THE WELSH BORDERS COTTAGES

Wales Along the border between Wales and England lies some of the most beautiful and diverse countryside, with rivers, mountains, quaint villages and rural market towns.  The turbulent history between the two countries stretches back over a thousand years, and has left behind ruined castles, houses and abbeys to explore.  King Offa of Mercia decided to dig a ditch to divide his lands from the 'savages' to the west.  The now-famous Dyke, loosely the same route as the modern border, starts from the historic town of Chepstow on the River Wye (with massive Norman castle) and finishes at Prestatyn on the North Wales coast.

Our Welsh properties start in Monmouthshire, through parts of Brecon with its Black Mountains, and into Powys, the largest of the Border counties.  Hay on Wye is known throughout the world as 'The Town of Books', with over 35 bookshops in its maze of narrow streets and over a million books for sale on every subject.  Then on to Knighton, Montgomery and Welshpool, nestling in the Severn Valley.  In Denbighshire, to the north again, Wrexham has one of the 'Seven Wonders of Wales - St Giles Church.  Last but not least is Flintshire.

England We start with Gloucestershire, which includes part of the Cotswolds and the ancient Forest of Dean alongside the Wye Valley.  Herefordshire is known as the home of cider (follow the local 'cider trail').  Its capital, Hereford, has a magnificent Norman cathedral (see here the Mappa Mundi, the earliest complete medieval map of the world).  The market towns of Ledbury, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye, with their black and white timbered houses, offer fascinating local shopping opportunities.  The ancient shire of Shropshire includes Shrewsbury, one of England's finest Tudor towns, and historic Ludlow (famous for its restaurants).  On to Ironbridge on the River Severn, with the first iron bridge ever built (excellent industrial musuem here).  Shropshire also has the romantic fortified Manor of Stokesay, the Iron Age hill fort at Oswestry and the ancient castles of Ludlow, Clun and Shrewsbury.  We end with Cheshire which includes Chester with its famous walled city.

Welsh Border:

Monmouthshire

Brecon

Powys

Denbighshire

Flintshire

English Border:

Gloucestershire

Herefordshire

Shropshire

Cheshire