PRESS RELEASE

Dated: 23rd September 2008

International promotion for Offa’s Dyke Path

The Offa’s Dyke Path will soon be receiving a lot of publicity in Germany thanks to ‘Visit Wales’ and the Offa’s Dyke Association.

Five journalists from various parts of Germany have just enjoyed a spectacularly fine weekend walking the National Trail from Hay Bluff to Knighton. They were invited over by Visit Wales as part of its campaign to promote Wales overseas. For help in planning their itinerary Visit Wales then went straight to the experts: the Knighton-based Offa’s Dyke Association. The Association, which is run by volunteers, has been promoting Offa’s Dyke and providing information and assistance to walkers for nearly forty years.

The visitors were taken by ‘Visit Wales’ straight from Birmingham airport to Llanthony Priory in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Then they climbed from the Gospel Pass to Hay Bluff before descending to Hay-on-Wye on a gloriously sunny September evening. Later they enjoyed a dinner of rack of Welsh lamb at the Baskerville Arms Hotel in Clyro, where they stayed the night. On Saturday morning they set off for Kington in Herefordshire.

Arriving in Knighton on Sunday afternoon the journalists took a look around the Offa’s Dyke Centre before making a sally into Shropshire to visit Llanfair Hill. Here they were very much impressed with one of the best preserved sections of King Offa’s 1200 year-old earthwork.

“Now that’s what I call a dyke!” said Karsten-Thilo Raab of Essen.

After a final night at Mellington Hall Hotel the group spent Monday morning exploring Montgomery, then Powis Castle and Welshpool Market, before heading back to the airport. Their driver throughout was Mike Price of Visit Wales who is a Wales Blue Badge Guide.

On hearing of the visit Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire said: "I am delighted, though not surprised, that the German Press had such a wonderful time. This is a stunning part of the world, which has been made all the more accessible and enjoyable by the fantastic work of the Offa's Dyke Association.

"This visit has proved what us locals already knew: that this is an exceptional area for walkers and foodies alike and that great work is being done by local voluntary organisations to both promote and preserve our natural environment to ensure its sustainable develop."

Jim Saunders is ODA’s committee member responsible for press and PR:

Tel 01547 520 510

Mobile 07969 374 741

e-mail jim@printsofwales.biz

Rob Jones is Media Relations Executive – International, at Visit Wales.

Website www.visitwales.com

Tel 02920 475336

e-mail Robert.Jones5@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK

Pictures

by Jim Saunders, www.printsofwales.biz

Kiki Müller (left) of Visit Wales’s German office; with four of the visiting journalists as they arrive in Knighton, Powys, on Sunday.

The visiting journalists in Hay-on-Wye on Saturday with Mike Price and Kiki Müller of Visit Wales.

The visiting journalists on Offa’s Dyke on Llanfair Hill, with Mike Price and Kiki Müller of Visit Wales.

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