Once again the highly successful Crickhowell Walking Festival gets people – locals and visitors – out and about and enjoying our beautiful countryside with 80 walks and a number of events in the evenings. This year it runs from 1st to 9th March.
The organisers are always looking for novel ideas and this year is no exception. As the festival starts on 1st March, St David’s Day, a Torchlight Procession will light up Table Mountain at dusk. Walkers will be met by local singing group, Singplicity, and then will process down the hill with lanterns blazing. Back in the Clarence Hall there will be a welcome bowl of soup, a welcome from Mynydd Du Taiko drummers and a storyteller and harpist to round off the day.
At the other end of the energetic extreme there are walks encompassing the whole of the Black Mountains which will test the toughest of walkers. Places on these are going fast, so hurry if you want to join in.
In the evenings, there is a programme of talks, events and music. The keynote speaker, this year, is Arctic and Antarctic explorer, Pen Hadow. Pen rose to global fame when he became the first person to trek solo and unaided to the North Pole. He will be talking about the mental and physical stresses involved in attempting some of the major feats in which he has been involved.
The Festival has in the past raised money for national charities, but this year some of the proceeds will be used to repair or enhance local footpaths. This work will be carried out in conjunction with Walkers are Welcome in Crickhowell (WAWiC).
Full details of all the walks and events and how to book are available on the website:
www.crickhowellfestival.com
or you can ring the Crickhowell Resource and Information Centre on 01873 811970 or pick up a programme from many outlets in the area.
