Fifteen hundred people enjoyed a wide range of activities over the weekend at the launch of the 'Overlooking the Wye' Landscape Partnership scheme at Goodrich Castle. Using English Heritage's Open Heritage Weekend, this event marked the start of the three year £2.8m scheme, with £1.9m coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £900K matched funding coming from a variety of partners.

Many of these were at the castle providing activities linked to the 40 projects in the scheme which will improve and promote historic sites within the Wye Valley AONB.

Children were able to create fossils with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust, ceramic plaques with Ned Heywood, wooden cookies with the Forestry Commission and creative art with the Woodland Trust.

Adults were challenged to link viewpoints with Forestry Commission sites and to identify views of the Wye Valley provided by Chepstow Museum. All were entertained by Coracle Tales and Merrie England provided by the Ledbury Waites.

Guided walks and talks around the castle and Little Doward were organised by Herefordshire Archaeology, Woodland Trust and the Forest of Dean Local History Society. Information about local sites of interest was provided by the Friends of Coppett Hill and the Woolhope Club.

Councillor Phil Cutter, 'Overlooking the Wye' Partnership Board Chairman said:?"It is wonderful to see so many of the partner organisations here, working together to promote the scheme and provide a great day out for so many visitors."

The range and variety of the projects planned covers themes of industrial heritage, the Picturesque movement and viewpoints, river corridors and hillfort archaeology. One of the first projects to start has been at Little Doward where the Woodland Trust have removed conifers on the top of the hill to reveal the remains of the iron age hillfort.

To find out more about the 'Overlooking the Wye' scheme and what is planned in your area, please contact Sue Middleton, Scheme Manager on 01600 891525 or look on the Wye Valley AONB website, http://www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk">www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk.