Reading Walks Festival

We have just completed another year of the Reading Walks Festival (11 - 19 May 2024). 

• You can see a selection of photos from the 49 walks on our Flickr album
• You can sign up for info on next year's festival by joining our Visit Reading newsletter. 
• Walk Reading on a guided or self guided walk while you wait for next year's festival. 

We are delighted to say that our 2024 post-festival survey results show great love for the festival and respect for the volunteers who led our walks. Highlights:- 

• 78% Very Satisfied / 21% Satisfied  - that's 99% pretty happy! 
• Friendliness of walk leaders - average 4.6/5
• Knowledge of walk leaders - 4.5/5
• Engaging walk leaders - 4.6/5
• 92% rated their walk as good or excellent
• Walkers most valued learning something new, wellbeing, exercise and doing something new. More of that in 2025. 
• 93% would recommend Reading Walks Festival to friends and family. Make sure they sign up too.

Background

The Reading Walks Festival is a guided walks festival. Designed to tell the stories of Reading, the Festival aims to engage people in the amazing heritage, culture and natural landscapes in and around Reading through a series of walks led by passionate local volunteers. Our walks have ranged from 40- minute wanders to two-day pilgrimages and we hope will offer the opportunity to learn something new, meet new people and enjoy the outdoors.

The 2024 Festival picked up where 2023’s festival left off by designing walks to link to our public transport network. In 2024, 73% of the festival walkers used public transport or other sustainable methods of transport to access the walks. In that vein, we are delighted that GWR supported the festival as our Official Travel Partner. Many of the walks linked into railway stations in the Reading area.

The Reading Walks Festival is organised by REDA, Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency with support from Reading BID, GWR and many other stakeholders. In particular, we are indebted to the  enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteer walk leaders who give up their time to share their passion for Reading and the surrounding countryside.

Comments from Festival walkers 

I have never done anything like this before (or walked those distances) and can honestly say it was one of my best experiences.  Thank you.

Thank you so much for leading yesterday’s walk – it was a bit of a revelation!  40 years in Reading and never knew the area at all.

A walk with purpose really helped to put everything back in perspective.  It is unlikely I would have ventured out on my own for such a long walk so many thanks! 

The enthusiasm and generous sharing by the leaders was inspiring.

Great initiative   Loved my walk!

Thoroughly enjoyed this walking festival, it is great that Reading has organised a festival like this & long may it continue

The two walks I attended were very well led, with leaders who clearly knew their subject, were enthusiastic and encouraged participants to contribute to the discussions.  

I loved my time mentally and physical. It truly uplifted me. My spirit was through the roof, beautiful people and learnt so more about Reading walks was just around the corner from me.