A surprisingly successful Walkfest
Well, we did it! We managed to put on a walking festival covering all of September with very few days without walks. That in itself was a great achievement and a credit to the various organisations and individuals who offered walks.
What is even more evident is that folks wanted to get out and take part in outdoor activities. The turnout for most events was surprisingly high – so if you took part in one or more of the walks, give yourself a pat on the back.
Of course, none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for a small core team of volunteers who put it all together – starting way back in the spring before Covid lockdown was even being discussed. Their dedication, ability to work with ever changing guidance and rules along with their sheer determination not to give up on a Guildford Walkfest 2020 is a lesson to us all.
The fact that our sponsors (see their own button on our home page) stayed with us through all of this years upheaval is also something that we need to give thanks for. We couldn’t have done it without them.
Yes, there were glitches along the way and things we need to learn from. For example, there were a number of people who booked on events and then didn’t turn up. Even accepting that in some cases circumstances prevented them from taking part, their failure to let us know in advance sometimes prevented other folk booking slots on the walks. Disappointing for walk leaders and unsuccessful bookers alike!
We’ve learned lots, had a great time, had an almost completely dry walks programme and come out of it fitter and more knowledgeable about our borough and its countryside.
Hopefully, by the time we get to Walkfest 2021, we will have rather more flexibility in what we can do, although it’s highly likely that our early stage planning at the beginning of 2021 will be taking place against a backdrop of continued restrictions.
So for now, thank you from all of the team for taking part in Walkfest 2020. Keep walking, keep healthy and keep enjoying all that our borough has to offer.