Head outdoors for the wonderful Walking Festival this spring

As we celebrate the arrival of spring on National Walking Day it seems an apt opportunity to announce the return of the annual Milton Keynes’ Walking Festival to the city’s parks in May. Organised by The Parks Trust, the charity caring for MK’s green spaces, this year’s festival provides lots of different activities for everyone to enjoy.

The Parks Trust would like to thank all its partners who have worked hard to deliver this year’s fresh programme of fun activities:

LitFest, Electra, MK City Council, Camphill Communities, Q:alliance, Linford Wood Park Run, MK Lakeside Runners, LDWA BBN, Friends of GLMP, Mid Shires Orchard Group, South Midlands Orienteering Club.

Here are some highlights from this year’s programme:

Linford Wood & Homeworld Walk. Thursday 8 May, 10am at Linford Wood.

Come and join a leisurely walk in two contrasting parts. The walk will start the 700-year-old ancient woodland, Linford Wood, before heading to the 1981 Homeworld Exhibition of novel housing designs. Visit the Parks Trust’s event page to book your tickets.

Walk and Glide with Electra. Various dates and times.

Electra Walk & Glide Cruises are a wonderful way to discover more of the hidden delights of Milton Keynes. You can explore more parkland and countryside because you walk one way and then relax on gentle cruise back to the starting point.

Walk and Glide Cruise from Fenny with Electra
Walk and Glide Cruise from Soulbury with Electra
Walk and Glide Cruise from Waterhall with Electra
Park Walk and Boat Ride from Waterhall with Electra

To book head to bmkwaterway.org/electra

Walk to Willen Lake with Camphill Communities. Thursday 8 and Friday 9 May, 4pm at Camphill Café.

Join Camphill Communities for a walk around Willen Lake, offering a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery and meet new people.

Depending on the weather, participants will walk between 1.5 and 2.5 miles, following the Willen route. This route includes notable landmarks such as the labyrinth, Peace Pagoda, a pub, Gulliver’s Land, Tree Cathedral, and then back to Camphill.

This is a free event with limited spaces, so booking is recommended here.

Discover MapRun with South Midlands Orienteering Club. 

Thursday 8 May, 3pm and 6pm at Campbell Park Pavilion.

Saturday 10 May 10.30am and 11.45am at Howe Park Wood.

Enjoy this orienteering activity, organised by the South Midlands Orienteering Club (SMOC),  where they’ll show you how to access fun navigation adventures using an App on your smartphone called “MapRun”. Walk, jog or run – the challenge is up to you. Families, hikers & runners are all welcome.

For further information and booking head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Open Social 5km Run with Lakeside Runners. Thursday 8 May, 6.30pm at Milton Keynes Rose.

Come along to our Social 5km run where we’ll take a gentle run around Campbell Park, and the beautiful surrounding area. Our experienced Run Leaders will make sure this is a welcoming event for you to see how much fun running with a group can be and to make new friends.

For more details head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Wellbeing Wander. Thursday 8th May 9am at Linford Wood.

Get in touch with the natural world as part of the Walking Festival! This relaxing walk through the ancient woodland offers an opportunity to slow down from our busy lives and reconnect with the natural world that surrounds us.

We will be following Forest Bathing techniques developed in Japan in the 1980’s that have been found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve memory and concentration. Some findings even show it can help us stay healthy – nature is a powerful healer!

Booking is essential to secure your place and experience this immersive morning.

MK City Council Walk: 60 Years Since the Pits, Friday 9 May, 10.30am. Emberton Park Café.

Tour Emberton Country Park with the Park Manager who can explain the history of this now 60-year-old country park that was formerly gravel pits and show you what to look out for when walking here. Find out more here.

Discover the Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve. Friday 9 May, 12pm at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve.

Discover this haven of peace and tranquility on the north-western edge of the city, a short walk of about three miles. As well as The Floodplain we’ll be looking at the remains of Old Wolverton Medieval Village, taking in Wolverton Motte and Bailey Castle site and the route of the canal diversion that was put in place when the Iron Trunk Aqueduct collapsed in 1808. For further information head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Pilgrims Trail. Friday 9 May, 2pm at Shenley Church End.

Join this heritage walk around Shenley and Loughton. A gentle 90-minute stroll exploring the middle section of The PilgrimTrail with its churches, coaching inns, medieval fishponds and beautifully landscaped Parks Trust land. Contact Nicky Kenny to reserve a place on 07530 349 967 or email nicky.bernard@gmail.com. Well behaved dogs are welcome.

Canterbury Tales Walk. Friday 9 May, 7pm at The Tree Cathedral.

In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer recounts a storytelling competition, filled with sex, drinking and retribution, by a set of fictious characters on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. At this event participants will make their own pilgrimage around the Tree Cathedral in Milton Keynes stopping around the site to hear all the stories. This event is open to adults over 16.

Birdwatching for Beginners. Saturday 10 May, 8am at Willen Lake North.

This 90-minute session will be more of an amble with several stops to listen to and watch birds, mainly common ones and possibly a spring migrant or two. Absolute beginners welcome and bring binoculars if you have them. For further information head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Long-distance walkers – A May Meander. Saturday 10 May, 9am Stanton Low.

A 16-mile circular walk taking participants through Oakridge, Castlethorpe and Cosgrove, this will be a pacey trek aimed at confident walkers. Dogs not allowed, except for assistance dogs. Further information and booking can be found here.

Afternoon Apple Amble. Saturday 10 May, 12pm at Woughton Orchard.

This Afternoon Apple Amble will be an easy 2-mile walk, exploring some of these historic fruit tree plantings around Peartree Bridge and Woughton on the Green. This activity is a good way to spot and learn about some historic and community-accessible fruit trees which can be foraged for personal (non-commercial) use later in the year, when the fruits are ripe. For further details head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Photography Walk. Sunday 11 May, 10am at Canal St Coffee, Campbell Wharf.

Join Nicky Kenny with your camera phones (or any camera!) to take pictures in and around Campbell Park. We will observe and photograph the sculpture, nature and architecture of this central area in Milton Keynes with a particular focus on composition.

No previous photography knowledge required and suitable for all ages, including children. For further information and booking head to the Parks Trust’s event page.

Introduction to Nordic Walking. Sunday 11 May, 10am at Campbell Park.

Discover the benefits of being active outdoors, but without the pressure on your body that comes with vigorous activities like running in this hour-long session.

Equipment for use during the event will be provided for you, but you must come wearing sturdy footwear and be prepared for off road walking. This event is limited to just 10 spaces and booking is essential.

Green City Literary Walk. Sunday 11 May, 2pm at Milton Keynes Central Station.

Let the writers of Milton Keynes take you for an adventure into their imaginations as we stroll with them from MK Central Station and around the Teardrop Lakes and Loughton Valley Park, spinning poems and tales with a twist.

Places can be reserved online or just meet us in the Station Plaza on the day!

As well as all of the above, seasonal Parks Trust activities, including bat walks, woof walks and inclusive strolls will still be taking place during the festival, so there’s truly something for everybody. Discover the full schedule and more information about each Walking Festival event at the Parks Trust’s events page.

Julie Dawes, Events and Community Engagement Manager at The Parks Trust says “We are absolutely delighted to invite you to our annual Walking Festival! Over five wonderful days, you’ll find a variety of walks to enjoy throughout the city. We can’t wait to share this experience with you!”