THE KYMIN

MONMOUTH

The beautiful Kymin, now under the protection of the National Trust, stands proudly above Monmouth. The climb up this hill is a dead end, or a summit finish as I prefer to call it, but it’s still reasonably busy with residents and visitors heading to the Georgian Round House and Naval Temple that sit at the top. The junction at the base is abrupt, and tricky to negotiate if you are heading away from Monmouth, but once past you amble gently up to a left-hand bend. Around this corner the slope becomes stiffer, as it takes you up past a row of houses with enviable views out over the valley. There’s a welcome plateau next followed by a generous amount of easy climbing before it picks up again to the first of two great corners: a tight left, very steep at the apex. You work your way past more houses with even better views to the second, this time a tight right. And now for the finish; cross into the park and climb to a halt at the visitor’s car park.