After weeks of rain and floods, we were relieved to arrive on a dry day and to enjoy the view of Tintern Abbey from the front of the hotel.

After settling into our rooms we enjoyed the first of the delicious meals we were to enjoy and stayed chatting round the table before drifting away for an early night.

It turned out that nine of the ten women were teachers so there was much in common to talk about!

We met after breakfast to start our first walk.

Many women were keen to try out walking poles so we spent some time demonstrating and adjusting them.

We then set off across the old railway bridge to walk through the meadows and view Tintern Abbey from the English bank.

We went along the path to the Moravian Church at Brockweir where one of the church wardens was arranging the flowers and answered our questions about the church and explained its history.

After a rest we followed the Offa's Dyke National Trail on its slow steady climb through the woods to the Devil's Pulpit for the stunning view down to the Abbey.

The story goes that the Devil stood there and taunted the monks below.

After the shady woods it was good to move into the sunny meadows for a lunch stop overlooking the Severn bridges.

We then followed Miss Graces Lane making way for a giant combine harvester on the way and being entertained by chickens and a solitary gosling.

We descended in glorious sunshine through newly mown hay to Brockweir.

Here we crossed the bridge back into Wales and went to the visitor centre at the Old Railway Station for welcome ice creams.

After dinner we played Articulate in the lounge - those new to the game quickly learnt the rules from those who had played before.

It was cloudy as we waited for the bus to take us up the valley to Redbrook.

It was good to support the local bus service and our group doubled the takings for the trip!

Straight away we were on the Offa's Dyke National Trail, climbing steeply up to the National Nature Reserve of Highbury Wood.

The woodland is being carefully managed to regenerate the traditional system of coppice with standards which meant keeping out the deer with extra high fencing.

Down through woods and meadows to join the river at Bigsweir for a welcome lunch stop and snooze for some.

We followed the river bank through tunnels of Himalayan Balsam plants before reaching the Brockweir Inn for a welcome drink.

We reached the hotel where a wedding reception was in full swing, but we entertained ourselves with another competitive game of Articulate !

The sun was already high in a clear blue sky when we set off. In the shade of the woods along the old mineral line we followed the Angidy valley.

The recent rain had left many fallen trees and a lot of mud so boots and trousers did not stay clean for long!

At least it meant the dams and streams were full.

We reached the Fountain Inn only to find it closed for repairs after being flooded, but the publican let us sit under his umbrellas for a welcome break.

We followed quiet country lanes around Catbrook which still retained its old red telephone boxes.

The sun was by now burning hot and so we made for the shade of the Forestry Commission Picnic Site.

We walked along woodland tracks southwards to the Parva Vineyard for a rest and wine tasting.

After another delicious meal we retired to the lounge. Women demanded yet another game of Articulate!

Some women were leaving early for journeys home, so a smaller group set off to walk up the old paved track to the ruins of St Mary's Church and look down across the valley.

Through woods and fields of new born calves, we walked to the isolated church at Penterry - left solitary in the fields after the village had probably been destroyed by plague.

A climb up Gaer Hill revealed the stunning view of the Bristol Channel.

We crossed the fields of sheep. to reach the Wye Valley Walk in the woods above the Wye gorge.

We enjoyed our lunch at the Eagle's Nest enjoying another panorama before following the path through the woods.

The final section proved something of an obstacle course as large trees had been brought down recently.

However we all found a way round or over them.

Final goodbyes and hugs at the hotel marked the end of another sunny day and holiday.