Andrew Budd, Colchester Walk to Work

Who might be walking around Colchester? Tell us your stories, so we can see who's steppin' out. I'm Andrew Budd, your blogmaster, leading the Colchester Walk to Work 2010 Campaign. I'm passionate about walking in so many ways. I love walking to get from A to B, I like the fresh air, exercise and feelgood factor. I enjoy what I see on the way, the big sky, the townscape, and the little details you discover on the route. And, maybe best of all, bumping into people and saying hello.

What sort of trips and when? I often use walking as transport; sometimes to work, sometimes at work, and also for my personal trips. I do it for business trips, shopping trips, family strolls, and also for leisure. I positively enjoy the four seasons (often all in one day!); indeed summer is the time I sometimes slow down with my walking. I really don't mind the cold, or the rain, but I would prefer less grey skies. One of my favourite sayings, and I picked it up in Denmark, is "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad suits". So watch out for me whipping out my bright red waterproof at the first sign of rain.

Where do you walk? Anywhere! I'm happy enough walking to the corner shop, or trekking on a backpacking trip in the hills. If I ever take the car anywhere I always pack a folding bike and a pair of walking shoes to explore the area. Wherever you are on foot, there is ALWAYS something worth seeing.

Favourite places in Colchester?

• Trinity Street - I love the buildings, and the peace from traffic.
• And Crouch Street too, a great street for walking, chatting, browsing and shopping - I look forward to the street being improved, to better link the two halves. Confession time - I worked as site engineer when the new road was built that cut Crouch Street in half in the seventies.
• High Woods Country Park, the changing seasons in a rolling rural landscape, yet so near the town centre.

Tell Colchester Walk to Work about yourself, and your favourite places. Contact me at sootallures@yahoo.co.uk

What did you see when walking to work?

Celebrate our street life. Priory Walk, Colchester. I almost felt sorry for this mannequin, practically naked outdoors in February.

Stockwell Strollers

Looking for a walking group? Here's one for you - The Stockwell Strollers. An informal club, named after their first meeting place, The Stockwell Arms pub (currently closed), in West Stockwell Street. The organiser is Alan Hardy (above) a backpacker who regularly walks coast to coast across the Scottish Highlands, but is equally at home on the rights of way of Colchester and Tendring.

They usually have a walk on the last Saturday of the month, right through the year. During winter it's usually a morning walk of around ten miles, but most of the year it's a day walk, usually stopping for lunch at a country pub.

What are they like? They are a welcoming and friendly group, with about fifty on their e-mailing list, and typically around 10-30 turning up. I occasionaly join them and enjoy their company. Alan and Brian kindly supply tea and coffee for the mid-morning break. And what's the demographic? Men and women, mainly aged 40 plus, and they walk at a reasonable pace, but will not leave anyone behind.

For more information about The Stockwell Strollers contact Alan at alanhardywalks@lineone.net

If you have a walking group and would like to be featured on this website, please contact me at colchesterwalktowork@yahoo.co.uk

Bench Monday

For the regular bloggers out there, you will be familiar with the "Bench Monday" idea. Some bloggers like to show their feet on a seat, wherever they happen to be that Monday. So here's mine!

I came back from town the long way today, by the wonderful footpath route that runs paralell to Lexden Road, over Hilly Fields, Lexden Meadows, Lexden Park and Endsleigh open space. It's one of my favourite routes, and I look forward to hearing about your best routes as this project develops.

Colchester walk to work Facebook group goes international

People have been dropping in on the newly formed and yet to be promoted Facebook Group.

Local resident Beverly Davies says "I walk to work every day. Probably a good job that I work from home then! :-)"· (But I know she does lots of her work outdoors on foot!!!!)

And Czech Jana Starkova, who studied one summer at Colchester English Study Centre in Lexden Road, says of our project "Perfect! Colchester is a good place for walking." Here's a picture from her, of the snow in Prague.

Don't wait for the promotion of our "Colchester walk to work" facebook group. Join now and say you belonged before it was famous.

the adventure starts on your doorstep

Walking adventures don't have to be that once-in-a-lifetime trip. You can start your adventure today, from your own doorstep. What's great about walking is that you don't need to be in a special place, have special equipment, or find lots of time. You can do it from home, in ordinary clothes, and use it for some of your daily trips.

Whether it's a backpacking trip in the Scottish Highlands, or you're just popping to the corner shop, there's always something to see. More than most other interests, walking can fit in seamlessly with your "normal" life.

Why "COLCHESTER WALK TO WORK"? It's a project launched in 2010 to encourage people to take up walking in Colchester, as part of their daily life. Come and join us on our journey. Fancy boots not necessary.