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Reading Walks Festival 2024
12th April 2024
11-19 May 2024
We are one month away from the Reading Walks Festival take 2, having taken the plunge again following the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from our first festival in 2023.
Over 800 people walked with us last year and your feedback has been instrumental in shaping the 2024 festival; we have lengthened the festival dates to nine days to include two weekends, included more accessible walks and more family-friendly walks and labelled each walk as “Guided Tour”, “Sociable Walk” or “Healthy Walk” so it is clear what type of walk you are booking. We have added more walks – we have 49 in total this year – but also kept some of the most popular from 2023.
The original idea of Reading as a destination for a walks’ festival was inspired by the many people who are already telling the surprising stories of Reading. Many of your comments from the 2023 festival echoed that idea and we were so pleased to read that the walks had surprised you and that you had learned lots of new things about Reading and the surrounding area, even from those who have lived here all their lives! Reading is such an interesting place, from its medieval origins to its waterways’ location, hidden natural landscapes and place as an industrial powerhouse. Our Festival is designed to tell those stories – and so is as much about storytelling as walking for its own pleasure.
The programme represents this diversity, led by our passionate local volunteer walks leaders. There are so many people in Reading involved in walks and walking, from Terry’s Reading Walkabouts and walks companies Walk Reading and Walk Works to the Abbey Quarter volunteer guides, Sustrans, Reading Civic Society and local ramblers groups to name a few. The Festival is just a conduit to bring it all together in one place.
Reading makes an ideal location for a Walks Festival. The scale of the UK’s largest town (or defacto city depending on your persuasion) makes it eminently walkable, while links to national rail, as well as boasting the UK’s best bus operator, means we can link walks into transport interchanges. All our walks link to buses and/or railway stations. Thanks to GWR for being our Official Transport Partner. Last year, over 70% of walkers reached the start of their walk without the need for a car, I would love to beat that this year.
The Reading Walks Festival programme is designed to cater for all abilities and interests. We have short urban walks, half day walks and two-day pilgrimages; step-free walks or walks to do with your family. From sociable walking bingo to tree appreciation, exploring the history beyond the town centre in Earley or the Victoria Park area to mindfulness walks for the little ones in Caversham Court Gardens, there’s a walk for everyone. Come walk with us!
Some of the many comments from the 2023 Reading Walks Festival
I have never done anything like this before (or walked those distances) and can honestly say it was one of my best experiences. Thank you.
We wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for such an amazing day yesterday.
Thank you so much for leading yesterday’s walk – it was a bit of a revelation! 40 years in Reading and never knew the area at all.
A walk with purpose really helped to put everything back in perspective. It is unlikely I would have ventured out on my own for such a long walk so many thanks!
The enthusiasm and generous sharing by the leaders was inspiring.
Thoroughly enjoyed this walking festival, it is great that Reading has organised a festival like this & long may it continue
Please do it next year again! (we are!)
