Ross-On-Wye Walking Festival Has Something For Everyone..
The Ross Walkers are Welcome Group is busy planning for the Annual Ross Walking Festival that will be held from Friday the 22nd to Sunday the 24th September in Ross and the surrounding area.
Many of the 14 walks on offer include an element of food, always an attraction for hungry walkers. The ever popular “Last Cream Tea of Summer” is a three-mile easy walk with a sumptuous cream tea at the half-way point.
For the past four years one of the most popular walks has been the steam train walk that includes lunch. This walk starts at the Forest of Dean Steam Centre at Norchard, near Lydney and takes in a steam train ride, a short walk through the forest and a Ploughman’s Lunch at the steam centre – a really good day out.
The six-mile walk in the Monnow Valley centres on the pretty and isolated Llanrothal church, where a short talk on the history of the church will be accompanied by tea and cakes.
For the more energetic walkers the festival has an 11 mile walk linking routes near the Wye at Fownhope and “The land between” Marcle Ridge. A six and a half mile walk is based on Llangarron and Llangrove and looks at the story of the WWII Wellington bomber that crashed nearby.
Several of the local hills are always a good attraction and this year, walkers can visit Coppett Hill with the enigmatic title of “Port wine and Gulliver’s travels”, Garway, with its superb 360 degree views and Leys Hill, Howle hill and chase hill included in a walk that uses the No 35 bus.
Also on Leys Hill and Howle Hill and Bulls Hill is a walk with an expert forestry guide. Looking at the various forms of woodland that can be found here.
There are other shorter but no less interesting walks to choose from and all walks have been sponsored by local, and not so local, businesses. One sponsor is from Illinois USA. The organisers are grateful to all the sponsors so come along and make their contributions worthwhile.
Book on-line at www.rosswalkingfestival.co.uk or at the Ross or Monmouth branches of Rossiter Books.