Walk to Work Week over - what next?

Walk to Work Week's over, and it's time to put up our feet. Our picture shows the Walking Party last Wednesday. But we rest only until Tuesday, then it's back to the task!

We've had ten events, hundreds of followers, and thousands hearing about walking for transport in Colchester. So what do we do next?

The plan was always to continue promoting walking during the summer as opportunities arise, then have another re-launch of local walking for transport in the autumn.

Meanwhile, please get in touch with your comments on our campaign so far, and keep coming back to our blogspot, there will be new stories right through the summer....

BBC Essex features Colchester Walk to Work

Did any of you catch Dave Monk's morning show on BBC Essex yesterday? He featured our walk to work project, and we chatted away about the potential for walking to work, at least for some of the people some of the time. We also discussed town planning, and how as a society we use cars so much, with little use of alternatives for some of our trips, compared with the modal split between cars, buses, bikes and walking in some of our neighbouring countries on mainland Europe.

The interview went well until my landline phone started ringing when I was live on air using my mobile. Dave invited me to answer it, but I threw it outside into the laundry basket and got on with the radio job.

I put in a plug for this blogspot, as the definitive source of full up to date detailed information, and we had a rise in visitors to the site. We hope for more local radio coverage over the next few weeks....

Talking about walking can also be dangerous

The "Hiking Hardy" event in Castle Park on Thursday 29 April is shaping up. Not only do we have a celebrity speaker, we have a venue confirmed, and a RISK ASSESSMENT. Quite rightly, we have to consider carefully what we have planned, and what could go wrong, so this is not a "elf and safetee gone mad" rant.

Alan will meet us all at the Bandstand in Castle Park, please be there for 12:30. Alan may be familiar to some of you, as he is a regular speaker at local clubs and societies. But "Hiking Hardy" is a bit different to his more usual format. With his evening shows, he chats to his audience, with a backdrop of his super collection of slides. (Yes, he does "magic lantern", he shines a powerful light through a piece of transparent film; he hasn't yet gone digital.) In Castle Park it will be different. Last week I asked him about what he had planned, to help me with the risk assessment. He replied:

"Demonstration of use of crampons for climbing up and over the band stand roof and sharp pointed ice axe to arrest slip down far side, followed by a climb of the north face of the Castle and abseiling down using the sacred tree as an anchor. And finally opening the Middle Mill Sluice Gates to create a torrent to demonstrate the art of river crossings. And if I can find a friendly farmer to erect an electric fence ... Enough to go on?"

I think ???? he's joking????? My risk assessement was "public disorder" and "people tripping over", bascially things that can happen anytime, anywhere. The question is, will we need crowd control, as it's a free event and no booking procedures? We have capacity for thousands. Alan is walking to our event, as part of his training for a backpacking trip, coast to coast across the Scottish Highlands in May. I look forward to hearing his tales.

The Challenge website is OPEN

At last we're in April and the national walk to work week challenge website is open. We can now register ourselves and/or our companies. The website should be user friendly, but it's too early for "Colchester walk to work" to share any advice, as we don't yet know. However, as a tip, we're in "east of England" region, and in "Essex". (Unfortunately there is no separate category for Colchester, as Colchester Borough Council is not a unitary authority. However, this debate is for another day and webspace....)

It's Easter and there's still the possibility of snow. But in three week's time, it will be walk to work week, the sun will be shining and spring will be all around, probably.

Sign up now for the website, so that we're all ready in advance of the week, and join the "colchester walk to work" Facebook group if you haven't already. We expect there will be a live forum for comments and latest news on all our walk to work week events. Full details of events WILL also be on this blogspot, so keep coming back.

Walk to Work Challenge, 26-30 April

Leave the car at home for the week. Living Streets and Walking Works have set a national challenge for us all to try more walking to work. And Colchester is joining in.

Walking Works have set up a personal calulator which will soon be available on www.walkingworks.org.uk/walk-to-work-week-2010 . This will be for businesses, departments and individuals to enter, and is likely to attract a lot of support. Don't worry if your personal totals are going to be modest, it's about taking part, and you can contribute to your team. High mileages are NOT necessary, just doing it is what counts.

And it's not just about the journey to work, it can be the lunchtime stroll, walking on business, or the walking meeting. We are hoping for media coverage, and we look forward to you signing up.

Toddle Waddle, 28 April, High Woods Country Park

Walk to Work Week isn't all about office workers who maybe need to get a bit more exercise. We recognise that "work" takes place in many forms and locations. This event is aimed at the parents or carers of young children.

The Toddle Waddle is a regular led walk run by the High Woods Country Park Ranger Service. It starts at 11:00 and finishes at noon, with tea and coffee available afterwards. It is free, with no need to book, and starts from the Visitor Centre off Turner Road. The visitor centre is on several bus, walking and cycle routes, and has a car park.

