Welcome to Ross on Wye

Embraced by the River Wye, Ross-on-Wye is an inviting place to potter. When William Gilpin wrote Britain’s first travel guidebook about the Wye Valley in 1782, he sparked a trend for ‘picturesque tourism’. Today, as well as enjoying that same scenic beauty, you can browse independent shops, stroll alongside the town’s 19th-century mock-Gothic walls and Gazebo Tower folly and admire pastel-hued dwellings tumbling down the hillside to the river.

The town is the centre of a region historically dubbed Archenfield or ‘Land of Hedgehogs’, and you’ll find examples of the icon in St Mary’s Church, dating back to the 17th century, and on more recent memorials to the Boer War and Second World War.

Further afield, the town is the perfect centre to explore castles, abbeys, adventure experiences, walking and cycling routes, museums, and a film trail (Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Game Of Thrones).

250 years of tourism

William Gilpin may not be a household name but his legacy has led to one of biggest industries in Britain.

It was 250 years ago in 1770 that he took the first step by organising boat trips along the River Wye, and writing a seminal bestselling book ‘Observations of the River Wye’.

From those humble but visionary beginnings what was later described as The Picturesque Movement came into being, giving a name to a new appreciation of the natural world and its beauty.

The Wye Valley is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, much as it was 250 years ago. This year, 2020, heralds a year long calender of arts, crafts and fun events to celebrate his achievement and the beauty of the Wye Valley.More information at: www.gilpin2020.org

Ross-on-Wye is voted UK’s best loved market town

Ross-on-Wye has been voted the UK’s best-loved market town by a leading coach tour company.

National Express Managing Director Tom Stables said: “With its picturesque location and stunning Market House it’s hardly surprising Ross-on-Wye is regarded as one of the best towns in the UK. It’s tough to think of anything more quintessentially British than a market town and we think that’s worth celebrating”.