Step out with Castlerock Walking Festival

THE third Castlerock Walking Festival expands its range of activities to offer walking opportunities for all ages, from babies in buggies to grandparents.

It takes place on the weekend of Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September with all events starting from the Peter Thompson Hall in Castlerock. Registration for all walks commences from 9am.

The Festival offers traditional hill walks around Binevenagh and Gortmore - both in the beautiful Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Also the popular WalkTalks, offering village history on Saturday and environment and bird informationon Sunday.

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The Sunday afternoon ‘Family Walk’ led by the effervescent Rachel Bain, the local Biodiversity Officer, who can motivate children and adults alike about the environment. This walk also offers face-painting so the butterflies spotted can be captured on the smiling faces of children and their parents!

There is also a new opportunity to try Orienteering in Downhill Forest introduced and led by experts. Or perhaps try Nordic Walking which is the very healthy option of walking with long poles so exercising both upper and lower body.

Again a trainer will run an introductory course and then lead a walk, the poles are provided.

The Festival organisers also wants to encourage people who have thought about walking but haven’t yet found the right opportunity. A short walk around the village will last up to an hour and is led by a trained leader from the popular Health Walks.

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This, and all walks, end up back in the Peter Thompson Hall for tea and buns provided by the ladies of the village, where everyone can wind down and relax from their walks and have a pleasant chat about their day.

For more information see www.coastlinecastlerock.org or on Facebook ‘Castlerock Walk festival’ or call 028 7084 9303, the Castlerock Community Association Centre. Please register for the hill walks on the website above.

Hannah Shields continues to encourage this festival in the area of Binevenagh, her favourite training ground.

The Festival is organised by the Castlerock Community Association in partnership with The National Trust, Translink kindly provide transport to and from some of the walks and Coleraine Borough Council have provided support for the event.