For more info phone 01206 853588, or contact countryside@colchester.gov.uk, or see www.colchester.gov.uk/countrypark.

Walk to Work Wednesday, 28 April

OK, this is the Big One. We want as many people as possible to walk to work on this day. If you can only do it one day in walk to work week, it would be great if you chose Wednesday. Share your stories of epic walks to work, or rolling out of bed and strolling round the corner.

The picture shows a signpost on National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 1, at the Moors, Hythe. NCN routes are also important for walkers; about half of the NCN route users are on foot. And you don't have to walk all the way from Harwich to Hull.

For Walk to Work Wednesday, nothing is organised by your Colchester Walk to Work team. This is your event, solo, or with neighbours or with colleagues. Plan your own routes, timings and teams. And please let us know what is planned, and how you get on.

And as an alternative for those that really do want to be led, check out and join the town to gown Walking Party on Wednesday.

Walking Party - town to gown, Wednesday morning 28 April

Who wants to join our "Walking Party"? On Wednesday it's Walk to Work Wednesday, and individuals will be heading from home to work on their own route.

But some people like to join in with others. A "Walking Party" will make its way from the High Street to University of Essex, with participants including local experts on history and nature. The party details have yet to be announced, the event probably being led by web consultants AWS and University of Essex.

It should be a fun and interesting event, and we will find out lots about the route and accessibility, on our journey. The picture shows one of the signs on the Colchester Town to Sea Trail, which will be part of the route of our "town to gown" walking party.

And there are cafes at the University for our refreshment after our walk. I can smell the coffee, even now.

Map Grab, Monday 26 April, Mountain Warehouse

There is no sneak preview of the new map on here! Colchester Walking Maps will be launched on Monday 26 April at Mountain Warehouse, the outdoors shop selling funky clothing and equipment, opposite the Town Hall. Come and meet some of the Colchester Walk to Work team, and collect your first edition Colchester Walking Map. We will also have information about Colchester Walk to Work Week events.

We will be around from 8:00 am, so you can catch us on your way to work on Monday. We hope to meet you, hear your walking stories and persuade you to take part in our events - our Walking Party, our photography competition, our walk to work challenge, Health Walks, our picnic, Ghost Tour and the Hiking Hardy talk.

And please join our Facebook group "colchester walk to work".

Health Walks, Country Parks, 27 - 29 April

We have five Health Walks during Walk to Work Week, at some of our wonderful Country Parks. On Tuesday morning 27 April it's at Cudmore Grove, East Mersea, and on Wednesday morning there are walks at Gosbecks and Tiptree Heath. Thursday 29 April has a morning walk at Salary Brook and an afternoon stroll at Hilly Fields.

All walks are free, and are designed for people of varied ability, including complete beginners. Walks range from half to two miles long. For full up to date information about all Health Walks please go to www.colchester.gov.uk/healthwalks or call Linda Acland on 07506 695546

Ghost Tour, from Town Hall, Thursday evening 29 April

The Colchester Ghost Tour explores the past that other tours can't reach.

Colchester's Master Storyteller, Mr Derek Wray, presents a journey through the Dark Ways of Ancient Colchester, in search of the Life, Love, Death and Abominable Hauntings.

Meet outside the Town Hall in Colchester's High Street at 7.30 p.m. on 29 April. (Derek's tours run through the summer, not just in Walk to Work Week.) Just turn up - no need to book.(Please Note - The tour is a theatrical experience and requires a minimum audience of 6 persons to happen. Over 18s only.) £7 per person, this walking tour lasts 2 to 2 1/2 hours. We finish in a Haunted Public House, where there is opportunity for you to have a drink, while Mr Wray tells the stories of the Dread Events in the very room where they happened.

Mr Wray, Colchester's very own Master Storyteller, is a lost soul condemned to walk the streets and bye-lanes of Colchester telling all of its macabre past. He will guide you through the legends, history and unnatural manifestations of ancient Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town. It is also home of Britain's oldest pubs and ghosts. What a history - pagan, Roman, Saxon, centre of the Peasant's Revolt, English Civil War - all involving buckets of blood and guts! See www.camulos.com/ghost/ghost.htm

STEP AND SNAP, photo competition, 26-30 April

Welcome to STEP AND SNAP, Colchester Walk to Work Week's photography competition. Send us your pictures of your walking during the week.

This is an unusual competition; there are no rules, only the possibility of some prizes and awards, and just a little small print.

