SET on the roadside on the long and winding route between Chepstow and Usk, the 400-year-old Carpenters Arms is a welcome sight.

Inside it's a maze of nooks and crannies, with an assortment of furniture and walls decorated with an unusual mix of pictures and bric-a-brac. It was quiet when we went on a cold Thursday evening and we were disappointed not to see the open fire promised on the pub's website. But the welcome was warm.

To start, we both had the garlic bread. This was certainly generous in size - a whole baguette each - but also a little daunting and we weren't even half way through before the main courses arrived.

There was the usual range of pub fare and I had chosen the mushroom pasta bake, which came with the full works - chips, peas and salad. The pasta was tasty and probably home made, and it would have been nice to have more of that and less accompaniments.

He had the chicken curry with rice, chips and a popadom, which he gave a six out of ten - good, but the emphasis seemed to have been on the quantity.

There was a range of tempting home-made desserts, but after such a large meal all I could manage was a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

The meal, together with a small glass of white wine and a pint of lager, came to a reasonable £23.85.

A word of caution, though, as you are expected to pay when you order and the pub does not accept cards.

It could be a long way to the nearest cash point if you aren't carrying money. Rhiannon Beacham