Holiday rentals and lettings in Ross-on-Wye

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a holiday rental and letting in Ross-on-Wye?
• Holiday rentals and lettings in Ross-on-Wye: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Ross-on-Wye: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Ross-on-Wye?

• Riverside self-catering: Cottages, log cabins and holiday homes sit along the River Wye, most with gardens, parking and space for families or walking groups.
• Where to base yourself: The town centre suits first-timers, while Symonds Yat and the Forest of Dean suit paddlers and walkers.
• Well-reviewed kitchens: Guests praise the town's small dining scene, from No3 Restaurant to riverside pubs serving Herefordshire beef and cider.
• Best time to visit: May to September brings canoeing weather, while October turns the Wye Valley gold and prices drop.
• Top things to do: Canoe the Wye, climb to Symonds Yat Rock, explore Goodrich Castle and follow the town's market-town trails.

Ross-on-Wye leans towards small, characterful self-catering: stone cottages on the hill below St Mary's, converted barns in the surrounding farmland and riverside homes with a garden facing the Wye. Most properties are family-run and comfortably furnished. Certain amenities come up again and again in this corner of the Wye Valley:

• Enclosed gardens and terraces overlooking the river or open farmland
• Wood burners and fireplaces for autumn and winter stays
• Off-road parking, useful for reaching Goodrich Castle and the Forest of Dean
• Boot rooms and drying space after a day on the Wye Valley Walk

Wi-Fi is widespread, so a longer working stay is realistic here.

What are the best areas to stay in Ross-on-Wye?

For a first visit, base yourself in the town centre, where the market house, independent shops and riverside path are all walkable. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in Ross-on-Wye tend to comment on the same things: how quiet the evenings are, how quickly you can be on the water, and how generous the hosts are with local tips. Ratings on our holiday rentals and lettings here regularly sit in the 8.9+ range, with cleanliness, parking and river views drawing the warmest praise. Families in particular note how much there is within a short drive.

Ross-on-Wye is a captivating Herefordshire market town, perched above a dramatic loop of the River Wye and standing as the exciting northern gateway to the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean!

✈️What is the best way to get to Ross-on-Wye?

Driving is comfortably the easiest option, as the town has no railway station of its own. Here are the most common ways to get to the town:

• Car: Ross-on-Wye sits beside the M50, which links to the M5 near Tewkesbury, so the drive from Birmingham takes around an hour and a half and from Bristol a little over an hour. Leave the M50 at junction 3 or 4 and follow the A40 or A449 into town. Most holiday rentals and lettings in the surrounding villages include parking, which matters for reaching Goodrich Castle, Symonds Yat and the Forest of Dean trails.
• Train and coach: The nearest stations are Hereford, roughly 25 minutes away by road, and Gloucester, around 35 minutes, both served by direct trains from London Paddington, Birmingham and Cardiff. From either station, local buses and taxis run through to Ross-on-Wye, and the 33 bus links the town with Hereford and Monmouth. Coaches also stop nearby, so a car-free trip works if you plan around timetables.

🥗Where to eat in Ross-on-Wye?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, No3 Restaurant is the best rated restaurant in Ross-on-Wye. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends Tweet Bar & Kitchen in Ross-on-Wye: it is a relaxed spot for brunch or a late lunch after a morning on the river, with friendly service and a sunny terrace.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The sweet spot is late spring to early autumn, when river levels suit canoeing and the Wye Valley footpaths are dry underfoot. May and June bring long, green days before the school holidays, while October is the quietest month worth travelling for, with autumn colour across the gorge and lower nightly prices.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and gardeners exploring the Wye Valley Walk and orchard country in blossom.
• Weather: Mild days around 12–17°C, with showers that keep the river running well.
• Atmosphere: Calm and local, with the town's markets and cafés quiet before the summer rush.

Summer

• Best for: Families canoeing, swimming and picnicking along the river at Symonds Yat.
• Weather: Warm and largely dry, typically 20–24°C with long light evenings.
• Atmosphere: Lively, with busy riverside pubs, boat hire queues and full campsites nearby.

Autumn

• Best for: Couples and photographers chasing colour across the gorge and the Forest of Dean.
• Weather: Cooler at 10–16°C, with misty river mornings and crisp afternoons.
• Atmosphere: Peaceful and unhurried, with cider season, wood burners and easier bookings.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our Ross-on-Wye local experts suggest coming to visit early on a weekday, when Symonds Yat Rock is almost empty and peregrine falcons are easiest to spot from the viewpoint. Follow it with the hand-pulled ferry across the river, a slow walk back along the water and a stop in Goodrich, where the castle looks its best in low morning light before the coaches arrive.

1. Canoe the River Wye
2. Climb to Symonds Yat Rock
3. Explore Goodrich Castle
4. Wander the market town
5. Ride through the Forest of Dean

1. Canoe the River Wye

   The stretch of river between Ross-on-Wye and Symonds Yat is one of Britain's classic paddling routes, gentle enough for beginners yet genuinely scenic. Local outfitters supply canoes, kayaks and paddleboards with a shuttle back to town, so a half-day trip is easy to arrange. You drift beneath wooded cliffs, past herons and the occasional kingfisher, with shingle beaches to stop on for a picnic. Book ahead in July and August, when the river is at its busiest.

2. Climb to Symonds Yat Rock

   A short drive south brings you to the most photographed view in the Wye Valley. From Symonds Yat Rock, the river loops far below through a horseshoe gorge, with the Forest of Dean stretching away behind. In spring and summer, RSPB volunteers set up telescopes so you can watch peregrine falcons nesting on the cliffs. Combine it with the hand-pulled ferry across the river and a riverside pub lunch for an easy, satisfying half day.

3. Explore Goodrich Castle

   Five miles from town, Goodrich Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Welsh Marches, with a keep, dungeons and battlements you can still walk. Children take to the maze of stairways immediately, while the audio tour covers the siege that ended its military life in 1646. The grounds work well for a picnic, and the surrounding lanes connect to the Wye Valley Walk if you fancy stretching the visit into a longer afternoon.

4. Wander the market town

   Ross-on-Wye itself rewards an unhurried morning. Start at the seventeenth-century Market House, then browse the independent delis, bookshops and antique dealers along the high street. Climb to St Mary's Church and the Prospect, a walled garden with sweeping views over the river bend that first drew travellers here in the 1700s. Finish with local cider or Herefordshire beef in one of the pubs, or take a short walk down to the riverside path.

5. Ride through the Forest of Dean

   Across the river lies one of England's oldest woodlands, laced with waymarked cycling and walking trails. The family-friendly Family Cycle Trail follows an old railway line on a gentle gradient, while the sculpture trail hides artworks among the oaks. Bike hire is available at Cannop, and there are cafés at the main trailheads. Bookish travellers can add Hay-on-Wye to the itinerary, an hour north-west and famous for its second-hand shops.