Boscastle hosts first walking festival

Get your boots on and get down to North Cornwall this October for some of the best walking in Britain. Bookings are now being taken for the first Walking Boscastle Festival due to kick off on Sunday, 7 October.

The six day festival includes a number of guided walks along some of the finest stretches of the Cornish coast path together with more leisurely strolls around the area and surrounding villages, plus an introduction to the countryside made famous by Thomas Hardy in his novels and poetry.

The walking highlights include:

• The Village Trail Walk including a complimentary booklet of the Trail.
• Valency Valley circular walk via Minster Church.
• A stunning walk with many features along the coast path to Tintagel.
• A local guide takes you on a challenging walk between Crackington Haven and Boscastle, the coastline managed by the National Trust.
• The Thomas Hardy Trail full day tour. The walk includes references to ‘A Pair of Blue Eyes’ and Hardy’s poetry of the area.

In addition to the walks the organisers - Boscastle Chamber of Trade and Commerce have arranged a number of extras including free entry to a local attraction, pottery demonstrations, a ‘Pasty Social and Quiz’ in the village hall and discount ‘walkers special’ meal deals – two courses for £8 per person at a number of Boscastle’s quality restaurants and pubs.

For those wishing to stay Boscastle has twelve hotels and B&Bs, nine self-catering cottages and apartments and one caravan site offering accommodation at special rates for the Walking Boscastle Week. Four of the B&Bs have recently won Gold Green Tourism Awards for their environmental awareness.

While the footpaths are the main feature, creature comforts are not forgotten and local restaurants and pubs are putting on special menus with the focus very much on fresh local produce.

Said Chamber chairman Adrian Prescott, who's also planning a festival quiz night to test the knowledge of walkers and locals alike: “Thousands of visitors are already aware of the beautiful coastline in North Cornwall and we're sure the attraction of planned, guided routes will be an added bonus for those planning a return trip and just the incentive needed to introduce the area to many more.”

Non-walkers aren't being left out, either. If partners are pounding the pathways, non-walkers can catch up on a little retail therapy in the unique and unusual shops which dot the ancient harbour side. There are also boat trips and a host of other events to keep everyone happy. Walking Boscastle continues until October 12th.

Full details of the Walking Boscastle Week can be found on websites Visitnorthcornwall.com/news and Visitboscastle.com.