Find a good comfortable place to stay in the Wye Valley, in a holiday cottage, house or apartment and look forward to an active break enjoying the outdoors. There are all varieties of holiday lets that can be booked for 2 nights or longer. It is a well-known and sought-after place on the English Welsh border for family and adventure breaks.
Holiday cottages in the Wye Valley
Wye Valley holidays for thrills and spills
Are you a water loving thrill seeker? Do you love the wind rushing through your hair as you brave rapids of all speeds, shapes and sizes? Then you’ll love canoeing down the River Wye, the fifth longest river in the UK and your personal gateway to some of the most dramatic and scenic landscapes for miles around.
Paddle your own canoe in the Wye Valley
Canoeing is a fantastic way to exercise all of your arm and body muscles as well as to appreciate the fresh air surrounding you. A welcome change from all the city smoke that you’re used to wallowing in every day!
The River Wye is such a friendly and welcoming place that even if you’re you’re apprehensive about stepping out with the paddle for the very first time, seasoned professionals with that teeny bit more experience than you, can help you every step of the way. Flourishing local canoeing businesses like Canoe the Wye, based in popular tourist destination Symonds Yat and Wye Pursuits, located at fishing favourite Kerne Bridge are just a couple of the many water sports companies dotted along the River Wye that are designed to help you make the most of your adrenaline fuelled countryside break away to southern England.
Head for Symonds Yat and the Wye Valley to have a rip-roaring Stag or Hen Weekend
The ideal activity for hen and stag parties that have made their way to nearby powerhouse towns like Hereford, canoeing is the perfect activity in which to peacefully recover from that killer hangover from the previous night or to encounter that sudden dose of exhilaration like you’ve never seen before and get you prepared to party. Has a riverside pub like The Saracens Head Inn caught your eye en route? Why not sit your boat safely on the bank and let helpful businesses like Wye Valley Canoes pick you and the canoe up later via a minibus and trailer? The best of both worlds for you and your group on your trip of a lifetime to the Wye Valley!
It’s not just boozers that you’ll see on your paddle down the River Wye however. A vast variety of plants and animals are also rife in these wonderful waters. Green fingered enthusiasts will savour the abundance of colour and sweet smells of a Himalayan Balsam or a Foxtail whereas those on the lookout for waterside creatures will jump at the opportunity of seeing an otter, a kingfisher or a peregrine falcon. Perfect pictures for the front of your photo album, solely devoted to your time away in this sensational part of the world.
The Wye Valley is a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Did you know that the Wye Valley has been recognised as an Area of Outstanding National Beauty? With historic market towns like Ross on Wye, Chepstow and Monmouth nestled among its lavish landscapes, you can certainly see why! Located perfectly on a cliff along the banks of the River Wye, Ross on Wye is certainly a place that you will want to paddle to, if only to see such attractive sights as its impressive 17th century Market Hall and Tudor timbered houses. Why not play a game with your friends and family and see who first notices the dominating spire of the 205-foot-high St Mary’s Church, a place of worship for some 10,000 inhabitants? Last one to spot it receives the biggest splash. Just try not to be too eager and capsize your boat! After all this canoeing, you’ll have certainly worked up an appetite and Ross on Wye provides some of the best locally produced food in the Wye Valley. The 14th century Kings Head Hotel and Restaurant found in the centre of town for example offers a tantalising menu from a Herefordshire Beef Burger to a Fish Platter of cod cheeks, potted chilli prawns and mussels, all caught from nearby waters. Washed down with a pint of traditional ale at the award winning The Kings Bar afterwards and you have the perfect ammunition for the scenic paddle home.
Chepstow and Monmouth are both recommended as places to stay and sightsee
There are no towns quite like Chepstow and Monmouth and as you canoe down the Wye Valley, you’ll certainly bask in their glory. Chepstow Castle, the earliest stone fortress in Wales is just one of these shining lights that will draw your interest. Perched high up on a cliff overlooking the meandering river, can you imagine valiantly defending this work of art back in the day? Why not satisfy your yearnings further with a gentle stroll along the battlements taking in the stunning scenery that you have enjoyed paddled alongside? When all of your bows and arrows are used up, keep on going down the Wye and you’ll encounter a town that has never stood still. From being the birthplace of Henry V and home to Monnow Bridge, the last remaining medieval fortified river bridge in Britain, Monmouth has an intriguing past as well as an exciting and vibrant present, especially with the annual Monmouth Festival being one of Europe’s largest free music festivals.
With so much on offer for eager canoeists in the Wye Valley, including sensational scenery, wild waters and quaint riverside towns and villages to explore, there’s only one place to have that perfect water sports adventure.
Useful Wye Valley pages:
Pet-friendly holiday lets in the Wye Valley