Inverness gets new festival to celebrate ‘walking and wheeling’

Event brings together more than 30 activities groups in the city.

By John Ross

May 8 2023, 6:00 am

Festival coordinator Jayne Preece (left) and Marie Law, festival assistant, looking at the programme of events..

From nature trails to ghost walks, and cycle paths to long distance rambles, there are a growing number of ways to get about Inverness.

A good time then for the first Festival of Walking and Wheeling to be held in the city.

More than 30 walking, cycling and wheelchair activities groups in Inverness have come together. They have created a week of events from May 20-28.

It is hoped this year’s pilot festival will become an annual event.

Who is organising the festival?

The festival is being coordinated by local charity Partnerships for Wellbeing. It has been holding health walks across the Highlands since 2004.

The charity’s manager Jeff Zycinski says many new walking and cycling groups have been created since then and the festival offers a chance to work together.

He says Inverness is an “eminently walkable city” with routes including the banks of the River Ness, the tow paths of the Caledonian Canal and the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve.

Group of people walking and foraging in nature. — Foraging walks will be part of the festival

The inaugural festival includes a ghost walk, organised by the Highland Paranormal Society, nature foraging, ranger walks, cycle rides, buggy and toddler walks and a scooter ramble for disabled ramblers.

The festival starts with a drop-in event at the WASPS Creative Academy. This will feature live music and videos showing some of the locations that people can explore on foot or wheels.

The launch event will be opened by comedy star Karen Bartke, best known as Officer Karen in BBC’s Scot Squad.

Festival co-ordinator Jayne Preece said the event will showcase Inverness as the ideal place for active travel. She promises it will have activities for all ages and abilities.

“During Covid more people went out for a walk or cycle and became more aware about staying healthy and staying active.

“Inverness is a good city to walk and cycle around, with lots of green spaces, easily accessible.”

The best ways to see the city

Highland author S.G. MacLean supports the festival. She will talk about the importance of walking and cycling in her work – and how she likes to walk around many of the locations that feature in her fiction.

She said: “I think the festival is such a good idea. I find walking and cycling are the best ways to see the city, and often the easiest for getting from A to B.

“The more normalised cycling in particular becomes, the better for everyone.

“I’m hopeful the festival will show how inclusive cycling can be, and perhaps encourage people who might think you need to be super-fit or have expensive equipment and clothing to cycle, to realise that you don’t.”

Woman on a bicycle. — Cycling will also be part of the walking and wheeling festival

Other highlights of the week include:

Saturday May 20 – family orienteering event, Culduthel Woods.

Monday May 22- taster night, Inverness Cycle Club; walk and talk, MacDonald Park; drop in sessions, Badaguish Outdoor Centre.

Tuesday May 23 – walk and create event, Eden Court; buggy and toddler walk, Hilton Family Support Centre; Caledonian Canal 201st anniversary walk.

Wednesday May 24 – ghost walk, Old High Church graveyard; nature foraging walk, Merkinch; Nordic walking taster, Torvean.

Thursday May 25 – canal scooter ramble, Highland Disabled Ramblers; Nordic walking for people with Parkinsons, Torvean; taster health walk, Botanic Gardens; nature walk for wellbeing, Merkinch.