245: Wentwood Reservoir, Mynydd Alltir-fach and Gray Hill (Monmouthshire and Newport 2024)

MONMOUTHSHIRE AND NEWPORT WALK FEATURING WENTWOOD RESERVOIR, MYNYDD ALLTIR-FACH AND GRAY HILL
"Wentwood Reservoir, Mynydd Alltir-fach and Gray Hill”
Filmed 21st July 2024
Post-production completed 16th August 2024
In the last of the six films I shot in July 2024, I return to Wentwood again, another area I knew from childhood, but was also a major location in my very first Solitary Rambler film from 1993.
I made my 100th film in Wentwood in 2018, which was the 25th anniversary special, so why have I come back here again? There is a good reason, which will be revealed when you watch this.
Filmed in the counties of Monmouthshire and Newport. Locations include Wentwood Reservoir, Mynydd Alltir-fach, Gray Hill and Cadeira Beeches.
Written, presented, researched, directed, camera and sound, edited and music by Patrick Leach.
Special thanks to Visit Monmouthshire for their information used in my research for this film.
Click here for a map showing the route of the walk: explore.osmaps...
Click here for the location on Google Maps where I parked for this walk: maps.app.goo.g...
Flashbacks taken from:
“The Solitary Rambler (Pilot Episode)”: • 001: The Solitary Ramb...
"Usk and Wentwood”: • 100: Usk and Wentwood ...
"The Solitary Rambler" is my series of amateur films of my journeys in the countryside accompanied by my own musical scores, which I compose and perform on my Yamaha keyboard.
Please note that, as with all the films I make, this is not actually intended to be an extensive guide to the area. This is a mini-movie of my personal journey along the walk, in which I often share some of my own personal stories.
If you are new to my channel, I strongly recommend reading the description under the “about” tab, which will provide a clearer understanding of what to expect in my films: / solitaryrambler
There is also a short “Introduction to the Solitary Rambler” video, which briefly explains what my films are all about: / solitaryrambler
DISCLAIMER: Although I work hard to ensure all information is correct to the best of my knowledge, I am only featuring information I have found online and/or in books during my research when putting this film together, so I cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes or errors.
Many thanks and I hope you enjoy watching!
IF YOU ENJOY MY CHANNEL THEN PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT ME:
For a small fee you can download any of my musical soundtracks I have composed for my films: patrickleach.b...
Or if you would like to make a small donation with no obligations then you can do so through Buy Me a Coffee: ko-fi.com/soli...

[@shaunmckenna1923]

Hello Patrick , another top class walk beautiful all around there , thank you Patrick.

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you enjoyed it Shaun, thanks again for watching 👍

[@johnwright8748]

Good stuff, Patrick. Very enjoyable. All the best for 2025, and here's to more adventures!

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks John, all the best to you too 👍

[@solitaryrambler]

Nice one, thanks for watching 👍

[@kathrynbrock1558]

Another lovely, quiet walk with interesting commentary and scenery. Thank you for sharing this memory Patrick.

[@solitaryrambler]

My pleasure Kathryn, thanks as always for watching 👍

[@andrewmatley7688]

another great walk Patrick very enjoyable thank you.

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you enjoyed it Andrew, many thanks for watching 👍

[@nuinmarnuinmar5321]

Lovely walk through some lovely memories! Thank you for sharing.

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@shanedallastaylor570]

well Patrick thanks for another delightful walk.the towers at the reservoir look very impressive,I remember the scene with Richard and the one with Micheal.the chapel looked so nice.and the history about the stone circle was very interesting.cannot wait for another fantastic video.i hope you have a lovely Christmas and new year.take care.and not forgetting the fantastic music.❤️❤️👍👍

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you enjoyed it Shane, thanks as always for commenting and for watching. Have a great Christmas too and a Happy New Year 👍

[@ffrancrogowski6263]

Nice and very quiet lanes to walk around, Patrick. The little chapel hidden in the wood is lovely to see. The stone circle is another gem, as well as going towards the reservoir with its classic stone built tower. The wide view from Gray Hill looking towards the Severn with its two bridges is most spectacular. Many thanks for this video presentation Patrick. Seasonal greetings to you from myself and Christine. Keep well.

[@solitaryrambler]

I loved seeing that little chapel, hard to find, but once you've found it, it's not hard to find again. I love the area all around Wentwood, for me it was great to see water back in the reservoir having previously seen it completely empty some years back. Thanks Ffranc as always for watching and commenting. A Merry Christmas to you and Christine from myself and Linda, all the best 👍

[@Greatoutdoorswalks2061]

Some fantastic views Patrick lovely Walk Cheers

[@solitaryrambler]

Many thanks again 👍

[@JanetWilson-f2f]

A lovely walk thank you 😊

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks again 👍

[@Somersetmanwalking]

Lovely Video Patrick!👌👍👍👍

[@solitaryrambler]

Many thanks! 👍😀

[@philipcounsell4709]

Just absolutely brilliant collection of videos from where I grew up, and worked . 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you enjoyed them, thanks for your kind words and for watching 👍

[@harrylinsdell8114]

Lovely place to visit I bet and great memories for yourself revisiting. Thanks for all the videos you have posted this year they have been an absolute pleasure to watch, and for all the time and effort you have put in creating these fantastic videos. Atb for the festive season

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you've been enjoying them Harry, thanks for your kind comments. Have a great Christmas 👍

[@steveball1959]

Well it's been a really enjoyable last 6 months Patrick, to see an area which is new to us but obviously means so much to you, so thanks for sharing your memories of the area. We'd just like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of walking for 2025. If I ever get a chance to buy you a pint I would, all the best.

