Blissful serenity in the Wye Valley

Winding rivers, verdant valleys and a Michelin-starred treat

- RALPH BLACKBURN

Sunlight flickers down the lush green wooded valley, alive with the sound of birds chirping and a river crackling over rocks.

In front of us are two glasses of delicious dry sparkling wine, shimmering in the beautiful golden hour light.

With the serenity, beauty and, not to mention, the fizz, it feels like we are in the Dordogne or another part of the south of France.

However, in actual fact I am just a few hundred metres across the border from England, in the stunning Wye Valley in Wales, sipping sparkling wine from Devon.

And despite being an area of outstanding natural beauty, it is largely missed by visitors who tend to flock to the Welsh capital Cardiff, Pembrokeshire in West Wales and Snowdonia in the North.

But with its winding rivers and verdant valleys I really do feel like I could be across the Channel in France.

The county town of Monmouth - where the River Wye meets the Monnow - is a busy and bustling place, full of history.

While Tintern Abbey, spectacular 13th century gothic ruins on the banks of the Wye, is great for entertaining all of the family.