Step into September
Two tempting Walking Festivals
Hikers welcome! This September, there are two weekends to tempt walkers to our county. From easy to strenuous, the wide selection of themed routes will appeal to all fitness levels and interests.
Kington: 20 to 24 September
Kington's offers two walking festivals each year, packed with imaginative ways to explore on foot these wild borderlands straddling England and Wales.
Starting with the strenuous options with impressive ascents, try the walk from Kington to Hay-on-Wye along Offa's Dyke Path (14 miles) or go in the other direction to Knighton (14 miles). Other temptations include the spectacular Hard Rock Ridge (12 miles) or the Eight Peaks Challenge (15 miles) which is timed contest for the competitive-minded.
Meanwhile, more moderate walks include Trees of the World: Meet the Champions (4 miles) where you will tour Hergest Croft Gardens, known as the most extensive arboretum in Britain, in the company of their head gardener. The theme continues with Ancient Trees & Trackways (7 miles) which follows old drovers' roads, offas and ancient holloways.
For art themed trails, hike Over Hergest to the Pottery at Lower Farm Way (5 miles) or pick A Walk around the Rodd (4 miles) which explores the grounds, gardens, home and studio of celebrated painter Sir Sidney Nolan. Get hands on with the Introduction to Astrophotography (1 mile) to learn how to take stunning images of the Milky Way, planets and constellations from the heights of Hergest Ridge.
Spend an evening hearing the tales of mountaineer and travel writer, Jim Perrin; enjoy the Rolling Stones' repertoire played by seasoned local musicians and have a go at the Six Pix Challenge to identify the location of views painted by the fantastic Kathryn Moore.
Ross-on-Wye: 29 September to 1 October
Three days with 30 fabulous walks! Soak up the stunning scenery in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, gaze at the views, go off the beaten track and even learn something new.
One stand out event is the Early Morning Severn Bore Experience, which offers the thrilling opportunity to see the impressive spectacle of a tidal wave as it makes its way up the Severn Estuary.
If you fancy putting your legs to the test, try the Energetic Ascent of Sugar Loaf (8.7 miles) or perhaps The Ancient Furnaces of Angidy Valley (9.1 miles).
Combine a walking and food experience on the Short Walk with Afternoon Tea or Forest Steam Train Ride with Pub Lunch, which are respectively two miles and four miles on foot. On a similar theme A Riverside Walk and a Hidden Brewery (9 miles) weaves it way to Woofys boutique brewey for a celebratory pint.
Fans of history and geology have plenty to pick from, including Landscape & Fossils in the Longhope Valley (4 miles), The Doward: its Geology & Nature Reserves (5.2 miles), Hidden History of Ross (2 miles), Meet the Dragon at Mordiford (2 miles) and A Castle, a Petrifying Brook & Offa's Dyke (8.6 miles).
Other treats include An Arts & Crafts Church and Glorious Views (8 miles), Historic Lydney Harbour by Steam Train (3 miles), and Harvest Time in the Apple Orchards (5.6 miles).
