Green Flag success for Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire County Council is proud to announce that more of the county’s attractions and open spaces have won prestigious Green Flag Awards this year.

The awards, presented by leading environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, give recognition to the locations that offer excellent facilities while demonstrating an ongoing commitment to delivering great quality green space.

This year sees Green Flag Awards going to the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal (included for the third consecutive year), Tintern Old Station (award winners since 2009), Caldicot Castle Country Park (since 2013), Castle Meadows Abergavenny (since 2014) and Bailey Park in Abergavenny.

The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal is a well-deserved recipient of its second award this year. It runs through the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park with a stretch from Gilwern to Mamhilad within Monmouthshire itself. This quiet and scenic waterway with very few locks is popular with boating beginners and offers incredible mountain views and some of the darkest night skies in Britain.

Monmouthshire’s parks are also very popular with residents and visitors and have attracted numerous awards in recent years. Tintern’s Old Station is a popular attraction, and situated in a scenic wooded area next to the River Wye it’s described as a hidden gem. Caldicot’s magnificent medieval castle is set in fifty-five acres of beautiful country park offering an ideal setting for picnics and walks against the background of the castle walls, with picnic tables and barbeques.

Abergavenny’s tranquil Castle Meadows on the banks of the River Usk provides a peaceful setting just a short stroll from the centre of the town. Castle Meadows was the location for the very successful 2016 Monmouthshire and District National Eisteddfod.

Cabinet Member for Inclusive and Active Communities, Cllr. Sara Burch said: “I am so pleased that many locations within our beautiful county have received awards this year. It is fantastic to see that our sites at Caldicot Castle and Country Park, Tintern Old Station, Castle Meadows and Bailey Park have been recognised with Green Flag awards.”

In addition, gardens and green spaces across the county have also be recognised in the Green Flag Community Awards: The Incredible Edible Garden in Usk, Mardy Park, Caldicot Community Garden, Crick Woodland, Caerwent Meadows, Crick Meadow, Crucorney Allotments, Garden City Sensory Garden in Chepstow, Goytre Community Garden, Laurie Jones Community Orchard, The Cornfield (Portskewett and Sudbrook) and Rogiet Wildlife Friendly Village.

Cabinet Member for Climate Change & the Environment, Cllr. Catrin Maby said: “These awards mean so much for the many volunteers and community groups across the county. Their dedication and community spirit help keep so many green spaces in Monmouthshire looking beautiful. On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I would like to express our gratitude for all their hard work.

The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. Independent green space experts volunteered their time in early autumn to judge applicant sites against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity, cleanliness, environmental management, and community involvement.

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru

For more information on the many attractions and places to visit in Monmouthshire take a look at: Visit Monmouthshire www.visitmonmouthshire.com/

This post is also available in: Welsh