[@solitaryrambler]

@steveball1959 well thanks Steve, I'll look forward to that pint someday 😁🍺 Thanks for watching and for all your support this year. A Merry Christmas to you and yours too from myself and Linda. All the best for 2025 👍

[@lesleyborthwick3698]

Lovely memories for you Patrick. Another wonderful walk, lovely seeing the Chapel & hearing the birds. Always interesting seeing & hearing about stone circles. Thanks as always for all your hard work filming these. Merry Christmas & best wishes for the New Year.

[@solitaryrambler]

Hi Lesley, glad you enjoyed this one too. I loved discovering that little chapel as well as the stone circle as not found them before. Thank you as always for watching and for all your support. Merry Christmas to you and all the best for 2025 👍😀

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

How wonderfully lush and green. I hope your holiday season is lovely!

[@solitaryrambler]

Thank you! You too! 👍😀

[@richardchan9595]

The vegetation is so green and lush. Merry Christmas, Patrick! 🎉❤

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks Richard, Merry Christmas to you! 👍😀

[@stephmcghie8732]

A lovely walk Patrick and perfect scenery, have really enjoyed you taking us to the lovely places that hold memories for you, as always it's a joy to watch your vlogs and the work that you put in. Wishing you a good Christmas 🎄 and a great 2025.

[@solitaryrambler]

Glad you've been enjoying them Steph, always great to have lovely feedback, so many thanks for that. Hope you have a lovely Christmas too and a very Happy New Year 👍😀

[@shahjhanhaider26]

Beautiful to see Wentworth reservoir,you have filmed it in summer,so I would literally say picturesque sight

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@atrampinthehills.841]

Another lovely walk Patrick...so nice to see the greenery of summer again.

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks for that Steve, yeah I guess these videos are coming out at the right time what with all the crap weather we're having at the moment 👍😁

[@nickcooper1260]

Thaks, Patrick. "Time is the most precious thing we own"

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks Nick for watching 👍

[@DanDruff66]

Happy new year Patrick, looking forward to some more trips in 2025. (Alan H)

[@solitaryrambler]

Happy new year to you too, many thanks for watching 👍😀

[@paulbeachcroft3323]

Another great film Patrick. Tomorrow, 21st December, we are off to spend a week in Middleton in Teesdale, where we will be doing some of the walks you did whilst you were there not so long ago….. Cheers Paul

[@solitaryrambler]

Nice one Paul, have a lovely time. Thanks for watching, all the best 👍

[@paulbeachcroft3323]

​@@solitaryrambler went up and back to Kirkcarrion today. Having done so I can confirm that the legend about there being no wind blowing at a specific point somewhere inside it is a myth. It was blowing an absolute gale😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@paulbeachcroft3323]

​@@solitaryrambler did both low and high force today. Day off tomorrow, ho, ho, ho....

[@glennswalks7693]

Hi Patrick thanks for sharing your video with us, I enjoyed your video very much, I hope you had a nice Christmas? and I hope you have a great new year in 2025. it's a 👍from me cheers Glenn

[@solitaryrambler]

Happy New Year Glenn, hope you had a great Christmas too. Mine was brill thanks. Glad you enjoyed this, thanks for watching, all the best to you 👍

[@diogenesegarden5152]

Brings back memories of the time I was Forest Manager for Wentwood Forest and the surrounding area some thirty years ago.

[@jonmogford6262]

I have some questions regarding wentwood, i'd love to know if you have the answers.

[@diogenesegarden5152]

@ It was a long time ago and I was only there for about two or three years on a contract after the Forest Enterprise closed the Wentwood (SE Wales Forest District) office, although I was able to use the buildings on the qt for a while. I actually covered quite a large beat from Chepstow up to Monmouth, across to Abergavenny and down to just outside of caerleon, so quite a large area of diverse forestry land. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then so I probably wouldn’t t be much help. It would be interesting to return and see what some of the areas I had planted have come on though.

[@sylviarowley6668]

What a beautiful lush walk! Lots of interest in this one, the chapel is cute, shame we couldn’t see inside. The stone circle history was very interesting and the reservoir great too, just wondering how high it fills too! Anyway I hope you have a lovely Christmas and all good wishes for 2025, will be watching as always. Take care. ❤️xx

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks for watching Sylvia, glad you enjoyed this walk! The chapel was cute wasn't it. I missed that stone circle last time I was here, so good to find it this time. The reservoir used to fill quite high, not sure how high it goes now. Hope you have a lovely Christmas too, all the best for 2025 👍😀

[@CountrysideWalking]

Some picturesque routes on your Wentworth walk, but know the feeling of maps not matching up to actual routes. Although landscapes do change over years. So nice to share your memories of places you once knew Patrick. Loved the synths blending with chord progressions in your much.

