The month-long Bristol Walk Fest came to a close on Saturday with a grand finale event at Castle Park. Aptly named Walk:Bristol, the event invited individuals and groups to take part in a mass participation walking event and celebration.
Organized by Bristol Walk Fest in collaboration with mass participation event experts GoodMiles, Walk:Bristol offered four marshalled walks of varying distances, from 5-20 miles, for participants to explore the city’s iconic landscapes. The event also encouraged individuals to raise sponsorship for good causes and promised to donate any profits back to Bristol Walk Fest to ensure its continuation in the future.
Participants of all abilities took part in the staggered starts and well-planned, signposted routes, which allowed them to finish the last sections of their walks together. The routes took walkers around Bristol Harbourside and through the old city before converging at the event village in Castle Park. Here, they were greeted with a party atmosphere and various stalls from Bristol Walk Fest supporters and walk providers, providing a chance for participants to learn more about walking opportunities in the city.
Karen Lloyd, director of Bristol Walk Fest, expressed her excitement about the event and the benefits of walking, saying, “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, also shared his enthusiasm, saying, “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 the first-ever Walk:Bristol is now open at www.walkbristol.co.uk. Participants can choose their preferred walking distance and, if desired, start fundraising for a local cause. The entry fees for the event are 5 miles for £20, 10 miles for £25, 15 miles for £30, and 20 miles for £35. An early bird discount of 20% is available for those who register before the deadline of 31 March, using the code “Bristol0325” at checkout.
Bristol Walk Fest is an annual festival that takes place throughout the city in May. It has been running for over ten years and aims to encourage people of all ages, interests, and abilities to walk for their health and wellbeing while enjoying the outdoors. The festival coincides with Living Streets’ National Walking Month and brings together numerous walking providers and local organizations.
The festival also produces a printed program and online calendar of walks and events, including guided walks, tours, talks, workshops, and family events. The walks are curated into different themes, including Walking for Pleasure, Nature and Wildlife, Health and Wellbeing, Arts, Culture and History, and Walking Sports. Walk:Bristol is the mass participation walk and celebration held on the last day of Bristol Walk Fest, with walks starting and finishing at an event village in Castle Park.
The 2024 Bristol Walk Fest saw a walk or event happening every day in May. With over 80 different walk providers delivering 170+ walks/events, the festival attracted around 3,300 participants. Bristol Walk Fest aims for at least 80% of their walks to be free to the public, making it a truly inclusive and accessible event for all.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.