Full Transcript for Walking Post podcast 60: Cheshire Walking Festival

that Google was founded in 1998. Yes, 00:02:28.389 --> 00:02:30.789 that's the company that recently changed the 00:02:30.789 --> 00:02:35.150 name of Lake Ontario on its maps. to lake america 00:02:35.150 --> 00:02:38.550 for birthdays one of my broadcasting heroes paul 00:02:38.550 --> 00:02:41.310 harvey if you don't know who he is check out 00:02:41.310 --> 00:02:44.569 some of his news reports on youtube especially 00:02:44.569 --> 00:02:48.129 when he does the rest of the story it's also 00:02:48.129 --> 00:02:51.629 the birthday of tom watson the golfer and beyonce 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:55.120 Right, last time on the podcast we had a conversation 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.759 with author and traveller Walter G. Mayer about 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.860 the threat to hiking from the potential for national 00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:05.219 parks and national monuments in the US to lose 00:03:05.219 --> 00:03:08.539 their protection and be opened up for other purposes. 00:03:08.780 --> 00:03:11.979 This week we're changing back to walking festivals 00:03:11.979 --> 00:03:16.180 and this is a new one that's starting in Cheshire. 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:19.099 But before we get going, if you do have any news, 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:22.900 guest ideas or even subjects to cover or comments 00:03:22.900 --> 00:03:25.879 or you want to advertise, please do get in touch 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:30.139 at walkingpost .com or just email me at jim at 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:41.939 walkingpost .com. And so to this week's interview. 00:03:42.139 --> 00:03:44.740 As you know, we do Walking Festival interviews 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:48.000 every once in a while so that you can decide 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.780 if it's one you want to go to. And this week, 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.039 the destination is Cheshire. Well, it's not this 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:57.840 week, but Julia Hartley is the founder of Guided 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:01.759 Outdoor Adventures and the organiser of the event 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:05.740 which takes place in 2027. The Cheshire Walking 00:04:05.740 --> 00:04:10.219 Festival takes place... Saturday, April the 3rd, 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:14.120 2027. The web address for more information and 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:18.040 bookings is in the article that accompanies this 00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:21.040 podcast. However, I'll give it to you anyway, 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:26.579 just in case. And the place to go is guidedoutdooradventures 00:04:26.579 --> 00:04:33.180 .co .uk slash cheshire hyphen walking hyphen 00:04:33.180 --> 00:04:36.709 festival. Hi Julia, thanks for being with us 00:04:36.709 --> 00:04:39.370 and I'm looking forward to learning about this 00:04:39.370 --> 00:04:43.509 new festival. What is it about Cheshire and walking 00:04:43.509 --> 00:04:46.550 in Cheshire that is so good? I think what surprised 00:04:46.550 --> 00:04:50.149 me most is that there's so much history here, 00:04:50.250 --> 00:04:54.449 so many National Trust places and big stately 00:04:54.449 --> 00:04:57.750 homes that the hiking, although it's flatter 00:04:57.750 --> 00:05:00.420 than like the Peak District. or the Lake District 00:05:00.420 --> 00:05:04.259 or Snowdonia and mountain ranges. It's extremely 00:05:04.259 --> 00:05:07.839 picturesque and it's very lovely. Even in Oldley 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:12.680 Edge, we have mines and a lot of history. Oldley 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:15.699 Edge has been there for like 5 ,000 years and 00:05:15.699 --> 00:05:19.120 it goes back to the Bronze Age. And there's just 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.120 so much history around here. And it's kind of 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:24.420 like a county that people just go past. Because 00:05:24.420 --> 00:05:25.800 they don't think there's a lot there because 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:28.139 Manchester's near, Liverpool's near. But it is 00:05:28.139 --> 00:05:30.899 extremely picturesque. And it's very difficult 00:05:30.899 --> 00:05:34.819 to get people to stop in places. Yeah, because 00:05:34.819 --> 00:05:37.420 there's no sort of like, there's no summit, you 00:05:37.420 --> 00:05:39.819 know, like there's no massively high ground. