Guided Walks in and around Charnwood 2017 July - December Fusion Lifestyle and Charnwood Borough Council’s walks have been nationally accredited with the Walking for Health scheme, underlining the fact that our programme is of the highest standard. Held at a variety of locations across the borough, our walks are set in beautiful surroundings. The Charnwood area comprises 108sq miles of lovely English countryside, embracing our bustling market town of Loughborough and over 35 rural villages. Our graded walks are accessible and suitable for all. Group walks are fun, social, and offer a chance to chat and catch up with friends, or to make new ones. By teaming up, even if it’s just with one other person, you’re more likely to maintain the walking habit and improve your health, it is also good for you mental health, walking can help reduce depression by 20-30%. Put simply, anyone can enjoy walking – it helps keep you fit, healthy and happy – and most of our walks are free. Want to come along? Check the programme, choose your walk and simply turn up at the designated time and meeting place. If it’s your first walk, please try to arrive 15 minutes early to complete a simple health questionnaire, and so we can welcome you. We grade our walks in levels as follows: Level 1 - Walking for Health walks: Suitable for people who have not walked much before, are looking to be more active, or are returning from injury or illness. These walks also offer the opportunity for people to increase their activity levels and are generally 30-90 minutes in duration. Most of these walk will be on flat ground and therefore maybe suitable for wheelchairs and buggy walkers, however, please check the description on each walk to confirm. Level 2 - Progression walks: For people who have undertaken a number of Health Walks and are now looking to take their next step to something a little more challenging. These walks are more than 90 minutes in duration and are likely to include slopes, steps, stiles and uneven surfaces. Nordic walking is also included in this category. Level 3 - Progression walks: Longer walks, intended for people who are used to walking. These walks will be about 2/3 hours in duration, possibly more in some instances, and may include some steep gradients, stiles and field walking. 2 3 Regular Weekly Walks Gorse Covert - Walking for Health Every Wednesday (except Christmas and New Year weeks) at 10:30am. From Gorse Covert Community Centre, Maxwell Drive, Loughborough, (LE11 4RZ). Level 1: Shorter/Slower walk of approx. 1 - 1.5 miles. Level 2: Longer/Faster walk of approx. 3 miles. These walks organised by Dishley Grange Patients’ Group are aimed at those who wish to return to walking or are taking-up walking for exercise and for the social side of life. All ages and abilities are welcome, and all are welcome to stop for drink and chat at Community Centre after each walk. This walk has also won the “Charnwood sports Awards 2015 - winners - Best community sport/physical activity project” Cost: Free Barrow upon Soar – Walking for Health Every Tuesday starting at 10:30am Meet at The Three Crowns Inn car park, Cotes Road, Barrow upon Soar, (LE12 8JS). 1 hour / 2-3 miles. These walks are led by Heather and her team of local volunteer walk leaders and are aimed at those who wish to use walking as exercise to help with their Health. Whether you have not been out for a walk for a number of years, or are regular walkers wishing to attend for the social element – all are welcome. Cost: Free Our Barrow Health walks have also won the following awards: “Charnwood sports award 2016 - Winners of Best Community sport/physical activity project” Shepshed – Walking for Health Every Monday starting at 10.30am (Except bank holidays). Meet at Hall Croft, Shepshed, opposite Shepshed Library. 1hr / 2-3miles. These walks are run by the Forest House Surgery Patient’s Participation Group. This friendly and sociable group welcome new walkers of all abilities. The walks follow a variety of routes around the village. Cost: Free 2 3 Walking Coach Trip Thursday 12th October Coach Trip Walk Our second Coach Trip Walk of the year will be going to Carsington Water in Derbyshire and will follow a circuit of the reservoir on a route of around 9 miles. This walk includes coach travel to and from the location provided by Charnwood Borough Council. Please wear sensible clothing and shoes. Meet at Loughborough Leisure Centre car park (LE11 3HE) on the 12th of October, at 8.15am, for an 8.30am departure. Booking and pre-payment required. To book contact [email protected] or call 01509 63 2535. Cost: £10. Walking Groups Loughborough Ramblers Loughborough Ramblers are