26 families and students from Oldfield School, Beechen Cliff and Newbridge Primary School were among the 500 walkers who recently completed the 22 mile Circuit of Bath Walk, raising vital funds for local charity Julian House.
Julian House supporter and author Paul Hudson brought his whole family, including his daughter celebrating her 10th birthday on the day. She was the youngest person to complete the full 22-mile route, and even braved a field full of cattle in Englishcombe, finishing at Newbridge with a birthday cake and drinks in the Park & Ride car park!
Henry Holt, a Year 9 student at Beechen Cliff School, also completed the full route. He said, “It was really challenging but I’m so glad I did it. It’s great to be able to help people at the same time… even though my legs will be aching so much tomorrow when I go back to school!”
The sponsored walk, now in its 22nd year, has become a much-loved fixture on the calendar and saw friends, families and colleagues traversing 22 miles of Bath’s spectacular but challenging countryside. More experienced walkers, many of whom take on the challenge each year, were joined by newcomers of all ages aiming to help homeless, at-risk and vulnerable people across the South West.
The route affords walkers stunning views from Little Solsbury Hill and Lansdown, as well as from Millennium Viewpoint in South Stoke. Over in Bathampton and Limpley Stoke, the George Inn and the Angelfish café provided a chance for walkers to get some much-needed sustenance, while residents in Woolley and Englishcombe laid on a dazzling array of cakes to keep morale high.
Among the local teams taking part were a group from Achieve Breakthrough, one of whom, Bella Blazewicz, said, “Finding yourself in a difficult place can often feel far removed, but actually it can be lurking just around corner.. Connecting with nature alongside other people on the walk can give you time to reflect on that.”
Another participant, Wendy Keaveney, said, “I really enjoyed it and so admire the organisation of the walk! So many walkers said they had discovered many areas of Bath they never even knew existed.”
Event organiser Gavin Osborn was delighted with how many took part “This walk is such a great way to bring the community together to celebrate this wonderful city in a whole new way,” he said. “We’ve had fantastic support from families, friends and groups of local businesses such as Theatre Royal, Spring Wharf, personal trainers from Stanza Fitness and the Heart of Bath medical team who provide support for our clients in the hostel.”
On Julian House’s aims, Gavin added, “We raised well over £30k, every penny of which will keep our life-saving services running. The money will go towards supporting vulnerable people and children, many of whom are experiencing homelessness or escaping domestic abuse. We put an emphasis on training, skills workshops, and growth development to help people within our care to gain confidence and rebuild their lives.”
To find out more about the Circuit of Bath Walk and to join the waiting list for next year, head to www.circuitofbathwalk.co.uk