Staunton

Staunton itself has no hotels of its own, so anyone wanting proper indoor accommodation needs to look to the towns and villages nearby. Monmouth and Coleford, both around 2.5 miles away, offer the closest options, including small independent hotels, traditional coaching inns and guesthouses, many with the kind of character you'd expect from towns that have served travellers on this Wales-England border route for centuries. Bed and breakfasts are scattered through the farmland surrounding Staunton itself, often in converted farmhouses, and can be a good way to stay close to the Buckstone and Suckstone without needing to base yourself in a town.

Further into the Wye Valley, particularly around Symonds Yat, there's a wider choice of hotels and guesthouses that trade on river views and proximity to the gorge, while Gloucester, roughly 16 miles away, offers a bigger selection if a wider range of chain hotels or bigger conference-style venues is what's needed. Wherever you choose to stay, Staunton's location on the A4136 means it's rarely more than a 20-30 minute drive from any of these options, making it easy to use the village and its surrounding woodland as a day-trip base rather than needing accommodation on the doorstep.

Staunton's real draw is the geology and woodland walking on its doorstep, with a few genuine curiosities within easy reach.

• The Buckstone — a huge, precariously balanced sandstone boulder above the village that used to rock on its base until Victorian actors dislodged it in 1885 (it was later re-cemented). The short climb up rewards you with views across the Wye Valley towards the Welsh hills.
• The Suckstone — reputed to be the largest detached block of stone in England and Wales, an estimated 14,000 tons of conglomerate lying in the woods, and a genuinely strange thing to stumble across on a forest walk.
• The Long Stone — a weathered standing stone beside the Coleford road, possibly pre-dating 1700 BC, and one of the few surviving prehistoric monuments in the Forest of Dean.
• The Near Hearkening Rock — an Old Red Sandstone cliff with unusual acoustic properties, traditionally said to have been used by gamekeepers to listen out for poachers moving through the woods below.
• Symonds Yat Rock — a short drive away, this is one of the best viewpoints in the Wye Valley, with the river looping far below and a good chance of spotting peregrine falcons.
• Forest of Dean walking and cycling trails — Staunton sits within easy reach of the Forest's extensive network of waymarked paths and the Family Cycle Trail at nearby Cannop.

The village pub, the White Horse Inn, is Staunton's one dedicated food and drink venue, having reopened after a period of closure and now serving as the local for walkers and residents alike. For a wider choice, Coleford and Monmouth, both a short drive away, have a good spread of cafes, pubs and restaurants, from traditional Forest of Dean fare to more contemporary options, making them the natural place to head for an evening out.

Staunton's setting on the edge of the Forest of Dean makes it a genuinely appealing spot for a camping trip, with ancient woodland, sandstone outcrops and the Wye Valley all within a short drive. As with anywhere in England, wild camping is not legally permitted without the landowner's explicit permission, so pitching up in the Forest itself or on farmland around Staunton without asking first is best avoided, however tempting the woodland clearings look. Fortunately the Forest of Dean has a long-established campsite culture, with sites ranging from simple, low-key fields with basic facilities to more developed touring and camping parks offering electric hook-ups, showers and family-friendly extras, most within a few miles of Staunton around Coleford, Monmouth and further into the Forest.

Late spring through early autumn is the most reliable camping season, when the woodland is at its greenest and evenings are long enough to enjoy a fire pit after a day exploring the Buckstone or Symonds Yat. May and June bring bluebells and birdsong to the Forest, while September and early October offer a quieter, cooler alternative with the added bonus of autumn colour, particularly striking against Staunton's exposed sandstone. High summer is the busiest period for the region's bigger sites, so booking ahead for July and August is sensible.

For those who prefer more comfort without giving up the outdoor setting, glamping has taken hold across the Forest of Dean in recent years, with options including safari tents, shepherd's huts and wooden pods available at sites within easy reach of Staunton. These tend to suit visitors keen on the surrounding walking and wildlife but less keen on pitching their own tent, and many stay open across a longer season than traditional camping, making spring and autumn breaks a realistic option as well as high summer.