Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
by royalist forces in 1645 during the Civil War in order to keep it out of parliamentary
hands.
The castle keep, converted into a hunting lodge by the Victorians, now houses the small
Abergavenny Museum. It tells the history of the castle and the town, and includes re-cre-
ations of a Victorian Welsh farmhouse kitchen, a saddlery workshop and Basil Jones' gro-
cery shop. The latter was transferred when it closed in the 1980s and makes a fascinating
display, with many items dating back to the 1930s and '40s.
Activities
Abergavenny sits between three impressive protrusions: Blorenge to the southwest,
Ysgyryd Fawr to the northeast and Sugar Loaf to the northwest. Each has rewarding walks
and fine views of the Usk Valley and the Black Mountains, of which the last two form the
southernmost summits.
For more leisurely walks, you can follow easy paths along the banks of the River Usk
or explore the towpath of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, which passes 1 mile
southwest of the town.
You can buy national park walk cards from the tourist office.
Culinary Cottage
( 01873-890125;
www.theculinarycottage.co.uk
; Rose Cottage, Pandy)
Extend the gastronomic offerings
of the Abergavenny countryside with themed cooking courses.
COOKING COURSE
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
BEACONS WAY
The 100-mile, eight-day Beacons Way trail wends its way across the national park from Abergavenny to
Llangadog, knocking off all the highest summits.
Needless to say, this is a stretching walk and requires proper walking gear as well as a good Ordnance Survey
(OS) map - the moorland sections can be hard to navigate. The route is manageable in eight days, but you may
want to take a little longer to make it more enjoyable and less of an endurance test
Festivals & Events
WALKING
South Wales Three Peaks Trial
