Walkers are Welcome Towns by Name
Alton
Accredited since: 2019
Alton is a vibrant Walkers are Welcome Hampshire town which truly has community spirit at its heart. Situated at the source of the River Wey and enjoying a stunning rural backdrop at the gateway of the South Downs National Park, Alton is known by many as ‘Jane Austen Country’ with its close ties to its charming neighbouring parish of Chawton. There is plenty to see and do in and around Alton and the town serves as a convenient base to explore the local area. The town is easily accessible by public transport, has direct road links from Winchester, Basingstoke and Guildford and is located just off the A31 with ample parking throughout the town.
We host the biggest and longest walking festival in the country annually every May (All Month Long!) and we also host a smaller walking festival for a week every October. Our Festivals host a wide variety of walks led by knowledgeable volunteer walk leaders, offering an extensive programme of routes to suit all abilities. Whether you’re looking for a shorter stroll, a day long hike or themed walks including Foraging, Bat Walks, ghost walks and Town Walks, there is definitely a walk for you.
Baildon
Accredited since: 2012
Baildon is a town on the edge of Bradford between the River Aire and Rombalds Moor. There are about 16,000 residents. There is a thriving centre with a number of successful small businesses. On the edge of open country, Baildon Moor is one of the first areas of open country heading out of Bradford. For many years the Moor and Shipley Glen have been destinations for walkers. A Dales Way connecting path, Bradford Millenium Way ,The Dales Highway and Welcome Way come through Baildon.
Bampton
Accredited since: 2022
Bampton, an historic Charter Town, lies in the mid Devon rolling countryside close to the Somerset border, and is on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. A regional trail, the Exe Valley Way passes through the town and access to the coast to coast Two Moors Way is within 10 miles. There is a wide network of local footpaths that start and end in Bampton which have been captured in two local walking books published by Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre who organise regular walking events.
The town centre is a conservation area, and the Heritage and Visitor Centre is situated within the 12th Century St Michael and All Angels Church. Bampton has Plastic free status and local businesses display the ‘Fill your water bottle’ symbol.
Bampton has a range of traditional shops selling local produce, as well as award winning pubs and restaurants and places to stay. It is a friendly, welcoming community with a thriving centre used by local villagers and visitors.
Bingley
Accredited since: 2015
Bingley is a small market town in the Aire Valley, with a population of just over 22,000. It is home to the famous 3 and 5 rise locks on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Bingley has excellent rail links and is a good centre for walking with plentiful cafes and pubs.
Bishop’s Castle
Accredited since: 2007
Bishop’s Castle is a small market town on the Wales/England border surrounded by stunningly beautiful hill country, most of it in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has a successful breweries, the oldest in the country, and 5 pubs and lots of small, independent shops. The Town Hall is an 18th century Grade 11* building over looking the town which hosts the tourist information office for the area. There is a good music scene with lots of local bands and regular gigs in pubs. There is also many festivals and events in the town from the Real Ale Trial to Midsummer Rejoicing. There are a good selection of local walking leaflets and nearly all our visitors enjoy the hill walking here.
Bollington
Accredited since: 2013
Nicknamed the ‘Happy Valley’, Bollington sits on the South-Western edge of the Peak District with its iconic landmark, White Nancy rising above the Town. A landscape of quaint stone cottages, majestic mills and mill chimneys provides a backdrop for some wonderful walks, brimful of history and heritage.
Boroughbridge
Accredited since: 2007
The pleasant market town of Boroughbridge home of The Yorkshire Vet is on the edge of the Vale Of York at the start of The 150 Mile circular walk around the banks of the River Swale and the River Ure. There are plenty of local walks and facillities to suit your needs.See boroughbridgewalks.org.uk
Bradfield
Accredited since: 2010
Bradfield village’s excellent location on the northwest fringes of the Peak District, with close proximity to long-distance trails and a superb variety of shorter walks around local villages, and spectacular reservoirs means that it has something special to offer walkers, whether visitors or local residents.