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.519 Alderley Edge, I think, is 178 metres. So it's 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.259 not high. But the views from it are stunning 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:49.579 right over the Cheshire Plains. But it is a place 00:05:49.579 --> 00:05:52.600 that people just kind of like go past. It's quite 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:54.699 renowned for the Golden, there's a thing called 00:05:54.699 --> 00:05:57.439 the Golden Triangle, which incorporates, if I'm 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:01.160 not mistaken, Oldley Edge, Wilmslow and Prestbury. 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:03.980 And it's kind of an area where there's a lot 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:07.100 of footballers come to this area and live there. 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:10.470 So it's quite renowned for being a bit. Posh, 00:06:10.470 --> 00:06:13.209 probably. People do come to Oldley Edge, but 00:06:13.209 --> 00:06:16.569 they bring fast cars. And it's kind of like a 00:06:16.569 --> 00:06:18.529 place where people will sit in a cafe and watch 00:06:18.529 --> 00:06:20.910 all the cars go up and down the street and see 00:06:20.910 --> 00:06:23.509 if they can slab spot. But it's not renowned 00:06:23.509 --> 00:06:25.910 for its hiking. So could you tell me a little 00:06:25.910 --> 00:06:28.689 bit about what you do and how you're connected 00:06:28.689 --> 00:06:32.189 to walking? Yeah, sure. So I've walked all my 00:06:32.189 --> 00:06:36.389 life. My parents walked and I moved three years 00:06:36.389 --> 00:06:41.519 ago to Cheshire. wanted to find people to go 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:45.740 out with and enjoy the scenery and also to show 00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:49.220 me where I can go and find all these trails because 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:52.060 I think sometimes as women we're kind we're scared 00:06:52.060 -->

00:06:54.639 to go out on our own we've always been taught 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.699 that it's dangerous and you're going to meet 00:06:57.699 --> 00:07:01.680 bad people and more things happen in town centres 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.639 and a countryside is very safe so I set up a 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:08.519 walking group for like -minded people so 15 people 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:11.240 turned up on the first hike and then the week 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:13.220 before I thought oh well I best do a route and 00:07:13.220 --> 00:07:17.759 did a route from there I started a platform called 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.420 Guided Outdoor Adventures and it was to connect 00:07:20.420 --> 00:07:23.939 mountain leaders to people and that's steadily 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:27.480 grown over the two years and we now have 80 mountain 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:31.339 leaders on but I just love the outdoors I love 00:07:31.339 --> 00:07:34.949 getting out So many benefits to it. Mental health, 00:07:35.029 --> 00:07:37.850 meeting people, forgetting about your worries 00:07:37.850 --> 00:07:41.910 and just being outdoors, whatever the weather. 00:07:42.170 --> 00:07:45.350 It's fantastic. So what's the Cheshire Walking 00:07:45.350 --> 00:07:48.449 Festival? So the Cheshire Walking Festival was 00:07:48.449 --> 00:07:52.990 an idea so that more people can enjoy the scenery 00:07:52.990 --> 00:07:56.449 of Cheshire. It's under a CIC umbrella, so it's 00:07:56.449 --> 00:07:59.970 non -for -profit. We've got 10 walks on at the 00:07:59.970 --> 00:08:03.779 moment, ranging from beginners. women only up 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:07.339 to a 12 mile hike all profits are going to charity 00:08:07.339 --> 00:08:11.879 and it's just to get more people enjoying the 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:14.660 outdoors with people with qualified mountain 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:17.600 leaders so that they know that they're safe and 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.060 to enjoy the countryside and to bring a festival 00:08:20.060 --> 00:08:21.980 to cheshire because there isn't one at the minute 00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:25.899 and just to do good and bring people in make 00:08:25.899 --> 00:08:29.439 it a community atmosphere Just try and get more 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:32.379 people out, children out. We've got navigation 00:08:32.379 --> 00:08:35.360 courses so that people can have an introduction 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:39.220 to navigation so that they feel safer to go out 00:08:39.220 --> 00:08:42.399 on their own and start, begin to map read. Because 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:45.139 that's a really important part of getting people 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:48.580 out and not scared and that really you're not 00:08:48.580 --> 00:08:52.799 that far from something that can help you. And 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.919 that