Do it yourself Walking Festival

The Ross Walkers are Welcome Group fell in line with many event organisers this year and cancelled the Ross Annual Walking Festival due to uncertainty of restrictions and safety concerns.

Undaunted, the committee decided that visitors could still come to Ross and walk, but in smaller family-sized groups or “bubbles”, if they knew where they could walk to make the most of their trip. Accordingly, the Committee has produced a series of downloadable leaflets for 18 walks in the Ross area. Each leaflet describes one walk and gives route directions, interesting and useful comments at certain points, a clear map of the route and a GPX file that can be downloaded to a walkers’ satellite navigation device.

These walks range from short 2.5-3 miles up to 8 miles in length. Some start close to the town centre and others are a short (no more than 20 minutes) drive from Ross.  The terrain covered includes the riverside, Chase Hill, Penyard Hill, Fownhope, Sollarshope, Kilpeck, the Hope Mansell valley and Coppett Hill; all with interesting features and amazing views of the area. Many of the routes will be familiar to local walkers but it is hoped that the selection of interesting walks described will attract visitors from further afield. This aligns with the objectives of the Walkers are Welcome organisation, namely to help boost the local economy by attracting walkers into the locality to walk and spend in local businesses.

The programme went live on the Ross Walkers are Welcome Group’s website www.walkinginross.co.uk on Saturday 1^st August; along with other information about the Town and visiting Ross.  The routes are available to everyone, visitors and locals alike. So if you live in Ross and have been hesitant about trying new routes, log on, download and go out and discover more of our beautiful county and the Wye Valley.