A walking group based in the villages of Nether and Over Stowey is gearing up for a festival for walkers from near and far aimed at showcasing the landscape of the Quantock Hills, England’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
With the support of the Quantock Hills AONB Service, Stowey Walking, a member of the national Walkers are Welcome network, is hosting the weekend of guided walks in and around the Quantocks from 30 June to 1 July and is ready for you to register for whichever walks suit you.
Stowey Walking has some experience of running walking festivals having helped Sedgemoor Ramblers with a similar event in the past but now feels it is ready to go it alone.
Walkers who book places at the festival will be able to choose from three guided walks each day of varying lengths, so there will be something to suit everyone, from keen hikers and ramblers to families looking for a more leisurely stroll in the countryside.
Both Nether Stowey and Over Stowey lie at the foot of the stunning Quantock Hills. The name Stowey comes from the Old English for ‘paved road’ which is fitting for the villages having welcomed walkers for hundreds of years. Nether Stowey with its shops, B&Bs and pubs is at the start of the Coleridge Way, named after the poet who wrote some of his most famous work there. The smaller settlement of Over Stowey clusters around the church of St Peter and St Paul; the parish, however, encompasses a substantial area of farmland and open access land on the Quantock Hills.
Lynne Abbott of Stowey Walking said, “The group is excited to be holding its first solo festival as a Walkers are Welcome destination and members will be working hard to ensure it is an enjoyable weekend for all.”
Numbers for the walks need to be limited so booking is essential. There is no charge for booking but walkers will be asked to make a voluntary donation to Stowey Walking on the festival weekend.
For full information and booking details contact enquiries@stoweywalking.co.uk or visit the website www.stoweywalking.co.uk.