[@solitaryrambler]

Hi Shanita, thanks for watching and commenting. There are some lovely walks around Wentwood, but for me it was great seeing water back in the reservoir having seen it completely empty six years earlier! 😂 Glad you enjoyed the music again, some more old themes re-recorded for this. All the best 👍

[@CountrysideWalking]

@@solitaryrambler Think I might be trying more re-recording from other tracks. All best for the festive season again Patrick.

[@solitaryrambler]

@CountrysideWalking Good idea Shanita. I find even if I try the same theme in a different key can work well. A Merry Christmas to you Shanita and Michael from myself and Linda 👍😀

[@boondoggle6]

We all fondly remember Michael in those early videos, he was one of the reasons for me becoming a regular viewer!

[@solitaryrambler]

@@boondoggle6 Happy memories 😁

[@boondoggle6]

@@solitaryramblerThe other reason for coming back for more is the brilliant music in all your videos, what a talent!

[@WyeExplorer]

I remember both films, Patrick. So good to go back - I was following on the map and saw Gray Hill and the stone circle and you managed to make your way there. Love the old pose - I did laugh. Absolutely, the reservoir looks better with water in. Well, what with the chapel too that was a great revisit that I enjoyed very much. All the best up there. Mark

[@solitaryrambler]

Morning Mark, yeah I had to come back here once I was sure there was water back in the reservoir. Great to have found that stone circle when I missed it before. I had to do that old pose again haha! 😁 Finding that super little chapel was a bonus, great place all tucked away. Thanks as always Mark for watching, glad you enjoyed it. All the best to you 👍

[@WyeExplorer]

@@solitaryrambler I think there was a reasonable amount in there Patrick. Loved the circle and the pose. Yeah, had to be done. Chapel closed this time but plenty more out there. A pleasure as awlays.

[@wombat0033]

Merry Christmas from Australia.

[@solitaryrambler]

@@wombat0033 Merry Christmas to you 👍

[@kellyshaw7271]

Wentwood is a lovely location. Where does three decades go? Seems like yesterday when you think back. Loved the shots woven into the past. I do recall the reservoir being empty in 2018. At least it had some water in this time. The chapel in it's hidden location could be easily passed by, if you did not know it was there. It was a good find but I didn't think it would be open. You have done really well on your summer trips. It's a great area to explore. Cheers Patrick 😊

[@solitaryrambler]

I still love Wentwood after all these years, can't believe it's been three decades since first filming here. It was great to see some water in the reservoir this time, so it was worth returning to see it. That little chapel was wonderful, it wasn't too hard to find in the end. I could see inside through the window, but there wasn't really much to see as it was just one tiny room with stacks of chairs. Yes I've been pleased to have covered all these trips. Thanks as always Kelly for watching. All the best 👍

[@keeptrekking4685]

Great Vid as usual, never realised until watching your resent vloggs that your from a place so close to the Welsh border

[@solitaryrambler]

Cheers for that Jay. Yeah this is my old neck of the woods, it's been good to return. All the best 👍

[@alisonmoxon7519]

Merry Xmas Patrick... Have a great xmas and happy new year Ali/R x

[@solitaryrambler]

Merry Christmas to you too Ali, all the best for 2025 👍😀

[@alisonmoxon7519]

Thankyou.. happy new year x​@@solitaryrambler

[@michaeldenham9681]

What a lovely area, with, I noticed, repeated glimpses of the Bristol Channel/Severn Estuary in the distance. It looked the sort of area you can walk all day and hardly see another person (except, perhaps, near stone circles!). Hope you have a good Christmas Patrick. What walks will be coming up next year i wonder?

[@solitaryrambler]

It seems to get quite busy around Wentwood, although the first stretch I did to the little chapel I can imagine being a lot quieter. Many thanks for watching Michael and for all your support. Hope you and Shanita have a wonderful Christmas too. All the best 👍😀

[@russ3994]

Wonderful walk Patrick very enjoyable thank you. Have a good Christmas ! 👍🎅

[@solitaryrambler]

Thanks Russ, you too! 👍😀

[@JaneRutter-u5z]

I watched the first films you made of the Solitary Rambler over the weekend. Did you all have fun making them? I have watched them once or twice.

[@solitaryrambler]

Thank for watching those oldies. We all had a good time making them, so long ago now! 👍😂

[@petercutler7773]

Gilgal Chapel was a Bible Christian Chapel built 1828 and rebuilt 1898. By 1997 chapel had fallen into disuse. All the best, Peter.

[@solitaryrambler]

Many thanks 👍

[@BelleLothbrok]

Is that der footage a younger you? or your friend? 😊

[@solitaryrambler]

There was footage of me and a friend 👍