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Category: walking festivals
Walking Festivals
April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan 2013 | Feb 2013
Garstang Walking Festival 11th to 20th May 2012
The Garstang Walking Festival gives you the opportunity to explore one of north west England's best kept secrets.
Taking place from 11-20 May, the festival celebrates springtime in Garstang, rural Wyre, the Forest of Bowland and along the Lancaster Canal.
The 10 day festival includes old favourites like the Wyre Way Challenge, a four-day, 41 mile walk from sea to source, and new features such as Cheese and Churches, a walk that takes in the history of two local churches, a visit to Dewlay Cheese Museum and cheese tasting at Garstang's Market Hall.
Many of the walks are accessible to people with restricted mobility, including the new Lapwings and Hares Tramper Trek, a four mile walk on the lookout for wildlife. Wyre Council's Trampers are all terrain electric buggies that can deal with stones, mud, grass and rough ground. Wyre's dedicated volunteers can provide help and advice on using them and accompany people on walks if required.
For further details see their website
Newton Stewart WalkFest
Friday 11th to Thursday 17th May 2012
Firmly established as the biggest walking festival in the South of Scotland and celebrating its 10th year, the Newton Stewart Walking Festival offers 30 walks and outdoor events for you to enjoy. WalkFest, is based in Newton Stewart the 'Gateway to the Galloway Hills' with walk routes to suit all tastes and abilities. Whether you enjoy quiet woodland walks, airy coastal meanders or higher level mountain walks there will be something there to entice you to visit the area affectionately known as 'Scotland's Best kept Secret'.
For more information visit www.newtonstewartwalkfest.com or call us on 01671 404500
Chesterfield Area Walking Festival
Saturday 12 to Sunday 20 May 2012
Enjoy the Chesterfield area on foot by taking part in this 9 day Walking Festival with over 55 walks. Explore the beautiful bluebell woods as you walk through the Linacre Valley or take in some history as you walk from the famous Crooked Spire Church in Chesterfield out to the English Heritage owned property Bolsover Castle.
If you’re looking for a challenge, try the Chesterfield Round Walk, a 34 mile trek through the countryside, or perhaps the Best of Bolsover – a new addition to the programme for 2012. If you prefer less of a challenge, take a stroll around the majestic and historic ruins of Sutton Scarsdale Hall or pay a visit to the National Trust property Hardwick Hall to find out how Bess of Hardwick made the estate what it is today.
Programmes are available from Chesterfield Tourist Information Centre, Rykneld Square, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 1SB, tel: 01246 345777/8 or visit www.chesterfieldwalkingfestival.co.uk
9th Caithness & Sutherland
WALKING FESTIVAL
19th - 27th May 2012
This festival allows the public to enjoy some of the hidden treasures we have in the far North.
"The Lowlands beyond the Highlands" and it covers various aspects of the diverse rare flora and fauna found here.
It also allows time to explore the history and heritage of the area, and experience the wild outdoors through a variety of coastal, moorland, river, forest and town walks all undertaken with experienced local guides.
Opportunities will be availble to photograph magnificent cliff scenery, botany puffin colonies, whales and dolphins and to visit local tourist attractions such as Castle of Mey, Wick Heritage Museum, Caithness Horizons, Timespan, Dunbeath and Castletown Heritage Museums etc.
All bookings for walks to be made through contacts noted in flyer please.
Accommodation can be made through www.northhighlandscotland.com , www.letsgonorth.com or www.VisitScotland providers
The National Forest Walking Festival 19-31 May 2012
The best way to see the Forest is on foot!
Back for a 5th year, our popular Festival really does offer something for everyone. Join us for more than 80 varied walks. Discover rolling English countryside dissected by meandering rivers & canals, dotted with picturesque historic villages. And at its heart The National Forest, Britain’s boldest environmental project where 8 million trees have been planted - a massive “Forest for the nation” being created across 200 square miles of gentle countryside.
From a gentle stroll, walks for the whole family, walks suitable for wheelchair users, to longer more strenuous rambles for keen walkers, our packed programme (available 3 January 2012) has something for you!
There are walks for all ages, interests or abilities, with all guided walks led by local experts keen to pass on their knowledge about this special area’s rich & varied history, flora & fauna, geology, myths & legends. And why not try something different, such as Nordic Walking, or a pushchair walk?
