Walking Events 2012

If you know of a walking event which is not included in our calendar then please contact us.

May 2012

12 May – 20 May : Chesterfield Area Walking Festival

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 January 2012 from Chesterfield Tourist Information Centre, Rykneld Square, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 1SB. Tel: 01246 345777/8 or visit www.chesterfieldwalkingfestival.co.uk

19 May - 31 May : The National Forest Walking Festival

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

June 2012

9 June to 24 June : Gower Walking Festival

The 8th Gower Walking Festival is shaping up to be a cracker, with new walks and events coming in thick and fast. Last year we had 66 and we hope to have a similar number in 2012. New ones already on the books include Orchids at Oxwich, Morfa and More, and Only Dogs Allowed. Some of the most popular walks will be on twice, albeit sometimes slightly tweaked, so that office-hours people can come, and as well as the existing water events, we are adding Stand-Up Paddleboarding. (Sometimes people ask why we have water events in a Walking Festival, but it is quite logical for a peninsula – we’re just extending our territory.) We are also working on a real challenge, the Gower Forty Miler, to commemorate the 2012 completing signing of the Wales Coastal Path, and to commemorate the Jubilee, we’ll have a Collect a Castle series of walks – just look out for the little Castle symbols in the brochure. www.gowerwalkingfestival.org