There is something distinctly British about greeting the end of summer with a stout pair of boots and a raincoat tucked in the bag, just in case. Whilst the beaches empty and the evenings draw in, plenty of us turn instead to the paths and commons much closer to home, with Guildford residents being no exception.
This September, that instinct has seen an entire programme built around it, with Guildford Walkfest marking its 21st year of getting people out into the countryside on foot, free of charge and open to walkers of every age and ability.
What Walkfest Is All About
Walkfest is entirely volunteer-run, being a shared banner under which local walking groups, historical societies and countryside charities each put on an event of their own throughout the month. Guildford Borough Council, The Guildford Dragon NEWS, C & H Marketing and Surrey Hills Society are each named as key partners behind this year’s festival, alongside what organisers describe as ‘widespread support’ from the individuals and groups who have each contributed a walk to the programme.
The full listing, covering the whole of September, can be downloaded from the Walkfest website, with every walk on it being free to join and the range on offer being considerable. History lovers can join the Guildford Town Guides for the likes of the Guildford Story walk around Tunsgate Arch, for example, or a Law & Disorder walk through the town’s murkier past, whilst a Medieval Guildford walk takes in the castle where King John reportedly stayed 19 times.
Alternatively, you might be interested in an outing exploring Alan Turing’s links to the town. Nature gets its share of attention too, with volunteer-led tours of the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills ruins, an exploration of the Riverside Nature Reserve on offer and a walk across Whitmoor Common’s Site of Special Scientific Interest heathland, whilst Guildford Health Walks and Guildford Ramblers run a steady stream of more sociable outings across the month that tend to be a bit gentler in their nature.
Something for Every Pace
Not every walk on the list is a gentle stroll. A partnership event involving the Blackwater Valley Countryside Rangers, The Land Trust and Surrey Young Ramblers covers 11 miles along the Christmas Pie Trail towards the Hogs Back, whilst a Guildford Ramblers route up Holmbury Hill runs to a five-mile circular through woodland, with a coffee stop near the summit. At the other end of the scale sits a half-mile town centre tour, which takes in some of Guildford’s oldest streets. It is fair to say, therefore, that there is something suited to whatever pace you might fancy.
Booking arrangements vary from walk to walk. Some, including several of the health walks and rambling club outings, need no booking at all, whilst others are booked directly through the group running them. That is the case regardless of whether it is the Surrey Hills Society, the Guildford Town Guides or the Wey & Arun Canal Trust that is in charge, with each looking after its own part of the programme. With the festival running for the whole of September, there is still plenty of time for anyone tempted by a free wander through Guildford’s streets, commons and riverside paths to find a walk that suits.