Exciting additions this year include our first Night Walk, and a Photography Walk on which you can pick up tips that might make yours the masterpiece that wins the photography competition. You can also:-
- visit the site of the largest ever explosion in Europe
- try one of the newest forms of walking (Geo-caching) in a most ancient landscape
· or, bringing you bang up to date, explore a grand circuit through the site of the largest wood being created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee
With so much to choose from, you might want to book a short break or longer holiday - request a Visitor Guide for details of our friendly pubs and B&B’s, timber lodges and cosy campsites, welcoming hotels and the country’s newest YHA.
For more information please visit www.thenationalforestwalkingfestival.org.uk or contact Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre on 01283 222848
The Swaledale Festival
19th May to 3rd June
Where else can you find a festival which features so many guided walks in such magnificent scenery - and combines them with top-quality music? The Swaledale Festival is a fortnight of musical delights and wonderful walking in a landscape of buttercup meadows, medieval woodland, meandering streams, waterfalls, open moors and fells dotted with picturesque stone villages.
Many of the walks are themed, and led by experts in their area. They include Lead Mining walks in Gunnerside and in Arkengarthdale, an exploration of the Geology of Upper Swaledale, a gentle introduction to Wild Flowers and Birds at Muker, and Wild Food Foraging in Arkengarthdale. A walk devoted to the Archaeology of Harkerside and Maiden Castle is a prelude to the yearly Reeth Lecture, Digging On Your Doorstep, by Carenza Lewis, of Channel 4's Time Team series.
The highlight of the guided walks programme is the Walk with Musical Interludes; this firm favourite with Festival regulars offers a mystery route with musical surprises as musicians perform along the way. You never know when a bagpiper or string quartet is likely to pop up from behind a wall.
Other walks have no theme, but simply offer the visitor a chance to discover the stunning North Yorkshire dales on foot.
Even the keenest walker likes to take time off, and there's plenty to do in the area. For music-lovers, the Swaledale Festival offers dozens of top-quality concerts of all kinds. For foodies, there's a wide variety of pubs, tea shops, restaurants and Farmers' Markets, with delicious local foods and beers.
The Swaledale Festival runs from 19 May to 3 June, and packs nearly 60 individually-ticketed events into a summer fortnight, including classical, folk, jazz and brass-band music, poetry, drama, art exhibitions and guided walks. Events take place in churches, chapels and intimate venues throughout the North Yorkshire dales of Swaledale, Wensleydale and Arkengarthdale.
Programme details are at www.swalefest.org, or a brochure can be requested at 01748 880018. Booking is now open.
The eleventh Langholm Walking Festival is provisionally arranged for the weekend of 25th - 27th May 2012. On each day there is a selection of guided walks which will explore the beautiful countryside around Langholm. Evening entertainment will be available on Friday and Saturday. The Langholm area is characterised by beautiful river valleys between green, rounded hills. The hills rise to 400-500 metres (1300-1600 feet) - many of them commanding magnificent views. The Festival walks usually range in length from 6.5km/4 miles up to 16km/10 miles.
Lincolnshire Wolds Walking Festival 2012
26th MAY - 10th JUNE
Enjoy 16 days exploring the delightful Lincolnshire Wolds area on a variety of over 90 walks.
Discover the landscapes and heritage of this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Launch Day event is to be held at Gunby Hall (National Trust) near Spilsby on Saturday 26th May.
Walks range in length from 1 to 15 miles to suit all abilities.
Free colour programme now available.
email: aonb@lincswolds.org.uk
tel: Louth 01507 - 609740
Web: www.woldswalkingfestival.co.uk
April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan 2013 | Feb 2013
Eighth Gower Walking Festival 9-24 June
Centred on Britain’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Gower Walking Festival provides a great opportunity to see the wonderful scenery and abundant wildlife of the Gower Peninsula and the area around it. There are over 70 guided walks and activities, so there is something for everyone - young and old, experienced hikers or leisurely strollers, those revisiting favourite walks, and those looking to learn or experience something new.
