VISITWILTSHIRE is holding its first ever 'Instameet' on Saturday at Bowood House & Gardens, near Calne, and you can join in with a digital camera, smartphone or even an iPad.

Since the photo app Instagram has become so popular, people now meet up to connect, take photos and inspire one another in gatherings around the world.

There are now more than 1,000 Instameets in over 70 different countries.

The event on Saturday at 11am is a joint initiative with Igerswiltshire network on Instagram, and is attracting Instagrammers from all over the county and surrounding areas.

People will be meeting up to take photos and videos in order to connect, explore and celebrate the beauty of Wiltshire.

Over 30 Instagram fans have booked to attend so far with spaces for more Instagrammers available - day tickets for Bowood House & Gardens are £11 per adult.

Emma Kirckup, VisitWiltshire’s digital and online executive, said: "We are extremely excited about our first ever Instameet at Bowood.

"It’s a picturesque location for this type of activity and we will be working on joint Instameet projects at other venues in the future.

"It is a great way to promote Wiltshire and encourage visitors to stop, stay and explore our beautiful county.”

VisitWiltshire was ranked number one earlier this year, in the first English Tourism Social Media Index, produced by social media agency Umpf. This is a league table which grades 126 regional tourism bodies in England according to social media performance by their official channels. VisitWiltshire topped the table, with Visit Cornwall coming 2nd and VisitLondon 3rd.

Chris Waddell, of Igerswiltshire, said “We are delighted to be working in partnership with VisitWiltshire for their first ever Instameet. Wiltshire is a fantastic destination as its beautiful landscape and historic attractions provide amazing visual content which is perfect for photography.”

Alison Lewis-Jones, VisitEngland’s head of digital marketing, said: “VisitEngland are always keen to support destinations with their social media activity, connecting and sharing information where possible and it’s great to see the work VisitWiltshire is doing to appeal and engage with an online audience.”

To get involved:

• Visit Bowood House & Gardens on Saturday, July 18, at 11am. Bowood are offering a prize for the best photograph www.bowood.org.uk

• Post your pictures on Instagram, @visitwiltshire and @igerswiltshire, using the hashtag #timeforwiltshire, follow @VisitWiltshire on Twitter and like VisitWiltshire on Facebook