There are just four weeks to go before the Autumn Isle of Wight Walking Festival, celebrating 25 years in 2024.
The popular multi-award winning event takes place between 5th to 13th October 2024 on the UK’s largest island, one of only seven UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the UK.
Organised by Visit Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight Walking Festival is organised by Visit Isle of Wight, thanks to support and funding by Island business Wight BID levy payers, with the mostly free to join walks led by local volunteers with a passion for the Isle of Wight.
More routes have been added to the Autumn Walking Festival, which now has up to 100 walks available to visitors who wish to explore the Isle of Wight at a slower pace.
New walks cover a range of interests and opportunities for walkers of all ages keen to discover more about the Isle of Wight and its people.
Stroll with Quiggers
The newly elected MP for Isle of Wight West, the first ever Labour Member of Parliament for the Island, will be joining the Autumn Isle of Wight Walking Festival for the first time.
Richard Quigley will be leading a three-mile stroll along the coastal path from Cowes to Gurnard and back with his three dogs, with the opportunity to get to know the new MP with a walk and talk.
Appley Tower walk
The newly re-opened Appley Tower, a 19th Century folly perched just above the beach at Ryde, is the focus of another new route for the Autumn Isle of Wight Walking Festival.
Led by Rachael Ardley of the Appley Tower Heritage Project, the gentle 1.5 mile circular walk gives attendees the opportunity to discover the history behind the iconic landmark on Ryde seafront and a visit to an exhibition at Appley Tower.
Wight Nature Fund
Local charity Wight Nature Fund will be leading walkers on a 4 mile walk at Yarmouth. The walk includes an exploration of Mill Copse, a stretch of partly ancient woodland on the banks of the River Yar, and managed by Wight Nature Fund.
There will be the opportunity to see how coppicing, completed in part with local students, is helping to regenerate the Mill Copse and provide a better habitation for local flora and fauna.
Celebrating Goatober
Celebrating Goatober, keen walkers are invited to join the Chair of the Isle of Wight Ramblers David Yates for an 18 mile circular route on the south side of the Island.
Those who complete the journey will be rewarded with tour of Kingston Smallholding Goat Farm, a goat hot dog and drinks.
Relay The Bay
A 3 day walk relay will give a variety of opportunities to explore the east coast of the Isle of Wight. Totaling 26 miles, the Relay The Bay walks are broken down to 6 shorter routes, where a community-created handmade silk flag forms the ‘baton’ which is carried along the way and passed from one stage to the next.
The walk is supported by Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly IW AONB) as part of its UNESCO Biosphere Reserve ‘Get Out There!’ strategy.
A fantastic celebration of 25 years
With many more walks available, the Autumn Isle of Wight Walking Festival is set to be a fantastic celebration of 25 years, and a great launch point for the next 25!
News shared by Simon on behalf of Visit Isle of Wight. Ed
