Autumn Footprints Festival Starts This Weekend

Slap on your crampons and explore Amber Valley as the Autumn Footprints Festival returns from Sat 9th – 24th September 2017.

The Autumn Footprints Festival offers a great choice of 43 free guided walks. Sixteen days of enjoyable walks and informative talks with something for everyone of all abilities.

Set in picturesque Derbyshire, The Autumn Footprints Walking Festival takes place in an area known for its natural beauty and superb scenery. Popular with both novice and experienced walkers wanting to enjoy the beautiful colours of autumn and the area’s fabulous views, undulating countryside, industrial heritage and attractive towns and villages.

Walking Festival Co-ordinator Marion Farrell from Groundwork, said:

“Taking part a guided walk is a really good way of finding new footpaths and learning some fascinating facts. As many of our volunteer walk leaders lead walks regularly this an ideal way to meet the various groups and learn what other walks are taking place throughout the year.”

Led by knowledgeable local volunteers and staff keen to show off their patch, you will discover a wide variety of walks to explore local heritage, natural history and wildlife. The routes take in walks alongside rivers and canals, as well as through open countryside, towns and villages.

All walks are free of charge. However there may be a parking charge (see symbols on individual walks). Booking is recommended for all the walks and essential for some.

They cannot guarantee being able to take you if you do not book in advance. Please contact Shipley Country Park on 01629 533991 for bookings and further information unless stated otherwise.

You can download the full Walking Festival programme here. And for Belper specific tours click here.

Some of the walks taking place locally are:

• Heritage walks –  5 walks  which highlight the Pentrich Revolution march taken 200 years ago  In the Footsteps of the Pentrich Rebels of 1817 – Pentrich (5 miles) on Tues 12 Sept, Ripley (4 miles) on Thurs 14th, Alfreton (3 miles) on Sat 16th, South Wingfield (5miles) on Wed 20th,  and Heage and Lower Hartshay (6 miles) on Sun 24th.
• Other Heritage walks – Smalley & Horsley Castle (8 miles)  on Tues 19th, Butterley: A Walk Through Industrial History (2 miles) on Sat 17th, Risley – Ockbrook Circular Heritage Walk (4.5 miles) on Fri 22, Risley Historical Walk (2 miles) on Sun 24 Sept.
• Wildlife walks include “A walk in the Clouds, Sandiacre (2 miles) on Sun 10 Sept at 10am.
• Walk that include a railway journey – Walking the Ecclesbourne Way (11 miles) on Sun 10 Sept – return by train.
• Walk with a literary theme Stepping out with Young Bert Lawrence (6 miles) on Mon 11th – for those interested in D H Lawrence.
• Health Walks and short strolls include Horsley Woodhouse & Horsley (3.5 or 2.5 miles) on Wed 13th, Scenic Riverside Walk (3 miles) on Thurs 14th, Crich Walking for Health (Tues 19th) and Belper, River Derwent and Wyver Lane (3 miles) on Wed 20th.
• Country walks include – Ilkeston, Shipley & Smalley (8 miles) on Sunday 10th Sept, A walk on the Western Side of Amber Valley (7 miles)  on Wed 13th , By Stanton By Dale (8 miles) on Tues 14th, Three Morley’s and the Mound (8.5 miles) on Sun 17th, Holbrook, Milford & the Chevin Round (6 miles) on Thurs 21 Sept, and West Hallam and Mapperley Circular (6.5 miles) on Thurs 21 Sept.