Guildford Walkfest 2023 is Coming Soon!

Published on: 1 Aug, 2023
Updated on: 4 Aug, 2023

Guildford Walkfest is taking place from September 1 to 30 and includes 45 guided free walks in and around the borough of Guildford.

The festival, now in its 17th year, is pleased to announce a number of new and alsoreturning providers, plus its regular contributions from various local groups.

There are plenty of walks for all to enjoy.

This is a range of fascinating short walks led by the Guildford Town Guides (plenty of Guildford history!), seven varied walks hosted by Guildford Ramblers (ranging from three miles to eight miles in length), and walks from each of the local Guildford Health Walks groups.

Toddler walk in Send.

As a way of extending the reach of Walkfest, some walks are aimed specifically at families with buggy and toddler-aged children, kindly hosted by volunteers from Queen Elizabeth Park Baptist Church in Stoughton and Send Evangelical Church.

For many people the event is as much about the social interaction as it is the walking. To cater better for these people, new this year are “walk and talk” sessions and wellbeing sessions with Challengers (the charity that gives disabled children and young people the opportunity to play, have fun, and make friends in a safe and supportive environment) and the mental health support charity, Catalyst.

There are walks led by North Downs Way ambassadors Simone Dill and Pete Lambert, and, of course, the festival’s grand finale is a 14-mile walk from Guildford to Dorking along the North Downs Way. This will be led by the chairman of Walkfest’s and Surrey Hills Society president, Christine Howard.

Geology walk near Albury.

Most of the events are far more than just a walk! If you want to learn about local history and the landscape while discovering more about this wonderful area, there are walks for you.

Local historian David Rose (always popular) is leading three walks. The first of which is the launch walk on Friday, September 1. It is a circular walk from The Hive community centre in Park Barn. The walk will take in the University of Surrey’s Manor Farm campus (par of the site of Guildford’s medieval royal deer park), Pinks Hills (where an US military aircraft crashed in 1952), and Broadstreet Common (site of a Roman farmstead).

Previously, one of the longer walks on the Greensand Way heading towards Witley.

Ken Bare, the co-ordinator for Walkfest and vice-president of the Surrey Hills Society, will be leading a group taking in some lesser known sites around The Mount and the Hog’s Back; while the Wey & Arun Canal Trust is hosting two walks to highlight this interesting waterway.

Walks also wander across the borough boundary to take in Brookwood Cemetery as part of a Pirbright exploration, and there is the opportunity to join the leader of the local RSPB group on a bird watching wander around the River Wey and Riverside Nature Reserve.

All walks are free, while it’s advised for some of the walks it’s best to book in advance. Click here for website.

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