This year’s festival celebrates three milestones; to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, there is a ‘Collect a Castle’ series of walks, to mark the completion of the Wales Coast Path we’ve introduced a new challenge, the Gower 40-Miler, to take place over two days, and the centenary of Edgar Evans’ death has prompted The Captain Scott Connection.
Other new walks include Orchids at Oxwich, Passionate Pilgrims, Romans, Monks and Ironworkers focussing on Neath Abbey, a Singing Walk, and Only Dogs Allowed, led by Daisy.
The popular walks from years past are still in the programme, including Worm’s Head, Kilvey Hill, Copperopolis, and, by popular demand, the Quality Food and Sights Walk, an unique opportunity to lose calories as you eat them. As well as the familiar Canoeing, Coasteering and Kayaking, this year there will also be a chance to try Stand-Up Paddleboarding, with two beginners’ sessions and a Coastal Cruise. We'll finish the Festival with a foot-stomping Twmpath.
For a fuller flavour of the Festival, visit our new website at www.gowerwalkingfestival.org
A full description of walks and activities, and details of how to book, can be found in the brochure which will be available from early March, 2012, on-line at
www.gowerwalkingfestival.organd from the Mumbles Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in the Methodist Church in Mumbles.
Most of the walks will cost £3 (though walks with food or specialist activities cost more) andthere are usually several walks a day starting about 1000, 1400 1800 hours.
Website: www.gowerwalkingfestival.org Booking: info@mumblestic.co.uk Telephone 01792 361302.
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The Exmoor Perambulation
23rd June 2012
31 mile walk The Exmoor Perambulation is Exmoor's longest one day walking event This circular long distance walk, the Exmoor Perambulation, is a traditional walk dating back over 725 years. It's one of the most challenging walks in the Exmoor annual calendar and during the 31 miles of cross country walking you will be taking in breathtaking views and accessing parts of the National Park not normally open to the public. You will also be participating a bit of history!
Every June hundreds of people from around the country come together to tread the boundary of the old Royal Forest of Exmoor and pass through some unique areas of Exmoor not normally accessible to the public.
Started many years ago by Exmoor Youth Association, this event has been faithfully supported by a significant number of loyal volunteers without which the Perambulation would simply not exist.
This year the Perambulation will be run by Active Adventure South West and the Exmoor National Park Authority.
This 31 mile walk is very challenging so training is highly recommended for the event, but it's well worth it as the views are spectacular across Exmoor National Park.
It's a huge achievement to complete the Perambulation but if it sound too much don't worry, there is also a half distance option. It starts at the same time and place as the main event but terminates at Check Point 5 (Picked Stones Lane) where you can enjoy our BBQ while waiting for our free mini bus service to take you to the finish at the Pinkery Centre.
A meal will be available to purchase when you arrive back at Pinkery, supplied by the Yarn Market Hotel Dunster
April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan 2013 | Feb 2013
27th – 30th September 2012
We offer a programme of walks from 3-18 miles to appeal to people of all abilities. We also have ‘special interest’ walks (eg. archaeology, birdwatching, local history, etc) which showcase areas and items of local interest. Each one is led by an experienced walk leader keen to share their local knowledge and, of course, ensure everyone is kept safe throughout. The walks are centred around the historic market town of Pateley Bridge. Here, we are lucky in having a wealth of pubs and teashops which guarantee a warm welcome for walkers, two award-winning butchers (don’t forget to try one of Pateley’s famed pies while you’re here!), an Outdoor shop and plenty of accommodation. We will publish our programme in April so please keep an eye on www.pbwf.co.uk for information. If you would like to be sent a leaflet, please email info@pbwf.co.uk or call 01423 712088.
The fact that Nidderdale (http://www.nidderdale.co.uk/) has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty gives you some idea of why it is such a perfect place for walkers. With beautiful diverse scenery offering both easy-going and more challenging routes and the friendly market town of Pateley Bridge at its heart, it really does offer something for everyone. Whether you decide to come for one day or four, we look forward to offering you a warm walkers welcome in September!
April | May | June | July | August | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan 2013 | Feb 2013
Andalucian International Walking & Cultural Festival 2013
February 23rd to 2nd March
if you would like to promote your walking festival both here and on the local regional page just email the details to walkingon@walkingontheweb.co.uk
