Booking open for Eastbourne's Walking Festival

It’s time to get the walking boots out and book now for Eastbourne Walking Festival, taking place in September.

The nine-day event returns to the town from Saturday 7 – Sunday 15 September with something for everyone, from gentle strolls to challenging hikes in Eastbourne and the surrounding areas.

There are guided and self-guided walks – ranging from easy, to moderate, to challenging - within the programme of the festival, which is a celebration of the great outdoors and promotes health and wellbeing through walking.

While some of the guided walks are already sold out, many more still have places which can be booked.

They include a guided walk with Eastbourne historian Kevin Gordon around Ocklynge Cemetery uncovering some of the stories of people buried there; Historic Meads Walk discovering the lives of the many famous residents; Follow the Bourne! starting at the original Motcombe reservoir and following the course of the Bourne Stream through to Seaside; Watercycle Walk Willingdon taking in Decoy Stream before ending up in Hampden Park; and Eastbourne Promenade Walk with historian Kim Adams strolling past local landmarks including the Wish Tower and Bandstand.

Moderate walks still available to be booked include Views of the Seven Sisters; Herstmonceux Hike, In William’s Footsteps along the 1066 Country Walk; Church to Church on The Wealdway; Instepp walking with Resistance – as featured on Radio 4 by Clare Balding with walk leader Julie Ford; and Long Man Ramble with music along the way from singer Liz Overs.

More challenging walks with spaces available are A Bell, A Gap and A Bottom – a day long walk over hills from Beachy Head through the valley to Belle Tout, Birling Gap and East Dean; Friston Forest and the South Downs, a 10.5-mile walk; and Butts Brow Circular, a 15-mile rural walk.

All walks can be booked at: www.eastbournewalkingfestival.com where you’ll also find details of self-guided walks and local walking groups.

Eastbourne’s Walking Champion Gill Mattock said, “The festival is carefully curated to provide something for everyone despite your age or mobility and is designed to introduce and inspire visitors and residents of Eastbourne to the incredible trails, paths, and stories of discovery throughout this Victorian town that is nestled right at the gateway to the South Downs National Park.

“The Walking Festival pulls together knowledgeable volunteers and industry experts to put on a programme of walks and talks and is supported by numerous fringe events that complement the nine-day offering.

“The festival also aims to promote engagement in appreciation and conservation of the natural world from plant life, animal life and marine whilst improving the health and wellbeing of participants in the short term and the long.

“I hope both residents and visitors to our town will check out the website and sign up to some of the varied free walks.”