Bradford on Avon
Accredited since: 2011
Nestling in the beautiful Bristol Avon Valley on the edge of the Cotswolds AONB, Bradford on Avon is the perfect centre for a whole variety of walking. The Macmillan Way and Kennet and Avon Canal run through the town and the Bradford on Avon Walking Wheel provides countless opportunities to explore the area. You might also be tempted to join us for our Annual Walking Festival that takes place over the first weekend in September.
Brampton
Accredited since: 2011
Brampton is a lively little Market Town built of red sandstone situated 10 miles East of Carlisle on the road towards Hexham and Newcastle.. Already popular with visitors from all directions, particularly with day trippers from the North East, Brampton is ideally situated for walking in the North Pennines AONB, Hadrian’s Wall Country, The Lake District and the Scottish Borders.
Bro Tregaron
Accredited since: 2011
Tregaron is a small rural Welsh-speaking community in the Cambrian Mountains of Wales. Positioned in the county of Ceredigion, it has a long established association with the great outdoors and walking forming part of that heritage. Clwb Cerdded Tregaron Walking Club run a variety of walking activities to promote the town’s continued membership of the Walkers are Welcome network including a monthly walk, walking festivals, walking events associated with local businesses, footpath monitoring and more. Information available from www.clwbcerddedtregaron.site
Bromyard
Accredited since: 2010
A bustling lively market town in Herefordshire surrounded by glorious countryside
Broseley
Accredited since: 2019
Broseley is an original industrial town, with three centuries of architecture mixed in a delightfully haphazard manner. Imposing properties built for ironmasters, alongside former squatters cottages nestled around narrow alleys called ‘jitties’. This heritage is surrounded by beautiful woods and dingles, with footpaths offering inspiring views across the Severn Gorge.
Burley in Wharfedale
Accredited since: 2014
Burley in Wharfedale is a community of around 7,500 people and lies on the River Wharfe mid-way between Ilkley and Otley on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. With its associated hamlets of Burley Woodhead and Stead it covers 4.9 square miles about half of which is moorland at a height of 300 metres and above.
Charlbury
Accredited since: 2007
Charlbury is a typical Cotswold Market Town on the Eastern edge of the Cotswolds AONB. There are good walking routes in all directions and refreshment and accommodation is available. We are on the Cotswold mainline to London and also bus service from Oxford.
Cheddar
Accredited since: 2015
The village of Cheddar, on the edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is famous around the world. It has the country’s largest gorge, the famous caves, and is the birthplace of Cheddar cheese. It is also where Britain’s oldest complete human skeleton was discovered.
Chepstow
Accredited since: 2012
Chepstow is a true border town located at the mouth of the River Wye. At its heart is Chepstow Castle, Britain’s oldest surviving stone fortification, and at different times the town has been Wales’s biggest port, the birthplace of tourism, a national shipyard, the location of the Severn Bridge and, more recently, the southern terminus of the Wales Coast Path. No less than 8 long-distance trails meet here, and Chepstow is an ideal base for walking the Wye Valley AONB, the Forest of Dean, the Vale of Usk and the Gwent Levels.
Chesham
Accredited since: 2010
Chesham is a thriving market town that has many beautiful walks, all at the end of the Metropolitan line! It nestles amongst beautiful valleys of the Chilterns AONB. Our town centre has plenty of cafes and restaurants as well as a High Street with an enviable range of specialist, independent retailers.
Cilgerran
Accredited since: 2008
Cilgerran is a large village in North Pembrokeshire, close to Cardigan, the Teifi estuary and only about 4 miles from the wonderful beach at Poppit Sands. Visit our medieval castle, the Teifi Marshes nature reserve and Welsh Wildlife Centre. An excellent local network of paths will take you to hidden valleys, the Wales Coast Path, or the magical Preseli hills.
Clare
Accredited since: 2017
Clare is the smallest Town in Suffolk. It is a Wool Town, situated in the Stour Valley, amongst rolling countryside that is perfect for walking.
It represents Suffolk in a nutshell, with a Norman castle, country park, river, medieval buildings, independent shops and much much more……