What are we looking for? Images taken on your walk to work, or when walking anywhere in Walk to Work Week. It can be the big picture of the landscape, or the fine detail along the way. It can illustrate a specific location, or it can promote the concept of walking for transport. It can be sharp or abstract. Your pictures can make a point, or be fun, or, better still, be both. It's up to you. In our "wrong way round" competition we will devise potential categories and prizes according to what images we receive.

What happens later? We want to use your images to promote walking in Colchester. We are having another local promotion in the autumn, and we may have an exhibition of your photographs. If you want to get involved in any way with the walking project or the photography competition, please get in touch.

The small print. Please send your images and information to colchesterwalktowork@yahoo.co.uk by Wednesday 5th May. They must be your own pictures, taken during walk to work week 26-30 April. You retain the copyright of your photos. We are permitted to use them to promote walking in Colchester, giving you the picture credit. Remember, STEP AND SNAP is just for fun.

Hiking Hardy, Castle Park, Thursday 29 April

"Hiking Hardy" is giving a talk as part of national Walk to Work Week. Alan Hardy is a local celebrity walker, and brings tales of his Himalayan treks, backpacking across Scotland coast to coast, plodding the footpaths and pavements of north Essex, with a sprinkling of philosophy along the way.

Come and meet Alan on Thursday 29 April, starting at 12:30. The event will be held in the peace and beauty of Castle Park near the Bandstand. Alan will share some amusing tales of his adventures from far and near, finishing around 1:10. He will be happy to take questions afterwards.

Put it in your diary now. No booking, no charge, just turn up. Bring a picnic, or use the Park Cafe nearby. Thanks to Alan for supporting our local walking week. And don't be shy, ask him about his "special trowel".

Foot Feast, Hilly Fields, Tuesday 27 April

Join us for the Foot Feast at Hilly Fields, on Tuesday 27 April, as part of Colchester Walk to Work Week. We will meet at 12 noon outside the Mercury Theatre, to leave at 12:10 for a half mile walk to Hilly Fields.

Bring food for the Pedestrians' Picnic; some for yourself, and some to share. And if you've got a big appetite from your walk to work, maybe you can pack a little more food in your Hiker's Hamper.

We have booked good weather for our picnic event. Indeed, according to studies from the University of Made Up Stuff, statistics show that 27 April always has sunny weather. Put it in your diary now, and don't miss it.

An advance peep at our Walk to Work programme

Get your walking shoes on, ready for the first "Colchester Walk to Work Week" 26-30 April. Here's a sneak preview of some of the events.

We will have the launch of the Colchester Walking Map, full of places and ideas. In national Walk to Work Week, we will have a programme of events in Colchester.

During the week there will be a Workplace Challenge, and we are planning for dozens of local businesses and departments to take part as hundreds of people enjoy the fun. There will also be a photography competition, a series of led theme and health walks, picnics, talks and displays.

Major employers are expecting to run events in their organisations in addition to the public events.

• Mon 26 April
Walk to work challenge starts, using personal calculator on www.walkingworks.org.uk/walk-to-work-week-2010

"Step and Snap" Photography competition starts

"Map Grab" Information stall and maps launch in Mountain Warehouse.

• Tues 27 April
"Foot Feast" Colchester walk to work picnic on Hilly Fields. Bring and share your food and drink.

Health Walk, Cudmore Grove, (East Mersea).

• Weds 28 April
“Walk to Work Wednesday” if you can only do one day a week walking to work, plan to make it this one! Join in with our special "Walking Party".....

Health Walk, Gosbecks Archaeological Park

Health Walk, Tiptree Heath

Toddle Waddle, High Woods Country Park

• Thurs 29 April
"Hiking Hardy" talk by local celebrity walker, to be confirmed.

Health Walk, Salary Brook nature reserve

Health Walk, Hilly Fields nature reserve

Colchester Ghost Tour, in the evening, if you dare.

• Fri 30 April

OTHER DATES AND EVENTS TO BE PLANNED. Please let us know what you would like to see, or can organise yourself.

Don't forget our “colchester walk to work” facebook group.

Let's get planning Walk to Work Week, 26-30 April

It's green for go - the Ampelmann symbol from old East Berlin. So what will we do in Colchester for Walk to Work Week? At a national level Living Streets have announced the date for walking week 2010, and are offering promotional resources for participants. We have yet to plan the details of events in Colchester, but so far we have a workplace challenge, a photography competition, and events around the launch of the Colchester Walking Map. The project will be promoted through this blogspot, the "Colchester walk to work" facebook group, through the Travel Plan Club network, and through the local media.

But we will need some stories to tell, so share your ideas, and we'll shape the programme together. What would you like to see happen in Colchester, during April? Have a look at Living Streets' website http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/ for inspiration; they are the national charity for pedestrians' interests.