With the Tour of Britain heading the region in a month’s time, Wye Valley and Forest of Dean is celebrating all things cycling with an art trail of bikes, decorated to represent the very best of the destination - from food to film.
Stage 5 of the Tour of Britain takes place on September 8th. Running for 127 miles from Abadare to Bath, will take the international peddlers through the Wye Valley and into the Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire, via the Bigsweir Bridge, passing iconic landmarks such as Tintern Abbey and Puzzlewood.
The art trail criss-crosses the destination with over a dozen bikes decorated by members of the tourism association. Each is designed with a feature of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean in mind, from its history to the wealth of exciting outdoor sports visitors can enjoy. Taking in attractions like the Dean Heritage Centre and beautiful hotels like Speech House, the trail makes a fantastic introduction to the destination and a unique way to explore it.
A special map has been designed to guide visitors around the trail with people being encouraged to tweet or Instagram as many of the bikes as they can.
Commenting on the trail, Maureen McAllister, executive director of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome the Tour of Britain to the area next month. Ahead of Stage 5, we wanted to showcase everything visitors to the area can discover and enjoy.
“Something about the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean sparks creativity – everyone from Turner to J J Abrams have drawn inspiration from the stunning landscapes and landmarks. The decorated bike trail captures this and combines it with our love of everything cycling.”
The region is a prime destination for cyclists as there are 72km (44 miles) of marked cycle trails in the Forest of Dean alone and the A466 through the Wye Valley being an incredibly popular route for road cyclists.
Ian Officer, chair of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism and owner of Pedalabikeway added: “As a destination, we are very proud of what we have to offer cyclists. From cottages to cafes, the area is bursting with cyclist-friendly attractions and accommodation.
“The trail is a great way to celebrate this whilst we prepare to cheer on the cyclists of the Tour of Britain.”
The Tour of Britain is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their door step.
Visitors can tweet or Instagram their snaps of the bike trail, or their own decorated bikes, with the hashtags #deanwye #tob2016