The landscape of the Welsh border is dominated by two lovely rivers, the Usk and the Wye.  They meander through green vales set in rolling countryside with a selection of vineyards which thrive in this gentle corner of Wales.

The farm sits on the ridge between the Wye and Usk in the 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' and couldn't be better placed for the surrounding attractions.

The views from the farm are spectacular. It is sheltered by a surround of hills which give the gardens a tranquil feel, contrasted with wide vistas to the north and west across the Vale of Usk to the Black Mountains, the  Golden Valley and Edmund’s Tump. It is regularly blessed with spectacular sunsets as the light diffuses through the cloud toppings on the distant hills.

Beyond the Black Mountains are the Brecon Beacons, all part of  the National Park  with unique, stunning landscapes.

The gateway to Wales, rich in historic sites, was not always so peaceful.  Roman soldiers and Norman warlords left their mark.  At the walled town of Chepstow stands Britain's first stone-built castle, on a bluff above the looping River Wye.

The wooded Wye Valley, an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' winds its way through Tintern to Monmouth then up to Ross-on-Wye (see map below).  Tintern, dominated by the soaring ruins of its medieval abbey, has attracted poets and artists for centuries. Today, it's also popular with country-lovers who follow the Wye Valley Walk or the Offa's Dyke Path in the hills above.

The Forest of Dean is also close by on the east bank of the River Wye, with a fascinating history and plenty of activities and attractions for all ages.

There's more history at Monmouth (the local shopping town 6 miles away) - the fortified Monnow Bridge and Agincourt Square with its statues to two famous sons, Henry V and Charles Rolls, of Rolls-Royce fame.  Perhaps more important are excellent shops, and a Waitrose and M&S Simply Food.

Like Monmouth, Abergavenny (20 minutes away) is an attractive market town. Locals and visitors alike have flocked to its famous Tuesday market for centuries. Set between the Blorenge, Sugar Loaf and Skirrid mountains, Abergavenny is also an excellent walking centre.

The entire area is idyllic car touring country.  Scenic roads weave across hill and vale dotted with pretty little towns and villages. Visit Ross-on-Wye for example, a market town of distinctive character in the unspoilt countryside of Herefordshire.  Or call into the historic floral town of Usk and you'll see why it is a regular winner of the 'Wales in Bloom' competition. Usk stands in the valley of the same name. Like the Wye, the Usk is a famous salmon fishing river and also has its own beautiful long-distance footpath, the Usk Valley Walk.

South of Usk, the river loops around Caerleon, a town in which King Arthur reputedly held court.  Caerleon also has an important Roman ancestry still evident today in its amphitheatre, excavated bathhouse complex, barracks and museum.  The Usk reaches the sea at Newport, a busy gateway town to Wales with the splendid Tredegar House and Country Park on its outskirts.

There are so many delightful - and different - things to see and do in this part of Wales.  You can visit castles galore - medieval Caldicot set in a tranquil country park, Penhow, Wales' oldest lived-in castle, romantic Raglan Castle (3 miles away), and the strategic Three Castles: Grosmont, Skenfrith and White (5 or 6 miles). There's a host of activities to enjoy - visit the old mines in the Forest of Dean, take a river trip at Symonds Yat, pony trekking, paddling a canoe on the Wye from Ross to Monmouth.  You can even go grass skiing or gliding.

Surroundings on the Farm

The presence of several springs and wet flushes contribute to the diversity of trees and plants on the farm, and a new planting of 2.5 acres of broad leaved woodland is in hand. To translate the name of the farm from welsh, 'wern' is a pasture with alder trees, and 'gochen' is red.

In the last 12 months 66 species of birds have been seen on the Farm and the 55 acres in all their variety are there to be enjoyed. There is a network of paths spreading from the Farm, each revealing a secret glade and new vistas.

Just above the farm is the Croes Wood nature reserve. Croes Robert Wood is 14 hectares of ancient semi-natural coppice woodland on the northern edge of the Trellech plateau.   The Reserve was notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1981. The reintroduction of coppicing and charcoal burning provides an opportunity to see a traditionally managed broad-leaved woodland.  The opening up of the woodland canopy combined with existing habitat features is promoting a rich flora and fauna.

Despite all of this, don’t feel that you have to move from the farmhouse. There are many who just unwind in the old sitting room or garden with a library of good books and a supply of wine.

The River Wye is the fourth largest river in England and Wales and is internationally important for wildlife like otters and salmon.

Wildlife - A quarter of Britain's population of lesser horseshoe bats, peregrine falcons, ravens, rare whitebeam, nightjar and lesser known fish like the shad and twaite are found in the area.

Tintern was the birthplace of the industrial revolution, smelting brass and iron by 1568

Wyncliff, near St Arvans, is one of the highest inland cliffs in Britain at 230 metres. The Wye Gorge, forested for 8,000 years, was for centuries coppiced on an industrial scale for charcoal.

Blaenavon is a world heritage site and is a unique experience, living testimony to the pre-eminence of South Wales as the world's major producer of iron and coal in the 19th century.

St Fagans Museum of Welsh Life, is free! You'll never have a better value day.

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty provides countless attractions no matter what the weather or the time of year.