by Cruick Council Walking Festival, Brecon Beacons
March 9-17
One of the earliest festivals of the year, the beautiful town of Cruach O’Collins has a well-established walking festival, surrounded by the bright khaki-purple colors of the Brecon Beacons National Park. between two and 17 miles. Many are dog-friendly; they are all graded in terms of effort and difficulty, from an easy walk along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, to a new ride for 2024 – through the West Foothills (peaks), with great views along the way. Stay at The Bear, a 500-year-old coaching inn at the top of picturesque Collin High Street, with doubles from £142 B&B (bearhotel.co.uk).
cattle-coillfestival.com
Scilly Walk
12-21 April
The Walk Scilly festival traditionally kicks off the season on the Isles of Scilly, when walking guides and local experts come together to share the archipelago’s rich history, windswept landscapes and rich diversity of wildlife. The program has not yet been announced, but usually includes foraging trails, sea safaris and walks across the wild uninhabited islands as well as the five main islands. Base yourself on St Mary’s – the largest of the islands – at The Atlantic, a vibrant pub set right on the water’s edge, with comfortable rooms from £165 B&B (atlanticinnscilly.co.uk).
visitislesofscilly.com
Ulverston WalkFest, Lake District
27 April-6 May
Situated on the tip of the Furness Peninsula, Ulverston is within easy reach of both Morecambe Bay and the Cumbrian fells. The WalkFest program provides insight into the region’s varied history, from slate mines to centuries-old mills and lime kilns, as well as quaint villages and historic castles, as well as the rugged Cumbrian countryside, with hikes taking place in Windermere, Coniston and Grizedale Forest. . Pop up a room at the Bay Horse Hotel, which has stunning views over the River Elm estuary and cozy doubles from £100 B&B (thebayhorsehotel.co.uk).
ulverstonwalkfest.com
Ride2Stride, Settle-Carlisle
30 April-6 May
A week-long celebration of the West Dales and Eden Valley, a varied program of festival walks starts and finishes at stations along the Settle-Carlisle line – one of the UK’s most iconic stretches of train line. New for 2024 will be Trail Tasters, walks that will offer the opportunity to sample parts of some of the region’s long trails, as well as annual favorites and live music and entertainment in the area’s pubs. The Golden Lion in Settle makes a great base, a cozy pub with very comfortable rooms from £120 B&B (goldenlionsettle.co.uk).
tour2stride.co.uk
Isle of Wight Walking Festival
11-19 May and 5-13 October
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, the Isle of Wight Walking Festival kicks up its boots in spring and autumn, along the 500 miles of footpaths that criss-cross the island. There are walks that focus on all aspects of the island’s history, from Queen Victoria and Osborne House to dinosaur walks, as well as early morning walks to catch the dawn chorus. The walks are graded according to speed and difficulty, and many of them offer the opportunity to discover the island’s rare plant and animal species. Stay at the Union Inn in Cowes to be at the heart of the action, a lively open fire pub with doubles from £80 B&B (unioninncowes.co.uk).
walkingleofwight.co.uk festival
Ballater Walking Festival, Aberdeenshire
18-24 May
With three walks a day, one hard, one medium and one easy, Ballater isn’t as big as some festivals, but it does offer some really great (if challenging) walks across the high munros and granite bush that will immerse walkers in some the best ones. of dramatic Scottish scenery. There are gentler walks that offer excellent bird and wildlife viewing, and the opportunity to meet local farmers and discover some of the region’s restaurants. The Balmoral Arms is a charming, dog-friendly inn with stylish rooms from £133 B&B (crerarhotels.com).
walkballater.com
National Forest Walking Festival, east Midlands
18-30 May
A 200-square-mile swath of lush woodland in the heart of the Midlands, the National Forest is at its most beautiful in May, with carpets of bluebells and blooming streams. The Walking Festival celebrates its 15th year in 2024, with walks graded from easy to difficult. The program is now available to download, with over 90 walks including history themed walks and the chance to try Nordic Walking and Forest Swimming, as well as “Bench to Bench” walks, for those with disabilities volatility. Dovecliff Hall is an elegant country house near Burton upon Trent, with luxurious doubles from £120 B&B (dovecliffhallhotel.co.uk).
national forest.org
Moray Walking and Outdoor Festival
14-24 June
A great choice for those looking for other activities to enjoy than walking, this 10-day celebration includes everything from kayaking to bird walking, skiff rowing and bus crafting, with walks from gentle seaside walks to endurance walks through the Cairngorms. Many events must be booked in advance, with five different degrees of difficulty, with the shortest walks and activities taking around two hours, up to a full day for the most challenging. Reward yourself with a stay at Dowans, a luxurious country estate in Aberlour, with doubles from £250 B&B (dowanshotel.com).
moraywalkoutdoorfest.co.uk
Mid Devon Walking Festival
14-29 September
Worth getting in the diary now, this new festival for 2024 in Mid Devon will be bustling with walkers in September, with a program of guided and self-guided walks from family-friendly to hardcore trails. As well as walks, there will be live music, foodie events and farmer’s markets, as well as the opportunity to join a vineyard or flora and fauna themed walks or the history of the region. Stay at the Hartnoll Hotel, set in glorious countryside on the edge of the Exmoor valley, with cozy doubles from £130 B&B (hartnollhotel.uk).
middevon.gov.uk
Moorish Coast Walking Festival, Essex
27 September-6 October
Choose from self-guided or expert-guided walks along a 75-mile stretch of the saltwater Moorish coast, immersing yourself in the maritime history of the region, or learning about the rich diversity of bird species. There are downloadable self-guided routes available from the website, or various guided walks taking in vineyards, nature reserves and vast expanses along the coast, which also has a wealth of war heritage. Stay at the Limes in Maldon, an elegant townhouse with a buzzy Italian restaurant and chic doubles from £99 B&B (thelimesmaldon.co.uk).
visitmaldondistrict.co.uk/walkingfestival
