VISITORS to Herefordshire can now enjoy the experience of not one, but six professional tour guides escorting them around.

Marches Tours and Talks, the local tour guide association, has produced an audio tour called 'The Golden Valley & Beyond' which leads visitors on a 45-mile circular route that takes in Longtown, Hay and Abbey Dore.

The tour, which is available on CD or cassette, comes with a 'By the Way' booklet that lists specialist shops, cafes, pubs and picnic spots en route as well as petrol stations and public conveniences. The tour begins and ends in Ewyas Harold, but can be matched to the point where you want to begin your journey.

The guide is available from Hereford TIC at £4.99 and would make just as nice a gift for a local as it would a treat for a tourist. Sales of the guide are reported to be 'beyond all expectation', proving that the innovative idea - the first in what is hoped will become the 'Herefordshire's Hidden Extras' series - has been a hit.