A Day Out in Abergavenny

 Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter - Mark Twain

Photo 1: Sunset on the way home (25th October 2025)

We haven't been to Abergavenny for a while; a shame because it is a really nice town just over the border in Wales. You can catch a direct train (journey time 20-25 minutes) from Hereford to Abergavenny but there is a 15 minute walk at both ends of the journey. This time we went by car (24 miles) which takes about 40 minutes and would, in theory, have given us an 'extra' hour to look around. However, we took the opportunity to return home using a more scenic route via Hay Bluff so that the overall travel times (rail versus road) were about the same.

First stop in Abergavenny was the Priory Church of St Mary's because it was adjacent to the car park. There are many fine artefacts in this church with pride of place going to the Jesse figure and window (Photo 2).

Photo 2: The Jesse, Priory Church, Abergavenny (25th Oct 2025)

Here is a short YouTube video showing the Jesse window in more detail ...

Video 1: The Jesse Window (with accompanying organ music)

... with a few more details about the Jesse figure here.

The grade II listed Tithe Barn is across the courtyard from the Priory Church. The Abergavenny Millenium Tapestry is housed here but, unfortunately, is not currently open to the public due to repair and renovation work on the building itself. There is a Community Cafe downstairs where you will also find the studio of Jeremy Thomas, Artist-in-Residence.

We headed for the town centre hoping to find something to eat and rest our feet. The lively Abergavenny Market Hall is always worth a visit. Remember to look upwards to see the seasonal displays hanging from the ceiling ...

Photo 3: Abergavenny Market Hall (25th October 2025)

Market days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with occasional markets on some Thursdays.

The main shopping area is full of independent shops and, unusually for a small town, it has its own department store, Nicholls. We had hoped to get a bite to eat at Nicholls' Botanical Cafe but it was very busy with a queue waiting to be seated. Instead, we had to make do with the local Wetherspoons, The Coliseum, where the veggie brunch was very good (and, as always, excellent value). We wandered around a few more shops and bought a book from Waterstones (my birthday present) before heading back to the car.

Abergavenny is a small town (population: ca 14,000) with a good shopping centre and market. We might have considered moving here when we relocated from London 20+ years ago. It has a good theatre, which we have visited on a number of occasions, plenty of clubs and societies, and is surrounded by some wonderful countryside and places to visit. The town has excellent transport links by train (on the Cardiff to Manchester/Liverpool line) and road (Heads of the Valley road). When we did move away from London, we had three school-age children so probably did not seriously consider Wales because it would have required attending a Welsh-speaking school. 

Footnote: Y Fenni (the Welsh name for Abergavenny) is one of our favourite cheeses.

We decided to take a more scenic route home via Llanthony Priory and Hay Bluff. Leaving Abergavenny on the A465 (Abergavenny ⇆ Hereford road), we passed this well known feature (Photo 4) on Bryn Arw, a hill just outside Abergavenny.

Photo 4: Bryn Arw, near Abergavenny (October 2025)

The image shows the Welsh phrase 'DAW ETO DDAIL AR FRYN' which translates as ' There will be leaves on the mountain again'. The message refers to a tree-planting scheme by the project 

'Stump Up For Trees' aiming to plant 1,000,000 native trees in mid-Wales. Work started in 2020.

Before long, we turned off the A465 onto narrow minor roads heading towards Llanthony Priory. Unfortunately, we missed the left-hand turn to the Priory and  ended up at Capel-y-ffin where there is a small chapel dedicated to St Mary (Photo 5) ...

Photo 5: St Mary's Church, Capel-y-ffin (October 2025)

This small chapel (internal measurements 8 metres by 4 metres) was built in 1762, replacing an earlier one built in the 15th Century. The photo was taken 'on the fly' as we drove past so apologies for the poor quality.

We continued along the Gospel Pass, the highest in Wales, with magnificent views in all directions ...

Photo 6: Views from the Gospel Pass (October 2025)

... before arriving at the Hay Bluff car park for a brief stop.

Photo 7: Hay Bluff from the Car Park (October 2025)

There was a strong cooling breeze so we didn't stay long; just enough time to take a picture of Hay Bluff (Photo 7) and a short video (Video 1) of Twmpa (aka Lord Hereford's Knobbe).

Video 1: Twmpa viewed from the Hay Bluff car park (25th October 2025)

It was getting dark by the time we returned home but we'd had a great day out enjoying the last day of British Summer Time (BST). In a few hours (at 2.00 am on the 26th October 2025), the clocks would be going back and the days would appear much shorter.