Bristol’s annual walking festival, Bristol Walk Fest, came to a close on Saturday, May 31st with an exciting mass participation walking event and celebration at Castle Park. The event, named Walk:Bristol, was organized by GoodMiles, a company specializing in mass participation events, in collaboration with Bristol Walk Fest.
Individuals and groups were invited to participate in the event by exploring the city’s iconic landscapes through four marshalled walks of varying distances, ranging from 5-20 miles. Participants were also encouraged to raise sponsorship for good causes, with any profits from the event being donated back to Bristol Walk Fest to ensure its continuation in the future.
The walks were staggered and planned with signposted routes, allowing all participants to finish the last sections of their walks together. The route took them around Bristol Harbourside and through the old city before converging at the event village in Castle Park. The village featured stalls from Bristol Walk Fest supporters and walk providers, creating a lively atmosphere and providing an opportunity for participants to learn more about walking opportunities in the city.
Karen Lloyd, director of Bristol Walk Fest, stated, “This event is a fitting close to our month full of walking opportunities in the city, with all the benefits to health and wellbeing that walking brings, and a chance to say thank you to all our walkers, walk providers and supporters for taking part. Do come along!”
Joff Charters, event director of Walk:Bristol, shared his excitement for the event, stating, “We are really excited to be the finale event of the Bristol Walk Fest programme. I benefit daily from the scenic walking opportunities and easy access to green spaces and woodland our beautiful city offers, and want to showcase that for others. We cannot wait to support participants of all abilities around the Walk:Bristol routes on Saturday 31 May.”
Registration for Walk:Bristol was open on the event’s website, www.walkbristol.co.uk, with options for participants to choose their preferred walking distance and fundraise for a local cause if they wished. The entry fees ranged from £20 for the 5-mile walk to £35 for the 20-mile walk. An Early Bird discount code, Bristol0325, was available for a 20% discount for those who registered before the deadline of March 31st.
Bristol Walk Fest, now in its tenth year, aims to encourage people of all ages, interests, and abilities to walk for their health and wellbeing and to enjoy the city’s outdoor spaces. The festival coincides with Living Streets’ National Walking Month in May and features dozens of walking providers and local organizations. This year, there was a walk or Walk Fest event every day in May, with over 80 different providers offering 170+ walks. Approximately 3,300 people took part in walks, with 80% of the walks being free to the public.
The festival also produces a printed program and online calendar of walks and events, curated into different themes such as Walking for Pleasure, Nature and Wildlife, Health and Wellbeing, Arts, Culture and History, and Walking Sports. The grand finale, Walk:Bristol, is held on the last day of Bristol Walk Fest, with walks starting and finishing at an event village in Castle Park.
For more information on Bristol Walk Fest, visit their website at www.bristolwalkfest.co.uk.