Top 19 Natural Monuments around Wye Valley

The Giant's Cave is a small pass through cave with a great view of the River Wye and Landscape

Stunning view onto Tintern Abbey naturally framed by the surrounding trees

There are a couple of caves in this area. The first (coming from Chepstow) is very shallow and raided above the path. The second "Giant Cave" has outstanding safe viewing platform outside it, and the cave actually opens into a secondary exit allowing passage through the rock. This is a natural formation it would appear. Highly recommended!

This striking feature is a curving tunnel that is cut into the rock-face through which Piercefield Walk passes via a large opening in the southern side, and a smaller rectangular portal in the northern. It is part natural feature, and part hand-made.

The Wye was voted the nation’s favourite river in 2010. It starts not far from my home town in Brecon in mid-Wales and trundles south for some 150 miles before meeting the Severn. I have forgotten how many times I have cycled it, run it and kayaked it. Simply my favourite place on earth!

The Devil's Pulpit is a viewpoint and limestone rock jutting out from the cliffs high above the River Wye along the Offa's Dyke Footpath. It offers spectacular views over Tintern Abbey and the village of Tintern along the River Wye below and the walk is through stunning woodland following the ancient Offa's Dyke. Legend has it the devil preached to the monks below, tempting them to desert their order.

The fourth-longest river in the UK, the Wye stretches 155 miles (250 km) from its source on Plynlimon in the Cambrian mountains to the Severn estuary. For much of its length, the Wye marks the border between England and Wales, with the lower section being designated an AONB. The Wye is important for nature conservation and recreation, but, particularly in recent years, is severely affected by pollution.

Puzzlewood (grid reference SO578092) is an ancient woodland site and tourist attraction, near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The site, covering 14 acres (5.7 ha), shows evidence of open-cast iron ore mining dating from the Roman period, and possibly earlier. Over a mile of pathways were laid down in the early 19th century to provide access to the woods, and provide picturesque walks. The area contains strange rock formations, secret caves and ancient trees, with a confusing maze of paths. The site is listed as a regionally important geological site in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review'. The geological features on show at Puzzlewood are known as scowles. Scowles originated through the erosion of natural cave systems formed in the Carboniferous Limestone many millions of years ago. Uplift and erosion caused the cave system to become exposed at the surface. This was then exploited by Iron Age settlers through to Roman times for the extraction of iron ore. It is usually impossible to date open-cast extraction precisely, although ores with a chemical signature consistent with those from the Forest of Dean were certainly used to make tools and weapons in the late prehistoric period. Over 3,000 Roman-era coins were found by workers in 1848. The coins were stored in three earthenware jars in a cavity in the rock formations. The origin of the coins is unknown. Puzzlewood has been used as a filming location for both film and television in recent years. Notable examples include: Films Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016) A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016) The Secret Garden (2020) Television Doctor Who (2005-present) Merlin (2008-2012) Wizards vs Aliens (2012-2014) Tree Fu Tom (2012-2016) Atlantis (2013-2015) Da Vinci's Demons (2013-2015) Hidden Kingdoms (2014) The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019) Cursed (2020-present)