News

Walkers of the Bishop's Castle Footpath Group are celebrating this month.  They are returning to the 'tester' walk created 35 years ago as part of the then new Community College activities.

It was a wet, grey day and a small group spent two hours exploring a local route and concluding with a simple plan “ to go for a weekly walk through the local countryside".

Half a lifetime later, weekly walks are still happening, the local Parish Paths Partnership is active repairing stiles and gates for easier access, and other volunteers have produced routes for the Walking for Pleasure series which are still popular and available from Visitor Information at the Town Hall.

The Bishop's Castle Walking Festival was a new idea for the Millennium, to host visitors in our fabulous landscape, friendly accommodation, pubs and inns. A successful mid week, mid June event 'became the standard for others following in our footsteps' says Grant Perry, member of that group and publican at the time.

It carried on growing, moved to the month of May and continues to this day with exemplar walks every year (Covid /Foot and Mouth  permitting).

'Today we hear so much about the health benefits of being in the countryside' says Catherine Murphy and member of the original group ' in this case there have been social, economic and heritage benefits to the many involved'.

The BC Footpath Walking Group will revisit the original local route on the  Saturday November 26th starting at 10am at the entrance of  the Community College and finishing at the Playing Field to meet some of the original walkers and gather to share a celebration event.