What was the Walk About festival?
Walk About festival took place from Saturday 3 – Sunday 11 September 2016. It aim was to get people to try walking with us – through Ramblers group walks, health walks, Ramblers Routes – and for them to keep walking with us after the festival.
Who was the Walk About festival for?
We want to attract people who will continue to walk with us after the festival. This includes non-walking existing members who could benefit from group walks and/or Ramblers Routes.
Pang Valley Ramblers took part in the ‘Walk About Britain’ festival of walks in September; we featured five walks ranging from 2½ miles to 9 miles in length which we hoped offered a variety of distances and interesting places as our contribution to this national Ramblers Festival.
Ray contributed one of his popular shorter and slightly less demanding walks on a Saturday morning aimed at those who perhaps now find 5 or more miles too far, but still enjoy getting out and about in the fresh air; Gill led us on a lovely 6 mile walk through meadows on a fairly flat ramble around the Kennet & Avon canal; Michael led a walk from Aston Tirrold with a literary theme, passing the former home of the poet John Masefield and on to Cholsey Church to the grave of Agatha Christie – with Brownies provided at the half way mark; Susan took us on a guided tour of Goring on Thames with a walk of 2½ miles showing us the many varieties of architecture & some of its history; finally George took those who enjoy a more challenging walk on a beautiful walk of 9 miles from Streatley along the Thames path to Moulsford returning via the Ridgeway in glorious weather.
Did the festival succeed in attracting new walkers to join us or was it simply us talking to ourselves? We found that while we had several visitors joining us on these five walks it was felt that the whole exercise was really not worth the effort of those involved. Walk Leaders carried the flags which the festival organisers provided, but were found to be more of an embarrassment than something to be carried proudly such was their size and pallid colours and design. There was no national advertising campaign to back up the effort that we and other associations made to put on walks especially for the week of the Festival.
However, all who came along for all of some of the five walks enjoyed themselves as they always do when walking through our beautiful countryside in and around the Pang Valley. Ramblers see a different perspective when walking – not only do we see beautiful countryside but we frequently see wildlife which non-walkers rarely, if ever, see. Whether it’s the festival or just one of our regular Wednesday or Sunday rambles, meeting with other like-minded people is always interesting and enjoyable and walking in all weathers is a challenge but satisfying. We look forward to seeing many more of you on our walks.
Michael Howes
Joint walks co-ordinator