Getting to Newport in the first place is easy – less than 2 hours on the train from London and Midlands and motorway links to the rest of South Wales, South East England and the Midlands, and yet its 70% rural. Head out of the city itself to the Wales Coast Path, the Usk and Sirhowy Valley walks, canal towpath, the off-road National Cycle Network or one of our own local circular routes and be prepared for a few surprises, like the dozen or more villages complete with medieval churches (and often great pubs and restaurants as well), family-friendly farm parks, ancient woodland at Wentwood Forest , and ridgeway views.
We’ve always known that the secretive flatlands and big skies to the east and west called the Gwent Levels, with their ‘reens’ ‘grips’ and ‘spans,’ were special, but it’s been good to have it confirmed by experts – having now been awarded Big Lottery grant for this landscape of European significance. The Romans were the first to drain and reclaim them from the sea to create fields and pastures; they look more like Holland than Wales. We are still arguing whether the 1607 flood surge, recorded on the walls in a couple of churches on the Levels, was actually a tsunami. Now, they are a haven for wildlife so no surprise that RSPB has opened a 5 star B+B stopover for migrating birds here – the café for humans is pretty good too.
Newport Wetlands Reserve