Hundreds of steam train enthusiasts gathered at Lydney Station on 20 August to greet one of the famous Merchant Navy class locomotives, 35028 Clan Line, built by the Southern Railway. This was part of a tour organized by Steam Dreams, a company running Cathedral Express rail tours. The tour started in London and travelled to Cardiff, but many passengers took the opportunity to alight at Lydney and experience an excursion on the Dean Forest Railway. Many were eager to see the new Whitecroft Station for the first time.

At Parkend, many passengers opted to take a coach tour through the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, guided by two Forest of Dean & Wye Valley tour guides, both rail fans themselves. The tour showed off the lush, green Forest roads, going through towns of Coleford and Cinderford, villages such as Lydbrook, Ruardean, Clearwell, eventually landing up in Tintern – the jewel in the crown of the River Wye. We enjoyed the spectacle of Tintern Abbey, looking glorious in the sunshine. On the way back, the passengers had a chance to see the River Severn, as the tour went by Chepstow, back to the Forest via Tutshill and St. Briavels, where the coaches skirted around St. Briavels Castle. On the way back to Lydney, the coach driver and guide treated the passengers to a debate on whether Bream should be called a village or a town. The jury is still out on that one!

Exhausted after a sumptuous tea at Abbey Mill.
Not everyone is glued to the telly during the Olympics! A group from Wales joined a coach tour to view the delights of the Forest of Dean. Driven by Ben, one of Brent Thomas’fine drivers, and guided by a Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tour Guide, the coach tour covered many of the Forest’s finest jewels, from Speech House to the Dean Heritage Museum, from the River Wye, to views of the River Severn. While most of us have been unhappy about the rainy summer, we saw the benefits. The lush vegetation gave the Forest a very rich texture. The big surprise was the lack of sheep running around dodging the traffic. Only one dared show his little face to our group. They must have been watching the equestrian events!We landed up in Tintern and enjoyed a splendid tea at Abbey Mill, our hosts. We waddled out, sated, to see the water wheel and the fine views of the Abbey.

It was a good Friday indeed when a coach tour, organised by Woods Coaches, came all the way from Leicester to see the Spring colours of the Forest of Dean. The tour started and finished at the bustling, Welsh market town, Monmouth. In fact market day had been changed from the Saturday to Good Friday, so that was a bit of good luck.

Colours in the Forest are lovely any time of year. Although it was still too early to see bluebells and wild garlic, there was plenty of yellow from the daffodils and  primroses. There was some unexpected dark brown/grey colour as well. We were very surprised but delighted to see a large family of wild boar picnicking not far from Wenchford picnic site!

A group of visitors from the Pontnewydd Development Association travelling with Veolia coaches were show around the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean by a Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guide.
The association was formed by former A. R. P. wardens after WWII. One member recalled visiting St Briavels as a boy during the war and described arriving at St Briavels station and seeing soldiers training at Bigsweir bridge.
Another member was delighted that the route passed her daughter’s house and was able to impart her first hand knowledge of the recent St Briavels bread and cheese ceremony.

The visitors saw the only working waterwheel in the Wye Valley at Abbey Mill, Tintern. The wheel was restored in 2010 by the Wye Valley A.O.N.B. as part of the “Overlooking the Wye” project.

 

“You took me back to my childhood”, said one of the satisfied passengers on the Woods Coaches tour “Autumn Colours of the Wye Valley”.

This coach tour of the Wye Valley was devised by a Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tour Guide who wrote: “We were lucky to have a bright, sunny day when we toured through the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean, taking in the rich gold and red tints”.

Tags: Coach and Minibus tours

The glamorous women from the Thornbury Red Hat Society had fun when they spent a carefree Sunday afternoon on an Applegates Coaches Bluebell Coach Tour. After a sumptuous dinner at Bells Hotel, Coleford, they tiptoed through the bluebells at Wenchford on a route devised by a Forest of Dean and Wye Walley Tour Guide.

Tags: Coach and Minibus tours

A party with Woods Coaches of Leicester were shown around the Forest of Dean by a Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guide. The coach tour stopped for a break at Beechenhurst Visitor Centre (above).

Tags: Coach and Minibus tours

A party from Eckridge Thursday Group enjoyed a 2 hour coach tour arranged by Abbey Mill, Tintern. The trip, on a Commandery Coaches vehicle, in beautiful autumn weather went down the Wye Valley to Chepstow and into the Forest of Dean with commentary and planning by a Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guide.

Coach: Commandery Coaches, Worcester.

Tags: Coach and Minibus tours

Ladies of the Rolling Pin from Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, U.S.A. The Ladies performed several Morris dances at Beechenhurst Lodge as part of a driving and walking day out in the Forest of Dean arranged and devised by the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guides.

"A very enjoyable experience made all the more so by our personable, informative guides who also displayed a good sense of humor! . We were thrilled to have the opportunity to dance for the other visitors as well - great fun" L A B, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

"I would have like to see more of the sculpture trail, even if it meant backtracking as that was the best part of the morning walk. The afternoon walk was more varied, quite beautiful. ... . All 'n all it was a very enjoyable day. Thanks for being such patient, interesting and fun loving guides". M.S., Rhode Island, U.S.A.

 

Tags: Coach and Minibus tours