Walk the Path 2011

This year’s Walk the Path is now over, but I think we can say that it proved to be as successful and as enjoyable as in previous years. Despite the fear that, after two very dry months the weather would choose
to break over the weekend, soaking everyone and everything, it did not rain. Fortunately what rain we did have came overnight and despite a few drops at the very beginning on Saturday the threat petered out, in fact on Sunday we had near perfect conditions walking.

Altogether we had a total of 166 people registering to walk with 73 people and four dogs walking on Saturday and a massive 132 people and seven dogs walking on Sunday. The Sunday numbers stretched our resources, but judging from the responses we’ve received nearly everyone enjoyed themselves. There were plenty of familiar faces but also a lot of first-timers, who I hope we’ll see again in future  years.  Not everyone was from the local area either, one walker came up from Bridport in Dorset to walk with friends and we had walkers from Alton, Bordon, Eastleigh, Havant, Petersfield, Southampton, Woking and Waterlooville. A special mention to Shirley Collett, a visitor from Australia who joined us on the Sunday.

This is the seventh year we’ve held this event and every year we sit down afterwards to assess how the event went and look at your comments to see if anything can be improved. This year there’re a number of comments I would like to reply to.  Firstly the suggestion that we run the event over two weekend. From a participant’s point of view I can understand this is an attractive option, and it is something we as organisers have discussed. However, the event requires a great deal of planning and a considerable amount of staff input and, logistically, it makes far more sense for us to do everything over one weekend.

SIGNAGE: Yellow signs were put up at junctions and turns wherever you could go astray. This is done on the Thursday and Friday before the event – and they are then taken down afterwards. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do if some of these signs are ripped up or removed before the walk takes place, which we know does happen. We have already discussed making the signs at significant turning points larger or more obvious and shall be doing that for next year.

MILE MARKERS: Interestingly a number of people said it would be useful to have mile markers along the route. This is a comment we have had in previous years and this year we responded to the request by indicating mile points on the maps. Did you notice them?  We’ll certainly consider putting mile markers up along the route – although I’m not too sure how big they’ll need to be for everyone to notice them!

We are currently looking at a project to get permanent mile markers erected along the path – although in these financially difficult times we will need to apply for a grant or seek sponsorship to get the job done.  If you know of a company who might be willing to support the project please get in touch.

REFRESHMENT STOPS: Generally these
all seemed to work well. We received one suggestion to have benches at both the morning and afternoon refreshment stops. Although I can understand the logic behind this request, there are some barriers that prevent us from doing so. We need to ensure the volunteers manning these stops have a vehicle large enough to take all the benches, plus the people, plus all the refreshments. We would also have to buy more benches as the ones we have are all required at the lunchtime stop. Hiring could be an option but it all adds to the overall cost.  However we will certainly consider putting in another/larger table and will take on board the comment about locating these stops out of the sun.

SPONSORSHIP: Well done to Chrissy Parkes who used the walk to raise £100 for Help for Heroes and Nicola and Stephen Davids who raised £55 for Diabetes UK. Many thanks to all of you who made a donation to the Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust. We raised a total of £113.

THANK YOU: On behalf of the organisers I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make Walk the Path  possible, without you it would be impossible for us to run the event . Our thanks to all our walk helpers: Paul, Chris, Iain, Bob, Cheryl, Bernard, Adrian and Brian and thank you Norman for managing the Frimley crossing. For the third year the 1st Cove Scouts, led by Nick managed the morning and afternoon refreshment stops. Guys,  once again you did a great job and a number of walkers specifically mentioned how friendly and helpful you all were. Many thanks for your support. Thank you to all the volunteer mini-bus drivers: Chris, Simon, Roger, Bernard, Nick and Ken. A mention too for Rowhill Field Centre, Sandhurst Town Council, Horseshoe Lakes, Masdar and Swallowfield Parish Hall for allowing us to use their premises. A big thank you to all the landowners who gave us permission to walk across their land, especially the stretches through Yateley Lakes and Swallowfield Park, both ‘specials’ for the walk. Last, but by no means least, a big thank you to all of you who came along and walked the path.
                                                                               Report by Christine Reeves

Walk the Path 2011 - Saturday pictures >>>
Walk the Path 2011 - Sunday pictures >>>