A new book is shining a light on the abundance of walks around the Wylye Valley – and also offers readers the chance to win a £50 meal voucher.
Popular with local walkers, the landscape is characterised by rolling hills, verdant woodlands and meandering rivers.
John Price’s new book, Family Days in the Wylye Valley, contains 25 walks, five cycle rides and four geocaching treasure hunts from the area.
The walks in the book are all short, ranging from 2.2 miles to seven miles. Considerable practical information is included, as well as Ordnance Survey mapping, public transport options, details about nearby local pubs and historical background.
John, who lives in Frome, said, “We constantly hear that spending time in nature is good for our wellbeing. This book will enable you to immerse yourself in the beautiful downs that surround the Wylye Valley. Most of the walks are accessible by bus, so your day out could cost you virtually nothing.”
Four of the walks include a geocaching ‘treasure hunt’. A geocache is a small container hidden near the walk, which can be found using a combination of your smartphone and a provided hint. Inside the container are some alphabetical letters.
When all four caches have been found, the task is to assemble the letters into the name of a Wiltshire village. The publisher has offered a £50 voucher for a meal in one of the local pubs in the valley to the first person to correctly name the village. Email info@wayaheadpublishing.co.uk to submit your answer.
John, who has lived close to the Wylye Valley for much of his life, says he is determined to get families away from TV screens, games consoles and social media – and to join him in discovering the beautiful and hidden gems of the valley and surrounding downland.
The book is available from the publisher by emailing info@wayaheadpublishing.co.uk, Hunting Raven Books in Frome or from Coates and Parker Ltd in Warminster.
Pictured: John’s new book explores the variety of walks in the Wylye Valley area
