eat well, drink well
Our visitors’ books are full of comments that The Carpenter’s Arms was a highlight of their trip. Especially Vera! Run by the same family for generations, it’s an old and seriously charming pub with good pub food and a beer garden. Bring cash as they don’t take cards!!
The Bulls Head is a drovers Inn up the mountainside and run by the amazing Wild by Nature team that supply the meat in our small shop.
Cornwall Arms (Clodock) – no food, but solid character and charm.
The smartest among a really good bunch of local pubs are The Walnut Tree and The Hardwick. The first has a Michelin star and the other is Stephen Terry’s restaurant, ranked as one of the top 20 gastropubs in the UK. Both do glorious food.
If you like to combine food with a walk, check out this list of recommended Rambles and Roasts.
Given our location in the warm Golden Valley and located on Vinyard Lane, we hope to one day establish grapes here. In the meantime several great vineyards about and many gin distilleries.
Rowlestone Ice Cream and Ty Gwyn Cider are two of our local favourites. The first is a farm café and all you can eat ice cream parlour. Break up the walk with a pit stop at Ty Gwyn Cider to complete your well balance diet for the day.
Another weekend not to miss is the Abergavenny Food Festival and of course the ever popular Hay On Wye book festival.
Walking
There are many to choose from as we are surrounded by a series of prominent hills and mountains. We have easy access to several sections of the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacon beyond. It’s very satisfying to walk the volcanic looking, Skirid that marks the landscape from The Goytree. With the Skirid Mountain Inn reputably the oldest pub in Wales, steeped in legends and folk law, it makes the perfect post ramble pitstop.
You can walk all the way to the charming book town of Hay on Wye, across the top of a single mountain, Hatterall Ridge. “A long day but the skylarks, buzzards and horses and the incredible views were worth it.” – Shanti & Nicholas, London
- A nice range of circular walks here
- A few mountain challenges: Pen y Fan, Sugar Loaf, The Cats Back or Black Hill
- Epic walking guide which you can pick up hot tips from
- Four waterfalls walk in Waterfall County
- LLathony Priory with stunning walks and a pub in the priory
- A list of recommended Rambles and Roasts
Shops
Hopes of Longtown is a small ethical shop and font of all local knowledge (and maps) located in the village of Longtown. Whilst there check out Longtown Castle which is a good starting point to the fascinating history of this area.
The nearest supermarkets are located in Abergavenny or Hereford a little further away.
Wild swimming
Everyone has their own swimming spot. There are lots cropping up on the internet but it’s worth asking a local for their go to. Here is a good intro to the area.