Walking Festival Report - June 2011

Walking Festival 2011

Our Fourth Annual Walking Festival was another success with over 200 participants joining the guided walks from Tuesday through to Sunday, some coming from as far afield as Wolverhampton and South London!

The extension of the Festival into the preceding week and a number of new topics including a geological Time Walk, a ramble looking at the 1930s Whiteleaf connection with famous artists including the Nash brothers and Clare Leighton, plus an introduction to Nordic walking, all proved very popular. The feedback from participants has been extremely complimentary and 100% positive.

What was particularly pleasing was the support this year from Chiltern Trains who publicised the event from Marylebone to Birmingham, and the growing number of national walking websites that now feature the Festival. The new Risborough Countryside Group website has also raised our profile. The publicity all this creates for the town itself is obviously a significant component of the event and hopefully will attract visitors to our local countryside, and consequently the town itself, throughout the year.

A big thank you to the many volunteers who supported the Walking Festival over the 6 days and particularly the walk leaders, St Mary's Church who served their excellent cream teas on Saturday, and RACA, PRTC, WDC and the CAONB for their important contributions.

Next years Walking Festival runs from 5th - 10th June 2012! Put it in your diary now!  Full details will appear at http://risboroughcountrysidegroup.blogspot.com/

Francis Gomme

Risborough Countryside Group