Also an old RAF pal of mine lived in St. Briavels. A bit steep I seem to remember.
St Briavels is a wonderful village and has an excellent pub near the castle. had a look on Google Earth of that area but found I could not copy the views from Google Earth Street Map so downloaded Google Earth Pro which is free and was able to take a couple of shots but was careful not to identify any properties apart from the roof of one.
The road down from St Briavels is very steep and very narrow, single track and you just had to hope that any vehicle approaching was being driven carefully!!
Back to the mid seventies when I was driving for British Road Services I had made a delivery in Newport and being a Friday made sure that my delivery was delayed until the afternoon so that I could drive to St Briavels and spent the night in a comfortable bed at my parents home.
Before this was turned into a grass picnic area it was all hard standing so I took the liberty of parking my 40ft artic there and walked down to my parents.
My parents bungalow is the one on the left but hidden mostly by foliage, but the scenery was marvellous, no trees or anything blocking a full panoramic view of the valley and once whilst there I watched a Vulcan at low level through the valley flying towards Chepstow. As far as I was aware and even now that is not a low level route?
The George Public House, hope the beer is still as good as when I used to frequent the place.
Just two more pictures, pointing downhill from St Briavels. The next day after a welcomed cooked breakfast my father took me up to my truck and then escorted me downhill to the A466 Chepstow to Monmouth Road. He was a bit concerned as to whether or not I could get the whole of the 40ft trailer down safely without taking any brick walls with me!!
But it was only a flat bed trailer and not a box or a curtain sider, now that may have been interesting!!
After coming down where that car is pictured i had to use all the road to get round this!!
Got all the way down safely and then back to Lincoln. Every time I go south to Devon and pass the M50 I am still very tempted to take a detour!!
Regards
Nigel.