15th January 2009

Walking for the Weekend

Enjoy walking? Want to do something a little different? Fancy exploring the area on the Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire borders?
Then take out your walking boots and register to Walk the Path on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May. This weekend event, organised by the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership (BVCP) will cover 23 miles over the two days and is the perfect way to discover the contrasting scenery of the Blackwater Valley.

This is the fifth year the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership have held the walk, which follows the
River Blackwater from its source at Rowhill Nature Reserve in Aldershot right through to Swallowfield in Berkshire, where it joins the rivers Whitewater and Loddon before eventually reaching the River Thames near Reading.

“We know walking is very popular and there are plenty of routes to follow in and around the Blackwater Valley, but because the Blackwater Valley Path is linear, walking the entire 23 miles can pose some logistic problems,” explains Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer at the BVCP. “We hold this yearly event so that people get an opportunity to walk the path without having to worry about organising how to do it.  Everything is arranged for them, all they need do is book, turn up and walk. It’s an excellent way of finding out more about this relatively undiscovered part of the country.”

The route is relatively flat – albeit there are several stiles to climb on the second day – and participants can go at their own pace. Everyone will be issued with a walk map, although there will be walk leaders as well as back markers to ensure no one gets lost or left behind, with check points along the route on both days where refreshments and toilets will be available. The overall pace of the walk will be easy rather than strenuous, with staggered start times between 10am-11am.  The walk is in two stages, covering about 13 miles (21km) on day one and 10 miles (17km) on day two and walkers can be reassured in the knowledge that a minibus shuttle service will take them back to the day’s starting point.

The Blackwater Valley itself was once predominantly open fields and agricultural land, but urban encroachment and the extraction of sand and gravel have changed its character considerably over the past 60 years and now almost 200 lakes and ponds of varying size exist. Many of these now provide valuable recreational facilities  and the Blackwater Valley Path, which runs the length of the river, passes them as well as through woodland, flower-rich meadows, parkland, open countryside and much urban landscape.

“Most people tend to pass through the area in a car or on a train”, continued Christine, “but by walking the Blackwater Path they will get a totally different impression of the area and may be surprised at the number of green spaces and the wealth of wildlife that can be found along the route.”

Anyone wishing to ‘Walk the Path’ must register beforehand, paying £6 per person for one day, £10 per person for two days. Full details about the walk can be obtained by writing to ‘Walk the Path 2009’ (WS), Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU112PS, by ringing 01252 331353, by email on blackwater.valley@hants.gov.uk

If you are unable to join the walk but would like a full-colour guide giving details of the route complete with maps and information about points of interest, buy the Blackwater Valley Path guide for £3 including p+p from the above address.

Report of Walk the Path 2008 >>>

END

For further information contact:
Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer on 01252 331353.
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS.