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So we are heading to cornwall for a week in July (via fishguard). We have booked a stop over at Bath on the way down to break up our journey but looking for somewhere to stop off on the way home for an overnight (premier inn/travelodge) about 1/2hr or so either side of Bristol . My wife seems to of narrowed it down to weston super mare (beach, pier, ice cream for the kids) or Monmouth (quieter, welsh countryside, ice cream for the kids and nicer drive to Fishguard via Brecon beacons?).
What is Stw recommendation, Weston super mare or Monmouth?
I wouldn't bother leaving Pembrokeshire.. you are driving away from one of the best bits.
Weston is a hole imo.
How about a stop over at brechfa or bpw
If it was up to me I would spend the week riding in Wales.....but it's not. It's a family holiday kids/grandparents etc.
IMHO Weston's a hole.
In contrast, I really like Monmouth. I grew up along the Wye Valley (Chepstow/Monmouth) and it's still one of the most beautiful places I know. Not sure what there is to do in Monmouth itself but the surrounding countryside is lovely.
Personally, I'd stay in Chepstow for the night and head out to Tintern for a visit, then head back to Pembs via the M4.
Weston is crap, but it's proper british seaside crap, which for me is totally excellent
I like Monmouth, but I like Chepstow betterer and Tintern (see above) is lovely.
Forest of Dean just up the road too......
No-brainer. Â While in Monmouth visit Symond's Yat East. Â You can walk/ride there from Monmouth along the Peregrine Trail. Â Or drive in 10 mins. Â Saracen's Head has nice ales and food. Â Sit by the river for an evening drink and bite. Â Stroll down the trail along the Wye. Watch for peregrines at Yat Rock early in the mornings. Â It's pretty much perfect*
*But like everywhere nice + popular, in July... parking spaces and people are usually inversely proportional 😉
Guess it's Monmouth then (was kinda hoping this would be the case). Cheers STW. Will book up in the morning.
Weston is a complete dump. Avoid.
Monmouth + visit Raglan castle
Weston is OK for a half-day visit if you have kids that want to go to the pier/eat ice cream (although I imagine the pier is a nightmare during summer holidays), not sure I'd want to stay overnight there but I guess you aren't planning to go out on the town anyway.
Monmouth is generally pretty pleasant with some nice countryside on it's door step, I can't think of a massive amount for a family to do there though once you've been through town and had a coffee. Canoeing or Symonds Yat walking maybe but if you're more just looking to break up a journey then it's not a bad place for a stop-over. You also wouldn't generally go via the Brecon Beacons to Fishguard unless you planning to take a detour via the A40 (which is an OK drive unless you get stuck in holiday traffic)?
If you have been at the seaside for a week then Monmouth seems like a good option. I would say thought that the A40 heads of the valleys has lots of long term roadworks on it and if you are driving back from Fishgard head along the M4 and A449 to Monmouth.
Abergavenny now has a Premier Inn type hotel and is on your scenic route home with less of a detour than Monmouth.
Instead of Weston, try Clevedon. Just down the coast, much nicer.
And Monmouth is a pretty optimistic half hour from Brizzle
In classic recommend what you ride, er, I mean where you live...MONMOUTH! It's ace. Check out the butterfly farm and hedge maze at Whitchurch (a bit crap to be fair, but your kids might enjoy it if they're young enough), Symonds Yat (East) for a nice bimble up to Yat Rock and good food by the river at the Saracen's Head. FoD - sculpture trail, Beechenhurst, etc. for wandering about and zip lines (just a little one, but fun enough for the young 'uns). The Kymin for good views over to the Black Mountains and walks and picnics on the lawn. And a plethora of coffee shops and charity shops on Monmouth high street. And Dirt mag are based here too, so it must be cool.
It's about 45 minutes from Brizzle though, but don't tell the wife.
The kids love going to Weston but half a day is plenty.
As someone who lives in Weston I'd say Monmouth 😁, Weston is a lot better than it used to be now the seafront has been spruced up but still needs work elsewhere. You could stay premier Inn at lympsham near Weston and just visit uphill end of beach for countryside via a chippy etc if wife is adamant
I'm from chepstow (ish) originally but don't get back much these days. Monmouth is lovely, bit more going on than chepstow but chepstow will be easier for the m4.
you could prob get a good deal at the saracens head in symonds yat if you're not staying in peak time and you don't mind another 40 minutes up the river from chep. its a great pub in a great location and handy for beechenhurst forest centre (cafe, go-ape, walking trails, gruffalo or highway rat trails etc) or cannop cycle centre/ general riding in the dean.
Or you could always go to Portishead for a trip-hop evening out?
I don't ever remember going to Weston Super Mare, but I briefly looked into using its train station this spring/summer as a place to start a ride up Cheddar Gorge, Draycott Steep and Burrington Combe cat3s this year instead of starting in Warminster like last November... It's less than 15 miles to the base of each of those great climbs, very similar to me riding from home (Bitterne) to the base of Old Winchester Hill.
As a random aside, I can now post again in STW from my PC, as I can now log in after updating Windows 10 to build 1803 \o/