Trace the winding course of the Wye Valley, one of Britain’s most picturesque river landscapes, on The Wye Valley Walk, a 222km (138-mile) long-distance trail from the river’s source in the Welsh hills to the historic port of Chepstow. Along the way, walkers will pass through rolling hills, ancient woodlands, limestone gorges, and charming riverside towns, discovering iconic landscapes such as the Forest of Dean, Tintern Abbey, and the cliffs of Symonds Yat. 

This official guidebook, authored by the Wye Valley Partnership, simplifies every stage of your journey, making the Wye Valley Walk accessible to most reasonably fit walkers, and equips you with the tools to plan, navigate, and fully appreciate this historic river trail. It provides step-by-step navigation for the full north-to-south route, with 1:50,000 OS maps, stage facilities tables and public transport details for flexible planning.

• The trail is divided into 17 stages with detailed route descriptions, 1:50,000 OS mapping and the distance, terrain, and elevation you can expect each day
• A stage facilities planner presents refreshment, public transport and accommodation options at key locations along the route, including Rhayader, Hay-on-Wye, Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth 
• Suggested itineraries of 8, 11, 13 and 18 days are included, perfect for tailoring the trail to your available time and experience
• Downloadable GPX files for digital navigation, ensuring walkers can follow the route confidently on smartphones or GPS devices
• Explore the history and architecture of landmarks like Goodrich Castle, Hereford Cathedral, and Tintern Abbey as you walk

Plan your Wye Valley Walk from the river's source at Plynlimon to the dramatic estuary at Chepstow. Follow riverside paths, explore historic towns, and enjoy the natural beauty and cultural heritage with precise directions, maps, and stage-by-stage advice from this official guide. 

“The Wye Valley Walk is one of the most admired river trails in the UK, with walkers travelling from around the world to enjoy this classic long-distance source-to-sea route. The path doesn’t stick faithfully to the river, for no matter how gorgeous the river may be, walking beside it reveals only one side of its character. You have to climb up the valley sides, gain height and distance, to really appreciate a river in its landscape."

- Ruth Waycott, of the Wye Valley Partnership and author of the official guidebook to the Wye Valley Walk

Introduction

Lower reaches of the Wye
Middle and Upper reaches of the Wye
Wildlife and nature conservation
Practicalities
How to use this guidebook
When to go
Maps
Public Rights of Way
Waymarks
Countryside code
Safe walking
Easy access

The Route

Stage 1 Chepstow Castle to Tintern Abbey
Stage 2 Tintern Abbey to Monmouth
Stage 3 Monmouth to Symonds Yat
Stage 4 Symonds Yat to Kerne Bridge
Stage 5 Kerne Bridge to Ross-on-Wye
Stage 6 Ross-on-Wye to Fownhope
Stage 7 Fownhope to Hereford
Stage 8 Hereford to Byford
Stage 9 Byford to Bredwardine
Stage 10 Bredwardine to Hay-on-Wye
Stage 11 Hay-on-Wye to Glasbury
Stage 12 Glasbury to Erwood
Stage 13 Erwood to Builth Wells
Stage 14 Builth Wells to Newbridge-on-Wye
Stage 15 Newbridge-on-Wye to Rhayader
Stage 16 Rhayader to Llangurig 1
Stage 17 Llangurig to Rhyd-y-benwch (Hafren Forest car park)
Stage 18 Leaving the Walk

Appendix 1 Route summary
Appendix 2 Tourist information and advice
Appendix 3 Accommodation and public transport

Seasons

Accessible at all times of the year but spring is best for watching birdlife and spring flowers, autumn shows the woods at their best and winter widens the views. The walk can be muddy during rainy spells and the river can flood, making certain stretches impassable.

Centres

Rhayader, Builth Wells, Hay on Wye, Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth, Chepstow

Difficulty

The Wye Valley Walk has some hilly sections but is suitable for any reasonably fit walker.

Must See

Plynlimon, Hafren Forest, Hay on Wye, Hereford Cathedral, Goodrich Castle, Symonds Yat, Tintern Abbey, Angidy Valley, Chepstow Castle

The Walk is separated into 17 convenient stages covered by individual maps. Route-finding information is included as well as information about features of interest along the way. Although the route is waymarked in both directions, this guidebook describes the walk from south to north.

A great deal of effort has been made by Rights of Way officers on the Wye Valley Walk in waymarking, providing stiles, gates and signs. However, signs can be casualties of weather or vandalism and their absence may create confusion. The route is as detailed as possible, and for most of the way walkers should find it easy to navigate using the book and map as occasional reference. Please go properly prepared with the appropriate Ordnance Survey maps and refer to the section on safe walking below.

Large-scale maps of each stage of the Walk are based on the 1:25,000 scale Ordnance Survey Explorer series. Please use the relevant ones to accompany the guide when you are walking.

The full list of current OS Explorer (1:25,000) and Landranger (1:50,000) maps covering the route is as follows:

Explorer OL14     Wye Valley & Forest of Dean
Explorer 189        Hereford & Ross-on-Wye
Explorer 202        Leominster & Bromyard
Explorer 201        Knighton & Presteigne
Explorer OL13     Brecon Beacons National Park
Explorer 188        Builth Wells
Explorer 200        Llandrindod Wells & Elan Valley
Explorer 214        Llanidloes & Newtown
Landranger 162   Gloucester & Forest of Dean
Landranger 149   Hereford & Leominster
Landranger 147   Elan Valley & Builth Wells
Landranger 136   Newtown & Llanidloes
 

October 2025

Stage 14 diversion

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