Brockweir
Brockweir Village used to be a busy boat building and trading post due to it being the last tidal point on the river Wye. Once described by the Morovians as a “den of iniquity”, Brockweir boasted 16 pubs and cider houses to satisfy the demands of locals, watermen and shipbuilders!
Only one pub survives from those busy lawless days, the New Inn, now called the Brockweir Inn. The others have all been converted into houses and whilst the village very much retains it’s original charm of stone buildings, you can expect a far more peaceful and welcoming atmosphere than in year’s past.
The Brockweir Inn is a friendly establishment with a simple but well sourced menu of traditional pub meals and some fine local ales.
The Village Shop is just under two miles from Spring Cottage and stocks a wide range of local produce, general groceries, seasonal veg and bread. The Village Shop also has a cafe with wi-fi and serves lunches, tea, coffee and a lovely selection of cakes.
Tintern
The Cistercian abbey of Tintern is one of the greatest monastic ruins and is situated a pleasant three mile riverside walk away. Founded in the early 12th century and developed and extended over a period of 400 years until monastic life in England and Wales was brought to an abrupt end by King Henry VIII, the Abbey is an imposing monument to centuries past. Today the Abbey is, in the words of many, the “perfect ruin”. It’s great church, built over 700 years ago stands today much as it did then, apart from it’s lack of a roof, window glass and internal divisions.
The Old Station is situated at the half-way point between Spring Cottage and Tintern and serves food and drink from April to October in a glorious setting overlooking the River Wye. It is a great place to break the journey for lunch or afternoon tea and learn more about the Victorian Wye Valley Railway that brought visitors from Chepstow to Monmouth over 100 years ago in what was called the “birth of tourism”.