Farnham walkers covered an astounding 3,350 miles during the town’s walking festival last month, according to the organisers Farnham Town Council.
Together, 420 women, men and children (plus a few dogs) took part in nearly 40 walks over the two-week festival. The walks were open to all, free to join and many were wheelchair and pushchair accessible. The walks were of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty to encourage people of different levels of fitness to take part.
“It has been wonderful to come together and enjoy local history, heritage, wildlife and culture, as well each other’s company,” says Guy Singer one of the volunteer organisers of the Farnham Walking Festival. “If we didn’t know it already, we have learnt how good walking is for our physical and mental health as well as our sense of community. With that in mind, we are already working on next year’s festival which will take place from 17 May to 6 June 2020.”
Councillor Alan Earwaker, Lead Member for Tourism and Events adds: “For the most part the walkers enjoyed glorious May sunshine. As well as thanking our participants for their enthusiasm in taking part – especially those who went on the two or three somewhat damp walks – I would like to thank our volunteer organisers and walk leaders for their time and expertise in making the walks so enjoyable and so successful. We were able to offer all the walks for free because all the leaders gave their time for free and because the festival was generously sponsored by the Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society and Wrecclesham Co-op, which is part of the Southern Co-operative group.”
Farnham Town Council is already working with volunteers on the 2020 programme. Organisers hope to have a new World War II defence line walk, a three-part walk along St Swithun’s Way (Farnham to Winchester) a ghost walk, a literary walk and a new walk around Caesar’s Camp.
There will also be monthly walks taking place between now and next year’s festival. People interested in taking part in either the monthly walks or next year’s festival should sign up for the newsletter via the Walking Festival website.
