Staunton

Staunton sits right on the England-Wales border, 2.5 miles east of Monmouth and the same distance north-west of Coleford, where the Forest of Dean begins to fold into the Wye Valley. The A4136 runs straight through the middle of it, but turn off that road and Staunton is a scatter of farms, sandstone outcrops and old iron workings rather than anything resembling a high street. It's one of the oldest settlements in the Forest, recorded in the Domesday Book, with evidence of Neolithic activity, Roman iron mining and a Norman presence from around 1100.

What makes Staunton unusual is what's on its doorstep rather than in the village itself: a cluster of extraordinary sandstone rock formations scattered through the surrounding woodland, remnants of a much older landscape exposed by centuries of quarrying and weathering. Combined with its position on the edge of the Forest of Dean's dense oak and beech woodland, it's a base for walkers and rock-spotters more than a destination with its own attractions, and that quiet, unpolished character is a large part of its appeal.

Top things to do in Staunton

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.

Getting to Staunton

Staunton is on the A4136, the main road linking Monmouth to Gloucester via Coleford, which makes driving by far the most practical way to arrive. Monmouth (2.5 miles) and Coleford (2.5 miles) are the nearest towns for fuel, shops and onward routes. The closest railway stations are at Lydney (around 9 miles) and Gloucester (around 16 miles), both on the Gloucester-to-South Wales line, from where a car or taxi is needed to complete the journey. There is no direct bus service into the village itself, so this is very much a destination for those arriving by car.

Best time to visit Staunton

Late spring and early summer bring bluebells and fresh green cover to the Forest of Dean's ancient woodland, and long daylight hours suit the walk up to viewpoints like the Buckstone. Autumn is arguably the most atmospheric season here, when the Forest's beech and oak turn gold and the exposed sandstone rocks stand out sharply against the colour. Winter can be strikingly quiet, with mist settling in the Wye Valley below Symonds Yat, though some woodland paths get muddy. Summer is reliably busy at the bigger Forest of Dean attractions nearby, but Staunton itself, being off the main tourist trail, stays calm even in August.

Where to stay in Staunton

Staunton itself has very little visitor accommodation, but its position between Monmouth, Coleford and the Wye Valley means a good range of options is never far away. Farmhouse B&Bs and holiday cottages are dotted through the surrounding countryside, while Monmouth and Coleford both have small independent hotels, guesthouses and pubs with rooms. Camping and glamping sites are well represented across the wider Forest of Dean, from simple rural fields to more developed touring parks, making it easy to base a stay here and explore both the Forest and the Wye Valley.

Food and drink in Staunton

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.