One of the loveliest car rides is following the river from Monmouth to Chepstow (20 mins.).  Chepstow is at the far south east corner of the Forest and 30 mins from The Ashe.  In the locality are also Chepstow Castle, Caldicot Castle, Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths.

The lovely market town of Monmouth is only 10 mins. away and the gateway to south Wales where many of the attractions are subsidised and free, including:

The Big Pit – is a World Heritage site and where retired miners take you down the pit – 45 minutes from The Ashe

Blaenavon Ironworks is part of the same site and provides visitors with an insight into the birth of the industrial revolution in the region.

St. Fagan’s National History Museum – A fantastic place to visit – 60 minutes

Llanthony Priory – atmospheric ruins in a beautiful tranquil location – 30 minutes

Skenfrith Castle – 30 minutes

White Castle – 30 minutes

National Museum, Cardiff

Transporter Bridge, Newport –An incredible example of industrial ingenuity and still working.

There is also a lot to do in Cardiff, including the docks, the castle, the science museum and the Millennium stadium.

The Welsh/English border is festooned with castle ruins built to suppress the Welsh, often built in the French style (Raglan, 20 mins) but left in ruin as a result of the 17th Century civil war (Goodrich Castle, 5mins). 

A river walk away from The Ashe is Wilton Castle now a beautiful garden open summer weekends. 

The Ashe itself may well have been a tower fortification built near the river which in Saxon times would have been the Welsh border.