A GROUP of Japanese academics visited the Forest and Wye Valley to look at how footpath networks have been developed.

The three visitors are researching walking tourism and how it could be developed in Japan.

Professors Keiji Maegawa, Yuko Shioji and Tatsuya Suzuki were the guests of the Chepstow and Ross branches of the Walkers are Welcome organisation.

As well as helping the Japanese develop walking tourism it is also hoped the visit will highlight UK attractions outside of London and “honeypots” such as the Cotswolds for visitors from Japan.

While in the Forest they visited the Sculpture Trail at Beechenhurst, New Fancy, Symonds Yat and had lunch at the Speech House Hotel.

A reception was also hosted by Chepstow Town Council where they were presented with pottery showing Chepstow Castle made by ceramics artist and town councillor Ned Heywood.

They also heard about the experience of setting up the Wales Coastal Path which starts and ends in Chepstow.

They walked the town trail with resident Tim Ryan and visited the newly-refurbished Backpackers Lodge in Beaufort Square which was for many years the British Legion club.

The group walked the Wye Valley Walk to Chepstow Racecourse where they heard about footpaths from a landowner’s perspective.