Detour #255: Driving the Picture Perfect Wye Valley, UK
The Wye Valley lays claim to being the first place ever described as Picturesque. Detour Discovers why – and Wye.
William Gilpin was truly one of the earliest Detourists. The Church of England cleric and schoolmaster was also a traveller, artist and author. What’s more he seems to have coined the word “picturesque” – using it as way to analyse the scenery he explored, sketched and wrote about.
In his Observations on the River Wye published in 1782 Gilpin was pressed to use the term rather a lot and his descriptions of the area effectively became Britain’s first travel guide, drawing tourists to follow in his wake.
Gilpin travelled by boat, but this is Detour so I’m travelling by road, of course. I’m also travelling in some style, courtesy of a Morgan Plus Six. The Morgan is part history lesson in itself, with its flowing aluminium curves supported by a hand-made ash wood frame. These wood-working techniques date back to the days when coachbuilders actually made horse-drawn coaches, the like of which Gilpin no doubt relied on.
This is no rickety classic, however, with a bonded aluminium chassis and the latest BMW running gear. There’s 335 bhp from the twin-power turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine, driving through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It takes a scant 4.2 seconds to accelerate to 62 mph from rest and tops out at 166 mph.
With the roof stowed away I set out from the little market town of Ross-on-Wye to explore the Wye Valley. It’s officially designated an Area of Outstanding Beauty and I’m soon to discover why (Wye?).
The town is certainly pretty enough, but these days, with chain stores in the main street, it probably wouldn’t warrant the use of Galpin’s favourite word. The mock Gothic walls built in the 19th century and the Gazebo Tower are well worth a look, mind.
The B4234 takes me south, tracking the meandering River Wye for a time then heading towards the edge of the Forest of Dean on the A4136 and B4028. Once a royal hunting ground, the Tudors harvested its timber for is Armada-bashing navy, while the Victorians dug for coal. After being listed as a National Forest Park in 1938 it’s been largely gifted back to nature and wildlife has flourished.
I skirt the forest, still surrounded by trees, then pass through Coleford and take the B4228 and pick up the A466. Until now it’s been gently-paced drive, the Morgan barely ticking over on the narrow roads. As the route heads back towards the Wye it’s wider, easier to see ahead and more tempting to access some of the Morgan’s potential by slipping it into Sport mode and experimenting with the paddle-shifters. Assorted woofs and bangs from the exhaust accompany brutal bursts of acceleration. This is definitely not what you’d expect from a car that appears to have been styled a century ago.
Bigsweir Bridge (top) is picturesque by anyone’s definition, presenting uninterrupted views across the Wye at one of its widest points but Gilpin was distinctly unimpressed by the now-ruined Tintern Abbey. "A number of gable-ends hurt the eye with their regularity, and disgust it by the vulgarity of their shape. A mallet judiciously used (but who durst use it?) might be of service in fracturing some of them; particularly those of the cross aisles, which are not only disagreeable in themselves, but confound the perspective,” he wrote.
I quite like it, but not as much as the twisty section of the A466 which follows. This is a fabulous bit of road – a string of corners requiring full concentration and a test of any car’s handling. The Morgan passes with flying colours, feeling light, agile and eager.
Passing Chepstow race course it’s not long before I’m winding my way down through narrow lanes to the Three Tuns inn. Chepstow marks the Wye’s terminus into the Severn estuary and Gilpin would have passed this way himself, though he probably had something more substantial than my lime and soda.
ROADBOOK
CLASS: CountrySIDE DRiVE
NAME: PICTURESQUE WYE
ROUTE: Ross-on-Wye to CHEPSTOW
COUNTRY: UK
Distance: 27 Miles
If you’re heading up the M6 this Halloween you might want to call Ghostbusters.