a friendly group of the Ramblers Association who enjoy walking, the interest and beauty offered by our countryside, and the friendship of like-minded people. We support the aims of the Ramblers Association to encourage others to walk and keep footpaths open and accessible. Each week we have two walks, a 4 to 6 mile walk in midweek and a longer 8 to 12 mile walk at the weekends. These walks are more challenging than Health Walks providing regular walkers the opportunity to try out new routes. Our walks are free but if you attend on a regular basis then you would be expected to join the Ramblers Association. For more details, talk to your Loughborough Ramblers walk leader during your walk or go to www.loughboroughramblers.org.uk Charnwood Action Group Charnwood Action group is a group from Glebe House, who lead inclusive walks for anyone to attend; these are wheelchair and pushchair friendly. They meet most Wednesdays at 11am at different Locations around Charnwood. As these walks are shorter than some of the others we offer, this walking group is perfect for beginners. Please see brochure for dates and meeting places. 4 5 Level 2 Tuesday 4th July 10am Coalville Walk Walk leader: Alan Mortimore Meet: Mount St Bernard (LE67 5UL) 10am. A circular walk via Agar Nook, Charley Mills & St Joseph’s, Duration: 6.5 miles. 6. es 5 mil Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 1 Thursday 6th July 10:30am Mountsorrel Health Walk Walk leader: Neighbourhood Development Officer Meet: The Mountsorrel youth café. (LE12 7AF) 10:30am 2 All are welcome including buggies and wheelchairs; we’ll pick a route to suit. Meet your s neighbourhood development officer and discuss local issues that affect you. You’re 3 ile m welcome to stop for a drink, snack and chat after, Duration 30 minutes -1 hour. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 2 Friday 7th July 10:30am Bus pass walks with David Walk leader: David Bentley Meet: At Baxter Gate Loughborough (LE11 1TG) 10:30am. To catch the NO.8 bus to Wymeswold Church, for a Brookside walk to the 6 miles Loughborough moors. Duration: 3 hours plus bus time. 6 Miles. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 1 Wednesday 12th July 11am Charnwood Action Group walk Walk leaders: Emma and Mary Meet: At Rothley Library (LE7 7PS) 11am. This walk is suitable for all, including wheelchair access and pushchairs. 2 miles Duration: under 2 miles. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 1 Wednesday 12th July 2:30pm Sileby Health Walk Walk leader: Sileby Highgate Medical Practice PPG Meet: Sileby Community Centre (LE12 7RX) 2:30pm 1 To catch the No 2 bus to Cossington School, Follow the footpath into Cossington - 1 s .5 mile Meadows to Platts Lane and return to the centre of the village to catch the No 2 bus back to Sileby. Duration: 1 ½ miles. 1 hour. Bus pass needed or Bus Fare. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 3 Wednesday 12th July 10am Mountsorrel Walk Walk leader: John Mumford Meet: Soar Valley Leisure Centre (LE12 7FS) 10am. Walk through Mountsorrel, Quorn, Barrow, a longer circular route via Kinchley Lane, 8 miles Rabbits Bridge, Quorn, “The Slabs”, Barrow on Soar, the canal towpath along the Soar, returning to Mountsorrel. Duration: 8.2 miles Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. 4 5 Level 1 Thursday 13th July 10:30am Park View Surgery walk Walk leader: Friends of Park View Surgery PPG. 1 Meet: Park View Surgery Loughborough (LE11 2AG.) 10:30am. .5 These friendly walks will take in a variety of interesting routes around Loughborough. - s 2.5 ile Walk leaders John and Vicky welcome walkers of all ages and abilities. Come inside if m you don’t see anyone outside. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 2 Tuesday 18th July 10am Melton Mowbray Walk Walk leader: Alan Mortimore Meet: Ashby Folville St Mary’s church (LE14 2TE) 10am. Circular walk via Thorpe Satchville, Hall and Grange farm, Duration: 5 miles. 5 miles Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 1 Thursday 20th July 10:30am Quorn Health walk Walk leader: Quorn Medical Practice PPG Meet: Quorn Village Car Park next to the Medical practice (LE12 8BP) 10:30am. 2 Walk to Buddon Lane, across the fields to Woodhouse Road, Back via Quorn Station. s 3 mile Duration: 1 hour, 20 minutes. Cost: This walk is FREE of charge. Level 1 Thursday 20th July 10:30am Mountsorrel Health Walk Walk leader: Dishley Grange Medical Practice Meet: The Mountsorrel youth café. (LE12 7AF) 10:30am 2 All are welcome including buggies and wheelchairs; we’ll pick a route to suit. Meet your s 3 mile neighbourhood development officer and discuss local issues that affect you.