Delphinium, Blakeney

The ancient village of Blakeney lies on the southeast edge of the Royal Forest of Dean and was once a site of a Roman Villa dating back to 75AD. Equidistant to Gloucester and Monmouth, the village boasts many 16th and 17th century buildings, with a charming 16th century coaching inn, and also offers a good selection of amenities including a fish and chip shop, village store and Post Office, as well as numerous walks and cycle routes. The magnificent Royal Forest of Dean, England’s largest oak forest and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, boasts numerous trails that can be explored on foot, by bike or horseback. Caving, abseiling and a high wire rope course can be enjoyed by the more adventurous, whilst fishing, golf, kayaking and canoeing are other popular activities available in this unspoilt area. In the Forest of Dean lies Puzzlewood, a magical ancient woodland attraction for all ages and used as a famous filming location in Dr Who and Star Wars. The eerie caverns and ancient caves of Clearwell are close by, as are the Gloucestershire Way and Offa’s Dyke Path for wonderful walks. Close by, Symonds Yat boasts natural scenery and straddles the beautiful River Wye with its magnificent limestone rock, popular with climbers, and well known for its viewpoint. Visit the historic town of Monmouth, which offers a fusion of elegant Georgian mansions and Victorian courtyards, or the lovely town of Ross-on-Wye with its timbered Tudor houses and delightful riverside walks, both home to excellent shops, pubs and restaurants. The unspoilt Malvern Hills, Brecon Beacon National Park and Black Mountains, as well as lovely Cotswold towns and villages are just a little further afield.