17th March 2006

It’s Good to Walk

We all know walking is good for us, but too often we need an incentive to get out in the fresh air. So what could be more enticing than a colourful booklet, complete with fascinating heritage details and wildlife snippets, comprising 12 circular walks passing through an ever-changing landscape?

Blackwater Valley Circular Walks is a full-colour, 56-page
booklet produced by the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership designed to introduce people to some of the stories, events, characters, history and wildlife of the area, whilst showing them the many nature reserves, country parks, woodlands and meadows founds in and around the Valley. All of the walks take in a section of the 23-mile long Blackwater Valley Path, which runs the length of the Valley, offering walkers plenty of different route to choose from as well as walks of varying distance.

“The Blackwater Valley is a great area to go walking because it offers such a wealth of different scenery, but it still remains relatively undiscovered,” explains Sarah, Path Project Officer with BVCP. “We hope this booklet will encourage people to take a walk to discover the countryside and heritage this area offers.”

Located on the borders of Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, from Farnham in the south passing by Aldershot, Farnborough, Frimley, Camberley, Sandhurst, Yateley and Wokingham, the Blackwater Valley is an undiscovered area, despite offering a range of outdoor recreational facilities. The Valley forms a continuous green corridor of riverside habitats attracting a wide variety of wildlife. It contains around 100 water bodies, from small ponds to large lakes, almost half of which are used for angling, and has a high reputation as a leading area for coarse fishing. As well as walking and angling, other outdoor recreational facilities available include three watersports centres, a nine-hole golf course + driving range, children’s zoo/activity park and five playing field complexes, making it a suitable for visitors of all ages.

Blackwater Valley Circular Walks, costs £3.50 plus 50p+p it is part of the ‘Discover the Blackwater Valley Path’ project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership produces three other booklets: Blackwater Valley Butterflies, Blackwater Valley Dragonflies and Blackwater Valley Path costing £3 each including p+p, available from BVCP (web), Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS. Please make cheques payable to Blackwater Valley Countryside.
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For more information contact:
Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer on 01252 331353.

Notes

• The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership (BVCP) is funded by the County, District and Parish Councils along the River Blackwater. It works to promote community action in conservation and recreation and to protect the Valley for the enjoyment and well being of the whole community.
• Members of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership are: Hampshire County Council, Surrey County Council; the District, Town and Borough Councils of Blackwater & Hawley, Bracknell Forest, Farnham, Guildford, Hart, Rushmoor, Sandhurst, Surrey Heath, Waverley, Wokingham and Yateley.