There’s less than a week to go until the Isle of Wight’s newly appointed High Sheriff Alan Titchmarsh kicks off the largest festival of its kind.
The Isle of Wight Walking Festival features dozens of walks across two weeks, beginning this coming Saturday (3 May) where Alan Titchmarsh will officially launch the event on Newport Quay (12pm) as part of the ‘Riverfest’ – an event that celebrates Newport’s rivers.
TV presenter Ben Fogle will also be on the Island for the launch, where he will present ‘An Evening with Ben Fogle’ at Medina Theatre in Newport. Ben has travelled extensively around the world and will be giving an inspirational presentation and question and answer session to a sold-out audience.
There are walks for all ages and abilities during the sixteen days of the festival; from two events that last just 300 yards, to a 72 mile walk around the circumference of the Island. There are several special and themed walks from which to choose including ghost walks, fossil hunting, wildlife at night, ‘Geocaching’, yoga walks and even one where the final destination is an ice-cream factory. The popular and fully booked speed dating walk returns for a third year, which this year will be led by a husband and wife team who first met on this very event in 2006.
One of the most famous walks, and certainly the most popular, is the annual Walk the Wight on 18 May. This single event, which is organised by the Isle of Wight Earl Mountbatten Hospice, last year raised over £217,000 for the hospice. It’s hoped this year even more will be raised with a record number of walkers, more than 7000, already registered. The event sees people walk from Bembridge to Alum Bay, a distance of 26.5 miles.
More details on the UK’s largest walking festival can be found online via www.isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk or by calling 01983 823070. Further information on the Walk the Wight can be found at www.walkthewight.org.uk.
Organised by the IW Council, the IW Walking Festival in partnership with the Ordnance Survey, is sponsored by Red Funnel, Wightlink and Millets. Partners are the AONB project, Natural England, IW Tourism, Country Walking, English Heritage, National Trust, Green Island, IW County Press, Ramblers Association, IW Radio, Rights of Way, Walking the Way to Health and Southern Vectis
