The Bollington Walking Festival begins this weekend.

The Bollington Walking Festival team have worked hard behind the scenes putting together a programme of walks for the next Bollington Walking Festival which takes place from the 9 - 17 September 2023.

After the pandemic affecting the festival, we had a packed program of walks and events in 2022 and it turned out to be our most successful festival to date. With a superb new schedule, we can't wait to welcome everyone back to explore the wonderful countryside of Bollington and its environs!

For our 13th festival we have around 40 walks planned, and all the regular favourites are here including the children's Bear Hunt for pre-school children led by the Bollington Library staff and the Mayor's Boundary Walk as well as a variety of new excursions. Lengths range from half a mile to twenty miles, so there's something to suit all abilities and interests!

Walking along the Macclesfield Canal at a previous festival.

Why not explore the history of the place where you live with the Bollington Civic Society, or visit a local hostelries care of the Bollington Real Ale Ramblers? Maybe you want to get your walking confidence back or learn about local landmarks with Treks to the Wrecks? You might want to develop your creative skills and participate in The Vale Inn sponsored photography competition or want to have fun with your children or grandchildren. You'll be sure to find some appealing walks in the programme for the 13th Walking Festival.

We have a few new walks for this year including Visiting Ethel, taking in 5 of the Ethel peaks above Bollington, an introduction to the popular global treasure hunting activity of Geocaching and a walk hosted by the local medical partnership BDP Care Community. We have included variations on walks from last year that successful, including one organised by the young people's charity Just Drop in and the folklore and spooky stories walk. The team have brought back some old favourites with the popular canal walk which includes either a return or outward trip on a barge and of course the cake walks with built in rewards!

Many of the walks are themed and include heritage walks looking at the history of Bollington but of course, what the festival is really all about is walking, so there are plenty of opportunities throughout the festival for those who just want to enjoy our beautiful local countryside!

If you want to walk at any pace in any direction for as short or long a distance as you like, we'll have it covered. There's a variety of walks in the popular 5–7‐mile category, some of 7–18 miles, and a 20‐mile walk plus sensory walk organised by the East Cheshire Eye Society and short history themed routes too – there really is something for everyone!

Some of the routes.

For updates, check the website, www.bollingtonwalkingfestival.co.uk, before the Festival opens. For more details, contact the hub of the whole operation, the Bridgend Centre, on 01625 576311, www.bridgendcentre.org.uk.

As ever, the Festival relies on the contributions of the volunteers who organise and lead the walks. In addition to the organisations already mentioned, we are grateful to the East Cheshire Ramblers, the Manchester Weekend Walkers, the East Cheshire Outdoor Group (ECOG), and the Cheshire East Rangers. They would welcome you joining them before or after the festival for walks or other activities.

Finally, the contribution of the Bridgend Centre is vital to the success of the Festival, in planning, leading and hosting walks. They run a regular walks and of course you are welcome to visit the Centre for any of the myriad of activities which take place there. All info on their walks and activities can be found on the website.

-- Bollington Walking Festival Team

Second page of the leaflets.

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