Most visitors to Wales make straight for the peaks of Eryri or the Pembrokeshire coast. But in the county of Monmouthshire, near the English border, lies a quieter gem with an impressive resumé: Usk, a small market town that has won 38 consecutive Wales in Bloom awards and recently earned a spot in The Times' best places to live in Britain.
The town's history runs deep. Founded as a Roman fortress settlement, it later grew around a 12th-century Norman castle whose half-ruined towers still crown the skyline. Today the centre is a designated conservation area of cobbled lanes and stone cottages, with the river looping around its eastern side.
Flowers are Usk's calling card. Planting boxes erupt around the clock tower at Twyn Square, and every June a series of private gardens opens to the public. Shoppers are well catered for too: Bridge Street packs in independents like Blue Llama Vinyl Records (rare '90s indie LPs) and Lines Taproom and Noddfa, pouring local craft ales. Market tradition here dates to the Middle Ages — the weekly Thursday market, with eggs, chutneys and produce, runs March through December, and a bi-monthly farmers' market adds sourdough and local cheese.
The River Usk defines the town as much as its hanging baskets. Salmon and brown trout fishing is the big draw, and a 2-mile stretch within town offers easy access and stony shallows ideal for wading. More experienced anglers head north to the Chainbridge beat, where salmon pools are productive. Before casting, you'll need a Rod License plus local permits, available through The Fishing Passport.
Walkers have options too. Usk anchors the 48-mile Usk Valley Walk, which largely shadows the river through green hills and past riverside pubs, finishing in medieval Abergavenny — itself a gateway to the peaks and waterfalls of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park.
Who's it for? Gardeners, anglers and slow-travel types who want a base between city and countryside. Usk sits about 50 minutes' drive from both Cardiff Airport and Bristol Airport, with buses from Newport taking just over half an hour. Slot it into a road trip between Cardiff and the Wye Valley National Landscape, with its forested waterways and abbey ruins, and you've got a well-rounded eastern Wales itinerary.
Credit: Islands
