Twelve of us in all and only a few had been to the Lower Wye Valley before so we were quite enchanted by the wonderful view of the ruined Cistercian Abbey from the front of the hotel and the backdrop of steep-sided hills.

At dinner, we all had the opportunity to get to know one another and liked what we discovered.

A hardy few decided to go for a walk to one of the many village pubs afterwards so we took a walk along by the Wye to the Moon and Sixpence at the far end of the village.

This was completely deserted inside but crowded with smokers round the doorway. "What are you going to do in January?" we asked one local, "Become an Inuit!" he declared stoically.

Next morning we took at leisurely breakfast, collected our packed lunches and set off over the railway bridge to the English side of the river (Tintern is in Wales).

Tintern was the busiest station on the railway line when it was built in the early 10th Century - being a hugely popular tourist destination for the Victorian travellers.

A bit of a climb over to Brockweir which was the last navigable place on the Wye for sea-going ships.

At Brockweir we stopped to say 'hello' to the donkeys in a field at the Horse and Pony Rescue Association farm.

They brayed pitifully when we left them and we were quite touched until the stable hand explained that this just greed.

Down over a section of Offa's Dyke path: Offa was King of Mercia in the eighth century and built the dyke as a defensive boundary of stone and earth between what is now England and Wales.

The remaining section is roughly 80 miles long and more or less mirrors the border between the two countries.

Walking down through some quiet byways, we eventually ended back on the banks of the Wye where we stopped for lunch and sunbathed in the glorious September sunshine.

On the way back, we passed Quay House and saw in the garden a propeller shaft reputed to from the Belle Marie, which in 1914 became the last boat to sail to Brockweir.

Then a visit to the pretty Moravian Church by the bridge where we puzzled over the mystery of how P.M. Gubi had been the minister in 1948-49 and was back again in 2000-02 - presumably as a quite elderly man!

Back across Brockweir bridge to Wales and on to the Old Station at Tintern for afternoon tea.

Here we also visited the historic carriages in the sidings where one could see an exhibition on the history of Tintern and watch videos about the railway and the local area.

There was also a sculpure park where legendary Welsh figures had been carved out of huge tree trunks - our friend Offa included.

Finally we wandered back into the small village itself where some lingered at the excellent second-hand bookshop and others the next door antique centre.

Some hearty folk still had energy to spare so, whilst most went back to the hotel to relax, a few took up the offer of a walk up to the Devil's Pulpit.

It was a stiff climb up the escarpment but the reward was a magnificent view through the trees to the abbey way, way below.

And there as indeed a pulpit - a stone stack about ten foot high just in front of the viewpoint. Not a difficult climb from behind the pulpit but fall off the front and the ground is 200 metres below!

Today we stayed in Wales and took a cobbled path up to the ruined church of St. Mary just behind the hotel.

This is one of many small churches in the valley - a reminder of the days when the area was heavily-populated hive of industry and of course everyone went to church!

Hive of industry? Yes, you wouldn't credit it today but, apart the many men employed in boat-building, the valley was a huge source of open-cast iron ore.

This was mined and smelted at our first stop on the Angidy River where the remains of the old ironworks were still there to be seen.

They made everything from wire to plough shares here which were then taken down by packhorse to the railway, then to the rest of the country.

We walked up and over a quiet fields, and we timed our stop just right for coffee or a local beer at the delightful, beamed Fountain Inn.

The walk then took us through some fields and past the edge of a wood where we stopped for lunch with a panoramic view back over the landscape.

Through a pine wood, then along narrow, empty roads - what a treat for us townies - and finally down a long wooded path into Tintern.

We had hoped to visit the local vineyard on the way back but were disappointed to find it closed - a rare occurrence but obviously there was a problem.

We learnt from the local publican that the poor owner had had a terrible year and only managed to get two acres of grapes harvested instead of the normal 160.

It has indeed been a pretty sunless summer but we were blessed with wonderful weather again so we finished the walk with a stop at the craft centre and tea-shop by the Abbey Mill.

After dinner we went out to the Cherry Tree in the Angidy Valley and sampled the local cider and a very jolly atmosphere - no connection between the two obviously!

Our final day and this time we headed off behind the hotel in a south westerly direction up through the woods and then out in the open country around Penterry Farm with some lovely views back over the valleys.

Our first stop was at Penterry Church, a tiny church with no public roads to it and right in the middle of fields.

Sadly it was closed but we were able to peek inside through the little leper window - cut specially for those poor souls who weren't allowed inside in case they infected the rest of the congregation.

Now, because of theft and vandalism, people aren't allowed inside at all except for the services held there once a month!

We walked onto Gaer Hill, worth the gentle climb because at the top we were treated to the most magnificent view of two rivers.

The Wye twisted and turned through narrow gorges in the foreground and, on the horizon, we saw the wide sweep of the Severn and the two major road bridges that cross it.

Now going downwards we passed through farmland and stopped for lunch by old iron workings on a hillside before taking a path up onto the Wye Valley Walk which is high on the wooded escarpment above the river.

We took an unmarked side path through the trees and to the Eagles' Nest, a natural balcony with a stunning view of the river below.

Back through the woods and down a track to the halt negotiating several fallen trees as we went.

We said out goodbyes to those who had long journeys but a few decided to stay on for a special event in the abbey.

It was a service sung vespers to dedicate a new statue of the Virgin Mary in the ruined building. It was attended by clergy from all over Monmouthshire plus nearly 700 people on camping chairs and rugs. A moving end to a perfect holiday.