Everything you need to know ahead of Bristol Walk Fest 2022
Posted on: 29 Apr 2022The month-long walking festival celebrates the city of Bristol through guided tours, and self-guided routes and walk-oriented events.
Bristol Walk Fest 2022 is back for its 10th year! Running from 1 - 31 May, the colossal festival offers a broad range of free and paid events for all ages, hobbies, and fitness levels.
There is an extensive list of nature walks, woodland story trails and much more to choose from and it can be difficult to work out the best walks and events for you.
With this in mind, we’ve compiled a brief guide to Bristol Walk Fest’s 2022 programme.
Did you know Bristol’s walking festival, is now in its 10th year, the Walk Fest regularly attracts over 7,500 attendances year on year from Bristol and beyond. www.bristolwalkfest,com for full line up of ????throughout the whole of May pic.twitter.com/pDxMcFN5wD
— Bristol WalkFest (@briswalkfest) April 19, 2022
Self-Guided Walks
Festival organisers have curated a great selection of self-guided walks for ramblers to get their teeth stuck into throughout the month of May. Here's a very brief look at the abundance of walks available to check out on the Walk Fest website…
A Black History Tour in Bristol
Discover some of Bristol’s rich Black history on this 2 hours 5-minute (3.9km) stroll through Montpellier and St Pauls.
Beginning at Temple Meads, the Wanderlust Walk is an amble through some of central Bristol’s most instagrammable spots. This walk lasts 2 hours.
Explore some of the diverse, colourful street art of the city. The 2 hours 20-minute walk will include pieces by Banksy and a plethora of other well-known graffiti artists.
Plaques of Central Bristol (Parts 1 & 2)
A meander through time that takes walkers on a short, steep trek taking in the blue plaques in and around the city centre – the first walk takes 1 hour 30-minutes and the second 1 hour and 5 minutes.
A linear 40-minute walk from Queen’s Park to the Old City, the route takes attendees through a warren of cafes, legendary shops, markets, bars and much more.
Experience the beautiful landscape, mansion, and deer park of Ashton Court Estate in this circular walk that takes around an hour.
Festival organisers have curated 5 options that explore the Blaise Castle Estate, taking walkers up to the castle and its grounds – exploring the unique and deep history of the Estate.
Over & Under the Suspension Bridge
This hour-long circular walk of the city’s famous Suspension Bridge uses public highways and footpaths. It can be steep and muddy but includes plenty of local history and stunning views.
Split between a long walk (7 miles) and a short walk (2 miles) this circular walk takes ramblers across South Bristol using pavements and footpaths, traversing high places and 10 green spaces.
Taking 2 hours and 15-minutes, hikers will have the opportunity to take in sections of the Severn Way and other public paths, taking in the beautiful river, woodland and sweeping views.
Organised Events
On top of the extensive list of self-guided walks, festival organisers have arranged a number of events from guided walks to walking football – all celebrating everything walking in Bristol and the surrounding area…
Beginning outside the Radisson Blu Hotel, this walk aims to bring to life Bristol’s rich 1,000-year long history – from the late Saxon period to the present day. Expect reference to Blackbeard, Brunel and everything in between.
Work together with family or friends to solve cryptic clues, spot the answers in the city and decipher treasure maps. The carefully designed walking route will take walkers all around central Bristol searching for hidden gems.
The 100km Get Active Challenge (free)
Throughout May, people all over Bristol will take on the challenge, celebrating Bristol Walk Fest. Get healthy and raise funds for Your Park Bristol & Bath by reaching the 100km goal in any way you want.
Crime and Crinolines in Clifton
Discover the extraordinary and often dark lives of the past people of Clifton, including a runaway Empress; the Holy Grail and the only forger sentenced to death to keep his head and get it on a banknote.
Confident navigation is key to a good outdoor adventure and learning the basic skills of map reading will make the experience even more rewarding. This 2-hour long lesson is the perfect way to do this.
Haunted and Hidden Bristol Walk
Active for 17 years, this 90-minute walk around old Bristol takes a look at haunted buildings, local locations used on the big screen and Bristol trivia.
Every week Bristol Rovers Community Trust are offering friendly, non-contact walking football to players of any ability over the age of 50.
Walking the Talk: A Walking Conversation with University of Bristol Researchers (free)
This 2 hour walk around the Downs, talking to a range of university researchers, will use a series of stopping points as a scaffold for an egalitarian conversation.
Nordic Walking Taster On Clifton Downs
A unique rambling technique, Nordic walking uses special poles to magically transform a gentle walk into a full-body workout. Try it out at your own pace in this 45-minute, expert run, walk.
The History Of The Tobacco Industry in Bristol (free)
Beginning in the Old City where the Wills dynasty started in the late 1700s, this tour will take attendees through Redcliffe, East Street and North Street before ending at the famous tobacco bonds.
This selection of walks and events is by no means exhaustive; indeed, it barely scratches the surface of the Bristol Walk Fest 2022 programme with a whole host of exciting happenings taking place throughout May.
Visit the festival website to browse everything on offer and curate your own month of walking activities.
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Article by:
Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.
