Exploring Kirkcaldy on foot with a new walking festival

Groups and organisations are being offered the chance to sign up to the unique event which is being organised by environmental charity Greener Kirkcaldy.

It is co-ordinating the festival, which will run from Saturday, July 14 to Sunday, July 22, as part of a wider transport project to encourage people to use their cars less, walk more in their communities and to bring different people together to enjoy different aspects of the Lang Toun and Dysart.

Susan Jeynes, festival organiser, told The Press the aim is for the walks, which will be free, to be arranged by a range of local organisations with the overall programme being co-ordinated by Greener Kirkcaldy.

She explained where the idea came from: “I have done a few walks locally as part of other festivals such as Kinghorn and Burntisland Festival and Aberdour Festival. This gave me the idea to do something for Kirkcaldy as I live here,” she said.

“The idea is to have the festival run by different groups in Kirkcaldy and based on different themes. We will then pull them all together and co-ordinate the overall event.”

Susan continued: “We want the organisations to arrange their own walks - some of them will just be walks and a chat while others will be based on themes such as nature, fossils, coastal walks, wild walks, trees or history.

For example in Dysart it would be great if we could offer an Outlander-themed event.

“We have been approaching groups that are already running walks to take part and they have been sending in their details. Three organisations have confirmed already and we have had interest from a few more.

“There might even be groups we haven’t even thought of that might want to take part with a walk that sparks the imagination. We are leaving it up to the organisations themselves to decide what they want to do.”

Susan said there will be a selection of different walks which will be on people’s doorsteps: “We are hoping for organiser-led walks, self-guided walks where people can pick up a sheet and go on a walk themselves as well as family-friendly walks that children can take part in. We might also have quizzes where youngsters can be asked about their area.”

She said organisations don’t have to put all the work in themselves as Greener Kirkcaldy will take care of marketing the event. She added:“We want to offer walks that will appeal to everyone.”

Organisations wanting to take part should contact Greener Kirkcaldy before April 20. As the festival will be during the summer holidays, Greener Kirkcaldy is keen to hear from groups who want to offer walks suitable for children. Please email:[email protected].

Meanwhile, Craigencalt Trust is set to offer a Mini Walking Fest this Spring.

Walks will cover the coastline from Aberdour to West Wemyss, and stretch inland across the hills to allow participants to enjoy the scenery.

The Mini-Walking Fest is funded and organised by the Trust and again supported by Burntisland and Kinghorn Community Sports Hub and Fife Council. Following on from last year, the aim is to get people out enjoying the local area.

It is hoped it will attract even more visitors to enjoy a day out and get involved in activities.

The reason for running this event in spring (rather than previously in September) is to cover some of the longer walks it was not possible to do in late summer, when some pathways are too overgrown and difficult to negotiate. There will not be walks on every day because the event is designed with rest days.

This will enable folk to manage all walks and to gain from improving levels of fitness over the two weeks.

For further details visit: www.craigencalttrust.org.uk.