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Walking Festivals - 2010A New Year provides an opportunity to look at life afresh and perhaps take up some new challenges. Why not consider visiting a Walking Festival this year? They provide lots of opportunities to meet new friends, undertake sponsored walks, learn more about the countryside and flora and fauna, join in social events and informative talks and generally have a good time. Festivals are also a great way to introduce the kids to walking as most have family walks designed for children. Even if you usually walk only as a family unit or by yourself, it's rewarding to occasionally share your walking experience with others who enjoy the countryside. If you are new to country walking, unsure about where to go, or need an incentive to get your boots on, then a Festival might be just the answer to get you started.
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| Haltwhistle Walking Festival |
April
24th - May 3rd 2010This year will be the 14th Haltwhistle Festival, now a very popular and well established event. Haltwhistle lies between the most spectacular section of Hadrian's Wall in the Northumberland National Park and the North Pennines AONB, the beautiful South Tyne valley runs southwards up into the hills. This year the organisers have planned 23 walks covering the South Tyne Valley, Hadrian's Wall country and the North Pennines. A special highlight for this year is four days of Wainwright's walks in Tynedale, a description of which is given below.
Information and booking details:
Full details of the festival and the walks programme can be found at the
festival website where you can also book online:
www.haltwhistlewalkingfestival.org
The Wainwright Walks
Sat 24th April Wainwright Day 1: Blanchland to Hexham Starting from the
ancient town of Blanchland, sitting on the Northumberland/ Durham border,
we leave the sheltered wooded valley to climb on to open heather moorland
and pass through Slaley Forest and Hexhamshire alongside tumbling watercourses
edged with alder and hazel. A second climb takes us over the hill and
past the Racecourse before dropping into Hexham town to finish by the
Abbey.
Sun 25th April Wainwright Day 2: Bridge End, Warden to Housesteads We pick up AW's route 2 miles west of Hexham at Bridge End, to cross the River South Tyne, and climb to an iron age fort which gives wonderful panoramic views to the North. Easy walking over arable land brings us to the higher ridge which carries Hadrian's Wall and we follow this route across exposed fell ground with its scattered farmsteads to the famous Roman Fort of Housesteads.
Sat 1st May Wainwright Day 3: Housesteads to Walltown (via Haltwhistle!) This walk takes in the most dramatic and iconic section of The Wall. Truly on 'top of the world' even though we leave the Whinsill ridge for a while to descend for a lunch break at Haltwhistle, which was a memorable stopover for Wainwright. We climb out of the town to rejoin the line of the Wall and travel further West to Walltown. With more ups and downs this will be a more strenuous day but the views provide a good return for the effort!
Sunday 2nd May Wainwright Day 4: Park Village to Alston This part of the walk marked a change in mood for AW as he was leaving The Wall behind to return home. The route passes through the very attractive South Tyne Valley, starting with a parkland landscape and then higher pastures and eventually moorland, and taking in the Roman road or Maiden's Way and the Pennine Way. Approaching Alston we visit a church with unusual architecture and finish by a railway now exclusively for tourists but which was once at the heart of commercial activity in the area.
| Winchcombe Cotswold Walking Festival |
May
21st - May 23rd 2010The historic town of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire is making a name for itself as the walking capital of the Cotswolds. In July 2009 the town became the first in the Cotswolds to be awarded 'Walkers are Welcome' status, and now plans have been drawn up for Winchcombe's first walking festival. Winchcombe has a great range of accommodation, pubs and restaurants, and attractions.
Every day there will be at least five walks to choose from, varying in length and difficulty from strenuous full day walks on the Cotswold Way to half-day walks and short, level health walks. There will also be evening social events e.g. dinner with a quiz, and a barn dance for those who still have the energy!
The organisers are going to great lengths to make sure the walks are special. There are experts lined up to talk to walkers about the rare butterflies and flowers, the archaeology, and the local steam railway. Two of the walks on the Friday will end up at historic Stanway House, where the Earl of Wemyss has agreed to give a private viewing of the highest gravity-fed fountain in the world. Our experienced walk leaders are drawn from many organisations - Cotswold Way National Trail Officers, Cotswold AONB Voluntary Wardens, Ramblers, and Walking for Health. All the leaders know the local countryside very well.
Visit 4,000 year old Belas Knap long barrow, discover the Roman mosaic floor in the woods that brought Bill Bryson to Winchcombe, take in views of Sudeley Castle, burial place of Catherine Parr and wedding venue of Liz Hurley. Let experts lead you to the sites of the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly, and to the habitats of several species of orchids, or walk 30 miles of the Cotswold Way National Trail.
Information and booking details:
For more information and to book your place while there are still some
available, visit Winchcombe's new website which has been designed with
walkers in mind - www.winchcombewelcomeswalkers.com
You will be made very welcome - not just in May, but at any time!
| Church Stretton Walking Festival |
June
3rd - June 7th 2010There is no quieter place to be in the early hours of a summer's day than the Long Mynd and the Stretton Hills. So why not forget for a while the hustle and bustle of your everyday world and discover the delights of our hills, valleys, woods and picturesque villages? Experience at first hand the magnificent splendor of the Long Mynd and the rugged beauty of the Stretton Hills. This part of the Marches is still relatively undiscovered and is well provided with trails and footpaths, fine places to eat and friendly accommodation. It was also one of Britain's first Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The 8th Annual Walking Festival is centered in the historic market town of Church Stretton. Nestling in a quiet valley surrounded by magnificent hills, Church Stretton, the 'settlement beside the street', is a small, friendly, market town where you can still find genuine hospitality and service in its many accommodations, delightful tea rooms, inns and restaurants. In 2008, Church Stretton became the first town in the Midlands to be awarded 'Walkers Are Welcome' status, reflecting its unrivalled position as a first class centre for walking.
The festival will feature walks of varying length and difficulty, suitable for all members of the family and walkers of different levels of expertise and ability. Walks vary from 6 to 13 miles, cover different terrains, and are lead by at least two experienced guides per walk.
Information and booking details:
For more information telephone 01694 723600 (contact Alan Garner, the
walks organiser).
email alangarner@wsol.co.uk
There is a festival website at www.churchstrettonwalkingfestival.co.uk
| Bedfordshire Walking Festival |
September
4th - September 12th 2010This will be the second year of the Bedfordshire walking festival. Bedfordshire offers a variety of scenery from the Wolds of north Bedfordshire to the vale and Greensand Ridge in the middle to the chalk hills in the south. Although Bedfordshire is a small county it has lots to offer walkers and the festival programme will take you to the best of the county. Whether it's good countryside and scenery, quiet and remote paths, ancestral houses, country parks, or longer walks along the Greensand Ridge Trail and The John Bunyan Trail, Bedfordshire has much to encourage you to visit this festival.
Bedfordshire is easily accessible by road or rail, enabling you to come for a day, a weekend, or for the whole 9 days of the festival. Across the county walks will be held every day. The walks are being organised by Ramblers Association Bedfordshire Groups and we expect walks will be free except where stated.
Information and booking details:
The programme will be available on the Festival web site shortly after
Easter together with details of accommodation, travel links and more.
www.bedswalkfest.co.uk
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Cotswold Charity Walk (Now in 20th Year!)
February
27th - March 7th 2010
We
are raising funds this year for Help For Heroes, the charity that supports
members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their
country, and we have a real challenge walk led by the RAF for those willing
to raise some money and walk 20 miles!