you don't have to spend your entire life 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:59.700 on your phone, I guess. Exactly. yeah it's just 00:08:59.700 --> 00:09:02.000 a one day event and you mentioned about getting 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.179 people together do you see this as the start 00:09:05.179 --> 00:09:08.519 of something bigger or is it just something that 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:11.620 you're always going to be one day no i see it 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:14.980 as something as expanding i dip my toe in so 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:17.919 the parish council very kindly given us a small 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:22.529 grant to posters and flyers and suits to support 00:09:22.529 --> 00:09:25.289 it but i do see it expanding out into different 00:09:25.289 --> 00:09:28.070 areas of cheshire i thought i'll dip my toe in 00:09:28.070 --> 00:09:31.470 and see what i can achieve and then maybe create 00:09:31.470 --> 00:09:35.809 a committee and try and get it bigger and over 00:09:35.809 --> 00:09:39.750 maybe a couple of weekends in the future was 00:09:39.750 --> 00:09:41.809 there any particular reason for having it in 00:09:41.809 --> 00:09:44.750 the spring isn't it just when it was the mountain 00:09:44.750 --> 00:09:47.049 leaders are at the quietest and before the peak 00:09:47.049 --> 00:09:50.509 of the summer and i wanted all the walks to be 00:09:50.509 --> 00:09:53.970 led by qualified people and so that they're safe 00:09:53.970 --> 00:09:56.730 and give something back to the mountain leaders 00:09:56.730 --> 00:09:59.669 as well because they support me in my day -to 00:09:59.669 --> 00:10:02.450 -day role that it's important that we also support 00:10:02.450 --> 00:10:04.610 them. Can you tell me a bit about some of the 00:10:04.610 --> 00:10:08.950 actual walks and details things like cost registration? 00:10:09.529 --> 00:10:13.960 Yeah so anybody's welcome to come into the It's 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:15.899 called the Festival Hub. We're going to have 00:10:15.899 --> 00:10:19.279 a couple of stands. It's in a village, in the 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:24.240 village pub. So the walks range from 12 miles, 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:28.940 which is £25. That is an all day walk. They're 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:31.360 setting off at nine. It's actually named after 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:34.480 my father called the Barry Clark Challenge. He 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:39.559 was a HF leader. That's a company that. takes 00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:41.500 you on holiday and they always had to have a 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:43.919 qualified leader to guide the walks and he did 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:46.840 that for many many years 25 years i think after 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:50.279 he retired and took people hiking all over the 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:53.299 world and he died recently so i thought a little 00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:55.720 tribute to him that the long challenge walk would 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:58.419 be named after him and then we've got a discovered 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:01.539 cheshire walk we've got dump friendly walks We've 00:11:01.539 --> 00:11:04.379 got introduction to guided walks, which have 00:11:04.379 -->

00:11:08.059 an hour and a half, three 5K walks for beginners. 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:12.019 We've got navigation courses and we're going 00:11:12.019 --> 00:11:14.759 to have a family friendly walk as well. And if 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:18.259 anybody's got any thoughts of how we could add 00:11:18.259 --> 00:11:21.720 things on, I've spoken to Manchester Orienteering. 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.279 They might be putting on a little event for families 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:27.259 as well for us. With it being the Cheshire Walking 00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:31.110 Festival, are there... preconceived ideas about 00:11:31.110 --> 00:11:34.990 the region given how close it is to Manchester 00:11:34.990 --> 00:11:39.490 and the airport and Liverpool and bigger centres? 00:11:40.629 --> 00:11:43.769 Literally people do bypass Cheshire because they 00:11:43.769 --> 00:11:46.490 don't think there's much here but in fact it's 00:11:46.490 --> 00:11:51.169 such a beautiful area and yes it's flatter than 00:11:51.169 --> 00:11:54.389 the Peak District which is on our doorstep or 00:11:54.389 --> 00:11:57.990 the lakes or Snowdonia but it's so beautiful. