Of the glacially sculpted hills rising above Abergavenny, the Skirrid (486m) is most dramatic. You can trek here from Llanvihangel Crucorney (5.5 miles) or take the B4521 from Abergavenny to the lay-by at the base of the hill (4 miles). It's a steep climb from here through broadleaf woods thick with ferns. The final climb brings you to the wind-beaten summit, where you'll be rewarded with far-reaching views reaching west to the Brecon Beacons and south to the Severn Estuary.
A cleft in the rock near the top was once believed to have split open at the exact time of Christ's death and a chapel was built here on what was considered a particularly holy place (a couple of upright stones remain). During the Reformation as many as 100 people would attend illegal Catholic Masses at this remote spot. Look out for the ruins of a medieval chapel and an Iron Age hill fort.
