"Some people like to make a little garden out of life and walk down a path"
(Jean Anouilh, 1910-1987)
ABOUT US
Walking for happiness, good health, and the sake of our local green environment
Walk Colchester was established in 2010 to:
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Encourage enjoyable, safe walking and the design of a local walking environment that promotes it.
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Develop and support walk-related projects.
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Provide information about our local walking environment and the opportunities to walk it offers.
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Work with others to develop new walking routes.
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Promote inclusive approaches to walking and access for all to the countryside
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Help protect our green open spaces and Public Rights of Way (PRoW)
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Advance the 're-mapping' of our town to give primacy to walking routes over cars and roads.
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“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking” (Friedrich Nietzsche)
PROJECTS
THE COLCHESTER ORBITAL
Approximately 14-15 miles in length, the Colchester Orbital is a circular walk/cycle route around the periphery of the town, taking advantage of and connecting some of our loveliest green spaces and off-road pathway networks.
The route follows existing public rights of way, linking with cycle paths wherever possible, and aims to appeal to the widest range of users.
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JANE'S WALK COLCHESTER
JANE'S WALK COLCHESTER
An international weekend of local walks by local people on local themes (‘citizen-led, walking conversations’), taking place in towns and cities around the world on the first weekend in May every year, honoring the legacy of the urbanist, writer and activist, Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), on the anniversary of her birth.
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In 2011, Colchester hosted the UK’s first Jane’s Walk weekend; 2019 will be our 9th festival.
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THE COLCHESTER BOMA 7 PROJECT
An off-road, all-terrain vehicle for community use by mobility-restricted walkers and chair users. Capable of negotiating hills, banks and ditches, and almost any surface conditions, including mud, snow and sand. Alternatively, also perfect for a gentle turn around the park.
Battery-driven, easy to operate, adjustable and comfortable, not to mention super-good-looking, the BOMA 7 is your ticket to roam...
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RESOURCES
COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FOR ALL
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The existence of man-made barriers in the countryside prohibits inclusive access for many mobility-restricted walkers and chair users otherwise legally entitled to use the public rights of way (PRoW) that they cross.
This page provides support and guidance for those concerned with barrier review, improvement or removal, with the aim of optimising access for all.
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A WALKING TIMELINE
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A timeline of notable events, facts, research findings, government rhetoric and policy developments on walking, pathways and green open space.
If you have data that would be of interest here (past or present), please let us know and we’ll add it.
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LINKS & PUBLICATIONS
A collection of useful links, sites and publications relating to walking, walk-mapping and place-making.
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If you have links that would be of interest here, please let us know and we’ll add them.
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OUR SPONSORS
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In 2018-2019, Walk Colchester projects have been sponsored by the following organisations and companies. Their support enables our three principal projects
(Jane’s Walk festival, The Colchester Orbital and the Colchester BOMA Project)
to grow and flourish. To all of them we are very grateful.
