Walks & Area

Walks from the door, the Forest a short drive away

Paved courtyard with wooden benches, a five-bar gate, timber gazebo and a stone barn behind, with a small dog on the paving

Walks from the door

You don't have to drive anywhere to give the dogs a proper outing. The lane drops down Chapel Hill to The Cross at Aylburton, the pub at the bottom of our hill: a short walk down and, fair warning, a steep one home. Taurus Crafts is about half a mile away and Lydney about a mile, so a morning leg-stretch can end somewhere that feeds you.

The Cross: bottom of the hill

Taurus Crafts: half a mile

Low sunlight through beech trunks over a woodland floor carpeted with bluebells

Into the Forest

We're on the southern edge of the Forest of Dean, with its ancient woodland walks an easy drive away. The Sculpture Trail, Beechenhurst, Speech House Woods and Mallards Pike cover the walking; Puzzlewood, the woodland said to have inspired Tolkien, and Symonds Yat Rock, the viewpoint high above the River Wye known for its peregrines, are for the days you want something at the end of the walk. In late spring the bluebells are worth planning a trip around, and Lydney Park Estate's woodland garden is half a mile away, at its best in May when it's all in bloom.

Ancient woodland

Symonds Yat Rock

Bluebells in spring

Grass paddock with a bare tree and tall conifer, looking out over hedgerows to farmland and distant hills

Water and views

The stables look out over the Severn estuary, and water is close in every direction. Lydney Harbour is a five-minute drive, and the River Wye is within about half an hour, with canoe and kayak hire if you fancy a day on the water. The views come up in guest reviews without any prompting from us.

Lydney Harbour: 5 minutes

Canoe the Wye

The area

Good to know
before you come

Where's the nearest pub?

The Cross at Aylburton is at the bottom of our hill, and guests mention the food as much as the walk. One review put it like this: "Enjoyed food at the Cross pub down the hill from the cottage and loved the walks in the Forest of Dean and Chepstow Castle." The Globe, about two miles away with parking, has also had a good report from a guest for its food.

What can we reach without much driving?

Taurus Crafts is about half a mile away and Lydney about a mile, with supermarkets about a seven-minute drive. For days out without the car at all, Lydney's railway station has free parking and trains to Gloucester and Cardiff. In a guest's words: "easy access to lots of places by car and with a nearby railway station (with free parking!) for daytrips to Gloucester, Cardiff and further a field".

What are the big days out?

This is the list we actually hand to guests: Puzzlewood, Symonds Yat Rock, Clearwell Caves, Hopewell Colliery, the Dean Forest Railway, Chepstow Castle, Tintern Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral and Berkeley Castle, with Bristol Harbourside and Cardiff Castle for a longer day. If you'd rather be moving, there's canoe hire on the Wye, Go Ape, and the cycle centre at Cannop. One review summed the position up: "Lovely quiet location. Great for visiting forest of dean attractions."

Where do we eat when we don't want to cook?

For a night out, The Cross is at the bottom of the hill and the Globe about two miles away with parking, and both the Saracens Head Inn and dining at the Speech House are worth the drive. For a night in with the dogs, our list runs to the Lydney Charcoal Grill, Jimmy's Kitchen, the Gurkha Restaurant, Bengal Balti and Frydays chip shop.

Is it worth coming off season?

We think so. Autumn colour in the Forest is worth the trip on its own, the trails are quieter, and muddy dogs are exactly what the dog wash station with blow drier is for. The stables have oil central heating, everything is on the ground floor, and we decorate at Christmas. Send us your dates for any time of year and we will come back to you.

Is it a good base for a week?

Guests keep telling us so: one review calls the place "ideal as base for visiting surrounding areas", and others say much the same. You're in Aylburton, near Lydney, on the edge of the Forest of Dean, with the Wye Valley one way, the Severn the other, and a short drive to the Cotswolds. A good day here: walk in the morning, day-trip in the afternoon, then back to the paddock and the patio for the evening.

Walks from the door, the Forest a short drive away

Good to know before you come

Good to know
before you come