Bristol Walk Fest returns with new city-wide walking route
Bristol Walk Fest, the hugely popular walking festival, returns today (1 May) to mark National Walking Month.
To celebrate the launch of the festival, Bristol City Council, alongside festival partners Go Jauntly and with support from the local Ramblers and Bristol Walking Alliance, has unveiled the Bristol Ring, a new 33‑mile walking route across the city.
The newly developed circular route, which spans some of Bristol’s most beautiful green and blue spaces, is made up of six nature-rich walking sections of varying difficulty, offering walkers a flexible way to explore the city.
Linking green corridors, leafy parks, urban watersides and some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, the Bristol Ring provides stunning city views alongside quieter, more peaceful routes on foot.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “I’m extremely happy to welcome Bristol Walk Fest back to the streets, trails, paths and parks of our city, alongside the launch of the new Bristol Ring walking route.
“Exploring Bristol on foot gives us a fresh perspective on the places we know and love, while promoting healthier lifestyles and helping to reduce our reliance on more polluting modes of transport.
“This annual festival also highlights the importance of developing a city that remains walkable, cyclable and wheelable for all, something we are firmly committed to delivering. I’m really looking forward to trying out the Bristol Ring walk myself, and I would encourage everyone to see what’s on and to put their best foot forward this Walk Fest!”
The new route aims to shine a spotlight on the city’s rich green and blue spaces, with each section easily accessible by public transport and available to follow for free via the Go Jauntly app.
Hana Sutch, CEO and co-founder of Go Jauntly, said: “The Bristol Ring is something we’ve been working towards for a while. It’s a proper ring route around a major UK city, taking in the breadth of Bristol’s incredible green and blue spaces. We wanted to create something that felt genuinely exciting for both local walkers and visitors, and something that showed just how connected and walkable Bristol really is.”
The Bristol Ring makes up just one of the many brilliant walking routes on offer during this year’s Walk Fest. Now in its 13th year, Bristol Walk Fest has once again partnered with dozens of local groups and organisations to help residents discover the joy of walking in all its forms.
This year’s festival offers a packed programme of hundreds of mostly free walking‑related events and activities for all ages, interests and abilities across the city – from insightful city history tours and nature walks to walking sports including rugby and football.
For more information on what’s on this Walk Fest and to sign up to one of the many events and activities on offer this month, visit the Bristol Walk Fest website.
