There will be a sparkling day of celebration when Ross-on-Wye celebrates the birthplace of UK tourism on Tuesday, November 5th.

Ross Town Council will officially launch the Gilpin 2020 festival, with a celebration of philanthropy and tourism in the streets.

Ross-on-Wye is a town steeped in culture and history. When Reverend William Gilpin visited 250 years ago, he documented his trip with the UK’s first ‘tourist guide’ of the cruises up and down the picturesque River Wye. This brought more and more visitors who dined at specific locations, took walks to particular viewpoints and visited romantic ruins, making the ‘Wye Tour’ one of the first ‘package’ holidays.

The Gilpin 2020 festival will include a collection of anniversary events and activities from local organisations including Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, CREATE Ross, Made in Ross, St Mary’s Church and Ross Photographic Society.See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here