St Arvans and Lancaut Circular Walk

4.7 miles (7.6 km)

This circular walk in the Wye Valley AONB visits the village of St Arvans, and the Lancaut Nature Reserve on the Severn Estuary in Monmouthshire.
You'll also visit the splendid viewpoint at the Eagle's Nest on Wynd Cliff.
Quiet lanes and woodland tracks lead you away from the village and into the lower Wye Gorge, where the landscape becomes more enclosed and the steep valley sides begin to rise on either side.... The mixture of broadleaf woodland, riverside scenery and occasional clearings gives the first part of the walk a varied and sheltered feel before the route climbs towards the higher ground of Wynd Cliff.
From here you follow paths that wind steadily upwards through mature woodland to reach the Eagle’s Nest, one of the most celebrated viewpoints in the lower Wye Valley. A short final climb brings you to the viewing platform, which offers a sweeping panorama across the River Wye, the cliffs of the gorge and the Severn Estuary beyond. The height of the viewpoint provides a strong sense of the scale and depth of the valley, making it a highlight of the circuit before you continue the descent on well-marked paths.
The route then heads south towards the Lancaut Peninsula, an isolated area of woodland and river scenery bordered on three sides by the sweeping bends of the Wye. The Lancaut Nature Reserve contains remnants of long-established woodland and supports a wide range of plant and birdlife, influenced by the nearby tidal waters of the estuary. Paths here are generally quiet and give views across the river to the cliffs on the opposite side, adding a more tranquil section to the walk.
A final stretch follows tracks back towards St Arvans, passing through woodland and open ground with occasional glimpses of the river. The return to the village completes a varied loop that combines village scenery, classic Wye Valley viewpoints and the distinctive character of the Lancaut reserve.