PROVISIONAL ITINERARY FOR FOREST OF DEAN/WYE VALLEY TOUR. 24^th_26^th September 2010

Venue for both nights. The Chase Hotel. Ross on Wye. HR9 5LH www.chasehotel.co.uk

Friday 24^th September 2010.  Distance approximately 29 miles from Services

2.30 p.m.                    Meet at Severn View Services, M48, just before the old Severn Bridge

2.45 p.m.                    Drive up Wye Valley to Tintern Abbey

           Group tour of the Abbey followed by tea at The Abbey Hotel

5.00 p.m. approx.       Arrive at the Chase Hotel, Ross on Wye

7.00 p.m.                    Meet in hotel bar for dinner at 7.30 p.m.

The rendezvous at the Severn View Services is optional. If you prefer to arrive at the hotel for dinner in the evening, please let either, Sue and Tony, or Sue and Phil know.

Saturday 25^th September 2010 Distance approximately 55 miles

9.30 a.m.                     Leave hotel for tour of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean

9.45 a.m.                     Arrive at Symonds Yat Rock for walk to viewing point

10.45 p.m                    Arrive at Butterfly Zoo and Garden Centre for group visit to Butterfly Zoo. Tea room here for coffee.

11.15 p.m.                   Group tour of Butterfly Zoo (time to be confirmed)

12.30 p.m. approx.      Leave Butterfly Zoo and Garden Centre for afternoon tour of Forest of Dean with suggestions of places to visit. N.B. There are no specific arrangements for lunch but there are various pubs and tea rooms, etc., on route:

Suggested places to visit:

Clearwell Caves, an iron working museum (if sufficient people interested can organise a Group Visit). (Tea room here).

Dean Forest Steam Railway. Although not steaming on this day, offers a heritage diesel railcar.

The Speech House. Beechenhurst Lodge and Cyril Hart Arboretum

Dean Heritage Centre (tea room here)

Goodrich Castle

We have organised a route which will incorporate all the above places of interest to stop at, or you can just enjoy the drive and the scenery. 

5.00 p.m. approx.        Arrive back at The Chase Hotel

7.00 p.m.                     Meet in Hotel bar for dinner at 7.30 p.m.

Sunday 26^th September 2010 Distance approximately 120 miles to M48 Services

9.30 a.m.                     Leave hotel for tour of the Wye, Golden Valley, Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons

10.45 a.m.                   Route takes us through the "Golden Valley" to arrive at Hay-on-Wye for coffee and short look round the town

11.30 a.m.                   Leave Hay-on-Wye for drive to Brecon for an optional stop before driving over the Brecon Beacons and then via the Heads of the Valleys road to Blaenavon and the Big Pit

12.45 p.m.                   Arrive at Blaenavon and the Big Pit (part of the Blaenavon World Heritage site).

We are hoping to organise a simple lunch at the site and a Group tour of the coalmine. The underground tour of the coalmine takes approximately 1 hour and will take us 90 metres underground in a cage, and if you are interested in looking over the whole site it could take an additional 2.5 hours at your leisure. If anyone does not want to go down the mine, please let us know. Details are on the website (www.museumwales.ac.uk) 

3.45 p.m.                     Leave the Big Pit for drive to Raglan Castle

4.10 p.m.                     Arrive Raglan Castle (last admission 4.30 p.m.)

If anyone would prefer to drive to Raglan Castle earlier, and not stay at the Big Pit then that is another option.

If we are able to keep to this timetable, we anticipate arriving at the Severn View Services for a cup of tea by approximately 5.30 p.m. before departing for home.

All times are approximate and will depend on the timing of the organised Tours.