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:01.559 Loads of stately homes. Olderley Edge is called 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:03.919 The Edge. When you get to the top of it, you 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:06.740 can see over the Cheshire Plains and it's just 00:12:06.740 --> 00:12:09.600 so stunning. And then you walk round to, I think 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:11.399 it's called Castle Rock, and you can see out 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:15.299 over to Macclesfield Forest and the Peaks and 00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:17.919 you can just see what's in the distance. And 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:20.259 it's just stunning and more people should visit. 00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:23.879 And the walks, you know, although they're flatter 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:27.360 than if you had a festival in the Peak District. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:30.259 It's still stunning. It's a stunning location. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.179 I guess one of the things associated with that, 00:12:33.220 --> 00:12:36.419 though, is that not everybody wants to be challenged 00:12:36.419 --> 00:12:38.799 on a walk. There are a lot of people that think, 00:12:38.860 --> 00:12:42.259 well, I couldn't do Ben Nevis. I want flat. So 00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:45.679 in some ways, you're catering to people that 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:48.940 just want to get out there. Yeah, and it's important 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:51.460 in this day and age, isn't it, that we have a 00:12:51.460 --> 00:12:53.799 community. It's one of the things that has disappeared 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:57.860 from our villages or towns. a real community 00:12:57.860 --> 00:13:01.340 and i'm trying to bring that back i think meeting 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:04.360 people who you wouldn't normally stop and talk 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:09.500 to in a pub location you could chat chat to hopefully 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:11.279 we're going to have local businesses coming in 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:15.340 as as well that it brings that community vibe 00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:18.620 back together and you can discover areas in a 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:21.120 safe environment that you wouldn't ordinarily 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:24.259 go to and is that the kind of catchment area 00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:26.659 that you're looking to as well is that fairly 00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:31.840 local south manchester area or yeah but you you 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:35.139 can get here by train by from manchester to liverpool 00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:40.159 crew you know it is great location so you can 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.480 jump on a train from manchester city centre in 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:46.179 30 minutes and get to where we're based all right 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:49.919 so the catchment area is probably in the millions 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:55.080 rather than thousands yeah yeah absolutely Obviously, 00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:57.340 it's only a one -day festival. What have you 00:13:57.340 --> 00:14:00.940 thought about in the future if it expands? Things 00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:03.860 like accommodation. Is there accommodation? Yeah, 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:07.200 so where we're holding it, it's called De Trafford 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:09.440 Arms. They've got a hotel. They've got accommodation 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.700 there. There's also the Oldley Edge Hotel, which 00:14:12.700 --> 00:14:14.240 is just up the road. They've got accommodation 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.899 there. There's accommodation in Wilmslow, which 00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:19.669 is the next village over. easily accessible as 00:14:19.669 --> 00:14:21.929 well from Wilmslow to Alderley Edge by train 00:14:21.929 --> 00:14:26.429 and public transport. So there is options for 00:14:26.429 --> 00:14:28.809 the following year. And the following year, I'd 00:14:28.809 --> 00:14:30.549 like walks to set off in different locations 00:14:30.549 --> 00:14:33.250 so you can discover more places in Cheshire. 00:14:33.409 --> 00:14:37.309 Can people already book? Yeah, they can. So it's 00:14:37.309 --> 00:14:40.330 already live on the website. The price ranges 00:14:40.330 --> 00:14:45.690 are from £25 for the 12 mile hike down to £5. 