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WYE VALLEY WALK

The applicant for this project is the Wye Valley AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The project is joint-funded between Herefordshire Rivers LEADER+ Programme, Adventa (Monmouthshire) LEADER+, and Powys County Council. Elements will either be split between the funders, or funded by individual groups regarding those elements specific to their local area.

The River Wye courses from its source at Plynlimon through Powys and Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire, at times forming the border between England and Wales. The Wye Valley Walk stretches for 136 miles, which divides up as 1.5 miles in Gloucestershire, 20 in Monmouthshire, 55 miles in Herefordshire and 60 in Powys.

Currently, there is a low awareness of the walk (both locally and nationally) along with low usage of the walk (except for honey-pot areas like Symonds Yat and around Tintern) and dedicated resources have not been available to market the walk.

Promotion of the Walk will include:
A new and improved website
Leaflets promoting the entire route, looped routes and areas accessible for those with mobility problems
Interpretation boards along the walk
The Wye Valley Walk Passport scheme

The website will have interactive maps, accommodation links, links to other services (i.e. restaurants, pubs), a news section and links to local businesses. The website will be hosted by Powys County Council, although the AONB will update and maintain it, after the completion of this project.

The Passport scheme is free, and walkers can get their passports stamped at various key locations along the route. These stamping stations (3 in each county, excluding Gloucestershire) will be local businesses like shops and pubs. Once the passport is completed, walkers are entitled to claim a badge and certificate to remember their rewarding experience.

The obvious benefits to promoting the Wye Valley Walk are two-fold. Firstly, the result of economic growth in all four counties comes from more walkers on the route, increased spending in the area, and the safeguarding of existing local businesses, i.e. bed and breakfasts, shops, and produce. Secondly, the health benefit of more people accessing the walks encourages a healthier lifestyle amidst beautiful surroundings.

The Wye Valley Walk hallmarks both a sustainable tourism product and a community recreational asset. Through the increased awareness of the walk, the project will highlight the importance of the area in terms of conservation and environmental resources.

Andrew Blake
AONB Officer
Wye Valley AONB
Tel: (01600) 713977
Email: office@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk

Mark Bristow
Information Officer
Wye Valley AONB
Tel: (01600) 710846
Email: information@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk

Website: www.wyevalleywalk.org - available in both English and Welsh versions.