Spring into action - Bristol Walk Fest named one of the best

Festivals bring together communities to celebrate, mark significant events and create prosperity. The Bristol Walk Fest 1 – 31 May 2022 captures all of these elements. The festival has earned a place in Outdooractive’s list of ‘best walking festivals for 2022’ and the organisers are raring to spring into action for the festival.

One of the organisers, Karen Lloyd is delighted with the recognition and says: “What I most enjoy about the festival is brings everyone together and creates a unique and special opportunity to showcase and nurture Bristol’s vibrant and diverse walking environment.”

Craig Wareham, CEO UK of Outdooractive, Europe’s leading digital outdoor tourism platform, says Bristol is an excellent example of how festivals can introduce new people to walking and stimulate economic activity: “The British have a fine tradition of walking festivals and we are looking to profile the best to our international community. The Bristol team have impressed us with their enthusiasm and passion and the 2022 festival brings together both heritage and landscape.”

Karen continues: “Walk Fest is important locally as it encourages people to get out and about and explore the city, helping people discover local green spaces, accessible walking routes and places of hidden interest.”

Bristol Walk Fest is one of the UK’s largest urban celebrations of walking and the month-long event aims to provide something for all tastes including mindful walks in the woods, Nordic walking on the Clifton Downs, and a ‘Storywalk’ for the smaller ones.

It was out of concern that many communities and festivals like that at Bristol would be impacted by Covid-19, that prompted Outdooractive to support many create a virtual presence in 2021. Its team helped to digitising paper-based walking routes to create self-guided walks that could be followed year around using its free navigation app on a mobile phone.

Details of the virtual festivals with ‘taster’ walks chosen by the organisers, were then shared with Outdooractive’s growing community of walking enthusiasts. This has encouraged people to visit the region and discover walks recommended by local people and to look forward to future in person events.

Bristol was one of festivals to be involved as Karen explains: “By having some walks online as a taster and working with Outdooractive to reach a wider audience we were able to encourage people to visit as and when permitted, keeping the tradition going.”

Karen continues: “2022 will see a return of the successful programme of ‘in-person’ events and activities from 2019, combined with the online self-guided walks, challenges and events offered in 2021."

The festival will include an outdoor photographic competition ‘NO LIMITS#2’, in collaboration with the internationally renowned Bristol-based photographer Alex Rotas.

“The key message is, there are no limits on the age at which a person can take up a new activity; no limits to the physical, mental & social benefits active living can deliver; no limits to the fun to be had in the process!”

For more details on Bristol Walk Fest, 1 – 31 May 2022, click the link: https://out.ac/HtNMt

If you would like to try one of the walks recommended by the festival organisers, search 'Bristol Walk Fest' on the free Outdooractive app. Routes recommended can be followed using a GPS-enabled route map.