THIS year’s Wye Valley River Festival has bagged a top award as the best project staged by any of the UK’s 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The Bowland Award, a striking bronze hen harrier sculpture, has recently been touring the area, from Ross to Symonds Yat and Lydbrook, to thank all the communities and artists who helped make the event such a success.

The highlight of the 2018 festival was the breathtaking Museum of the Moon at Tintern Abbey, attracting thousands of visitors from the UK and further afield. 

Phil Cutter, chairman of the Wye Valley AONB, said it was fantastic to have national recognition for the organisation’s work through the river festival, which created opportunities to engage the public with key messages about conserving and enhancing the landscape and deepening their appreciation of the Wye Valley.

He said the festival had enabled the AONB Partnership to develop new relationships linking outdoor arts with built and natural heritage, landowners, local communities, tourism and recreation.

Howard Davies, Chief Executive of the National Association for AONBs, said: ‘The award acknowledges the work of people who contribute to making the UK’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty wonderful places to live and work in or visit.”