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The Suffolk Walking Festival
The Suffolk Walking Festival will return in 2026…
After taking a break in 2025 plans are now in hand to launch a brand new Suffolk Walking Festival in the autumn of 2026.
The very first festival took place in 2008, and since then the festival has grown and grown to become one of the largest and longest running walking festivals in the country.
Thank you to everyone who has helped deliver the festival over the many years.
Special thanks goes to the many walk leaders. Many were volunteers with a deep passion for Suffolk and a love of sharing that passion with others.
Thank you also to the District Councils of Suffolk who supported the event every year.
And very special thanks goes to the festival Patron, Lesley Dolphin who, as afternoon presenter on BBC Radio Suffolk, gave the event valuable promotion.
The Festival Story…
The Suffolk Walking Festival started life in 2008 as the Heart of Suffolk Walking Festival with 30 walks in the central part of the county.
In 2010 it gained support across Suffolk and developed into the Suffolk Walking Festival.
In 2012 a long-distance multi-day walk named The Challenge Walk was launched. Over the years The Challenge Walk explored The St Edmund Way, The Suffolk Coast Path, The Angles Way, The Stour Valley Path, The Brecks Trail, The Sandlings Walk, The East Suffolk Lines Walk, and in 2023 it helped launch a brand new long distance trail called The Wool Towns Walk.
In 2018 a Fringe Festival, with activities that got you close to nature in the very heart of the countryside, was introduced. And in 2021, when the festival had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, a Virtual Festival was held with the Suffolk Walking Festival Podcast launched.
Since 2008 the festival grew, evolved, changed and developed. It made friends with thousands of walkers and explored every corner of Suffolk.
Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the festival since it began. You gave us many lovely memories, became our special friends, and left millions of footprints across Suffolk! And we look forward to walking with you once again in 2026!
Don’t Miss in 2026…
The Brecks Outdoor Festival returns for the 3rd year with an exciting range of outdoor activities from 8th – 23rd August 2026.
The Orwell Challenge enters its 49th year! with its iconic walk along the River Orwell on 28th June 2026.
Walking Groups in Suffolk
Do you like walking with others? We are lucky in Suffolk to have many walking opportunities and events to choose from. Use the link below to find out about a few options available for walking groups in Suffolk.