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:48.639 And you said it's not for profit anyway. It's 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:53.679 not for profit. So the charities are Christie's, 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:57.600 which is a major cancer research centre in the 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:00.620 North West. We've got Cheshire Search and Rescue, 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:03.500 which they always do important work. And then 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:08.840 we have our CIC and we take people out on free 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:12.000 walks to get more people out in communities. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:15.559 And what are some of your favourite places to 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:19.320 go in that area? So on Saturday, myself and my

00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:22.919 family walked my dad's Barry Clark Challenge 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:24.980 walk. Now, that was stunning. And it went in 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:28.440 locations that I haven't been before. I also 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:31.580 led a walk last Thursday. It was our walking 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:35.200 club's two -year anniversary. And we went all 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:38.860 over the Edge, which is the local National Trust 00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:42.340 place. But we went right over the far side and 00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:44.899 it was absolutely stunning. And everybody on 00:15:44.899 --> 00:15:47.460 that walk went, have we never been here before? 00:15:47.659 --> 00:15:50.620 And it's just 100 metres further on than where 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:53.159 we'd normally go. And it's just it's amazing 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:55.120 what you discover, isn't it? When you put your 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.460 shoes on and you just get out there for the day. 00:15:57.539 --> 00:16:00.980 Yeah. Is it a place where you meet a lot of other 00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:04.620 walkers or are you kind of on your own once you 00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:06.980 get going? Upon the edge, there are people about. 00:16:07.139 --> 00:16:10.740 But if you go into the countryside away from 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:14.299 the edge, very quiet. It's very peaceful and 00:16:14.299 --> 00:16:16.700 it is very beautiful. Apart from the big National 00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:19.580 Trust places, if you walk in there, there's always 00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:22.679 people. But just the other side of that, there's 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:34.169 so much more to explore. Cheshire is definitely 00:16:34.169 --> 00:16:37.110 a very nice place to visit and it's definitely 00:16:37.110 --> 00:16:40.269 perfectly placed to take advantage of all the 00:16:40.269 --> 00:16:44.190 people that live nearby for walks and of course 00:16:44.190 --> 00:16:47.450 for a walking festival. Perhaps we'll check in 00:16:47.450 --> 00:16:50.470 again closer to the event which is April the 00:16:50.470 --> 00:16:55.450 3rd 2027 to see how it's going. And the website 00:16:55.450 --> 00:17:02.350 to visit is guidedoutdooradventures .co .uk slash 00:17:02.350 --> 00:17:08.150 Cheshire hyphen walking hyphen festival. A reminder, 00:17:08.170 --> 00:17:10.809 if you do have news or suggestions for podcast 00:17:10.809 --> 00:17:13.829 guests, please do get in touch through Jim at 00:17:13.829 --> 00:17:17.109 walkingpost .com. We're always looking for guests, 00:17:17.269 --> 00:17:20.190 whether it's about a new trail, a new book or 00:17:20.190 --> 00:17:23.029 a walking festival, or someone who's done an 00:17:23.029 --> 00:17:26.109 amazing, unusual or interesting walk somewhere. 00:17:26.630 --> 00:17:29.529 So I hope you enjoyed this week's walkingpost 00:17:29.529 --> 00:17:34.059 .com podcast. I hope my cold is over soon. Although 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:36.480 when I used to be on the radio and I had a cold, 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:38.980 I'd always get lots of calls from people saying 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:41.759 how deep my voice sounded that week. I don't 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:43.359 know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:46.039 But anyway, hope you have a great week ahead, 00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:48.799 hopefully with a walk somewhere, whether it's 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:52.279 in Cheshire or elsewhere. And so until next time, 00:17:52.380 --> 00:18:00.490 happy trails. Walking Post from walkingpost .com 00:18:00.490 --> 00:18:03.309 is an Air Coastal Media Limited production.