Wye Valley Country Cottages

Six Towns and Villages to Visit on Holidays in the Wye Valley

The Wye Valley covers 126 square miles along the border between England and Wales. Its lush ravines and woodland trails make it a paradise for walking, cycling, canoeing and wild swimming. Here are six of our favourite towns and villages in the region where you can rest and refuel before continuing your outdoor adventures. I

The Wye Valley is an attractive visitor destination for country house parties. Stay with friends or large family gatherings and enjoy opportunities for lovely riverside walks along the River Wye. We’ve included our favourite selection of large Welsh and English country cottages (with one lovely exception) to stay in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean for each town. Click on the cottage name to find out more about it or make a booking enquiry.

Llangovan

Llangovan is a wonderful place to savour the Wye Valley’s beautiful scenery and a slower pace of life. This tiny village is nestled at the foot of the Trellech Ridge, surrounded by unspoiled countryside. A gentle brook meanders past Llangovan, marking the border of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are also many interesting landmarks for such a small place, including the listed Llangovan Church, which a colony of bats made their home.

Ross-on-Wye

This friendly market town is perched on a hillside overlooking the River Wye. Walk to Prospect Viewpoint for breathtaking Wye Valley views across the sweeping bend in the river below. Ross-on-Wye’s town centre is a delightful place to wander and perhaps enjoy lunch at a twice-weekly market held in the 17th-century Market House.

Stay at The Wye Valley Coach House

This is a beautifully furnished 3-bedroom country cottage with an enclosed garden sleeping 5 in the Wye Valley in a rural location just outside Ross-on-Wye. It’s not a large holiday cottage, but it’s so lovely it’s well worth a mention! Pets are welcome too.

Symonds Yat

This small village is probably best known for Symonds Yat Rock, a limestone outcrop which rises 500 feet above the river, providing superb views of the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean. Symonds Yat lies on both sides of the river, and the most enjoyable way to get from one side to the other is on one of the hand ferries, which a ferryman pulls across the River Wye with an overhead rope.

Stay at Hollytree House

A large luxury country cottage with a private hot tub and lovely rural views just a short stroll from the River Wye. Sleeps 22 - perfect for a weekend country house party.

Hay-on-Wye

Hay-on-Wye is best known for its literary festival and secondhand book shops. It also occupies a spectacular location with the River Wye to its north, the fields of Herefordshire to its east, and the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains to its south and west. Besides providing an excellent base from which to explore the countryside, Hay-on-Wye is home to some of the region’s best restaurants.

Farm House Barn

Typical of so many English country cottages, it has been transformed from a massive barn into a beautiful and spacious holiday cottage; Farmarm House Barn is located a few miles downstream within easy reach of Hay-on-Wye in the popular Herefordshire village of Peterchurch.

Lydbrook

Lydbrook in the Forest of Dean clings to the steep sides of the Great Hough Brook Valley. Light-heartedly referred to as “three miles long and three yards wide”, its main street is said to be the longest of any village in the UK. Lydbrook has a rich industrial heritage, and many of the pubs which once served the local mining communities remain open, including the Jovial Colliers Inn and the Forge Hammer Inn.

Stay at The Anchor at Lydbrook

Another Wye Valley countryside cottage for large family gatherings or group accommodation. This luxury holiday cottage in Lydbrook with a hot tub sleeps 22 in 8 bedrooms.

Monmouth

The county town of Monmouth lies at the confluence of the rivers Wye and Monnow. It’s a great town to explore on foot, with impressive landmarks such as a stone-gated bridge. Check out the independent shops on Monnow Street before strolling along cobbled Church Street, where many of the town’s best restaurants are.

Stay at High Cloud Farm

As well as riverside walks from the doorstep, this large and dog-friendly rural holiday cottage in Llangovan is one of the Wye Valley’s luxury hideaways offering house parties with a swimming pool and a hot tub. Sleeps 12 or 24 if combined with the neighbouring barn.

Click here to view more holiday cottages in the Wye Valley, from romantic cottages for couples to larger homes for families and groups, including properties in all of the above towns and villages.

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Find holiday cottages available to rent in these charming little Wye Valley towns and villages:

Chepstow