The Solo Scale:

---

In the Wye River Valley, you’ll find the ruins of Tintern Abbey. Picture it — the clouds and the rain have lifted in Wales. Then, you arrive at Tintern Abbey to see the sun shining through the archways and cloisters. That is, if you’re lucky and Wales is behaving for you. While the site is a relic of the past (brought low centuries back by the Dissolution of the Monasteries), it’s one of the best-preserved set of ruins that I’ve seen in my travels. The roofless state creates some truly unique angles with which sunlight can filter in.

When we visited, it was on a weekday and fairly early in the morning. If you don’t have your own car, it may be a bit difficult to get to. Luckily, if you’re staying nearby, there’s always taxis or rideshares.

We drove in, and given the hour, we were one of the very few exploring the grounds. We bought our tickets upon arrival after parking in a spacious lot, and going inside the small visitor’s building. Once we had our tickets, we began our journey inside.

This is very much a self-guided tour. If you’re interested in the history or the architecture, you may want to do your research prior to going. You can also find some sources to bring with you, as there are no tour guides or audio-tours. That said, if you’re aware of the history even in a passing regard, standing within the walls gives you an awed respect for where you are.

We spent just over an hour roaming around and having the place mainly to ourselves until it hit mid-morning and more people arrived. The weather held up for us beautifully (not always a guarantee in Wales). It made the morning stop before we continued our drive through Wales an amazing little slice of history heaven.

For information on your visit (including what repair work might be taking place), visit the Tintern Abbey site here for more details, including admission prices.

---