Sunday 8 December 2013

Teva Walking Boots

Win a pair of Teva Trail Winter Walking Boots

Read my Teva Chair 5 Trail Walking Boots Review and enter my competition to win a pair of mens or ladies walking boots - Teva Trail Winter Walking Boots

The Teva Chair 5 offer superior comfort and fit with ultra gripping White Spider Rubber soles and removable liners. The Teva Chair 5 winter walking boots come with 250g of 3M Thinsulate insulation removable liners that are also great for indoor use. The waterproof outer shell is made with fully sealed seams and the sole is made from their White Spider Rubber, which has a reassuring 'stickiness' to it that gives a really superior grip. The Chair 5 also scrunches down to the size of a normal pair of shoes so fit easily into a rucksack without taking up as much room as a normal pair of walking boots.

ENTER COMPETITION HERE

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Sunday 1 December 2013

Winter walks in the south

Winter Walks In London And The South East

If you are looking for the best coastal paths, inland countryside tracks and winter walks in London and the South East then check out this list that I found on the National Trust website. I've also added some of my own recommended walking routes.

Epping Forest Warlies Walk

This is an easy 3 mile circular walking route in Epping Forest around Warlies Park House and Gardens

Character Farm Cottages Langton Herring

The Character Farm Cottages Langton Herring near Weymouth Dorset offers the perfect rural walking holiday retreat for walkers to enjoy easy access to the coast or inland hills.

Keep your feet warm this winter

The new SOLE Insulated Response footbeds are recommended for winter boots, hiking shoes and mountaineering boots. They'll help your posture and keep your feet warm this winter.

And something to plan for next year... Walk Scilly 2014 is a 7 day walking festival offering a series of themed walks across the islands' 60 miles of pathways from the 12th to 18th April. 


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Friday 22 November 2013

Win Walking Shoes

Win A Pair of Walking Shoes

Want to win a pair of Thor walking shoes (or ladies equivalent)?

Here's how:

Simply sign up to receive our email updates here and I will pick a winner at random to win a pair of Thor walking shoes on December 1st 2013. Want to INCREASE your chances to win? Simply follow Walks And Walking on Twitter and look out for the competition tweets

DickiesStore Christmas Gift Guide

The end of the year is fast approaching, bringing with it cold weather, winter holidays and, of course Christmas. Avoid the jam-packed shopping centres and last minute gift buying by ordering online from Dickiesstore.co.uk!

The Festival of Winter Walks

The Festival of Winter Walks is between 21 December 2013 to 05 January 2014 and has been running for the last 25 years. There are 954 walking routes available so you're sure to find a Ramblers walk near you during the festival if you use the Group Walks Finder.

Winter Walking Holiday Austria

Within easy access of Innsbruck airport, Tyrol is home to an abundance of varied Winter Walking Holiday Austria paths in quiet picturesque valleys. 

Mountain Warehouse Waterproof Walking Jackets

With the winter months soon approaching and the autumn chills already setting in now is a very good time to start considering purchasing a coat from the new range of Mountain Warehouse Waterproof Walking Jackets.

Winter Walks in Epping Forest

With animal welfare, wildlife management, forestry management and natural grazing projects at its heart, Epping Forest continues to offer the young and the old an opportunity to glimpse wilderness on their doorstep whilst offering a range of outdoor activities and even a few that are usually found inside.

The parks and open spaces that make up the 6,5000 acres of Epping Forest and its wide and all inclusive land is open to cyclists, horse riding and hikers of all ages and what better way than to engage one of many Epping Forest walks and cycle routes.

There are many ways you can partake in Epping Forest Walks, aside from the guided tours and venturing out into the plains, woods and navigating your own way around Epping Forest, There are organised Epping Forest Health Walks on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a Centenary walk in mid September.

Epping Forest Centenary Walk - This Epping Forest Centenary Walk includes a map and descriptive walking route for this popular annual walk organised by the Friends of Epping Forest.



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Sunday 3 November 2013

Weymouth Walks

Character Farm Cottages Langton Herring Weymouth

Weymouth is an absolute haven for anyone looking for a walking holiday in Dorset. We had the immense pleasure of staying at Character Farm Cottages Langton Herring, just outside of Weymouth, which was off-the-beaten-track enough to enjoy a truly rural retreat but only 15 minutes or so drive to all of the main sightseeing attractions and walking routes.

Hardys Monument Dorchester

An enjoyable 8 mile circular Dorset walk from Martinstown near Dorchester to Hardys Monument  walking route and Maiden Castle. 

Langton Herring Walking Route

Easy 3 mile circular Langton Herring Walking Route from Lower Farm Cottages to the Fleet Lagoon Nature Reserve and back via the Elm Tree Inn. 

Abbotsbury Walking Route

This is an 8 mile circular walking route from our base at Lower Farm Cottages in Langton Herring near Weymouth up to Abbotsbury and a good look around Abbey Barn and Tythe, St Catherines Chapel and St Peters Abbey before heading back along the various Dorset country lanes to Langton Herring.


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Thursday 31 October 2013

Ideas for good walks

1. South Downs National Park Walks

Walking in the South Downs is incredibly easy – with a series of new walking and cycling leaflets that show routes for walking and cycling that are designed to link up to public transport in and around the park. The South Downs National Park has over 3,000 kilometres of Rights of Way for you to walk on. With the South Downs Way, a National Trail stretching the entire length of the National Park, as well as many Country Parks, woodlands and other countryside sites there are routes to suit everyone.

2. Top 5 Northamptonshire Walks

Includes Brixworth Walk NorthamptonshireCastle Ashby Walk NorthamptonshireCottesbrooke Hall and GardensNorthampton WalkWhilton Locks Walk Northamptonshire and Winwick Walk Northamptonshire all accessible from the centre of Northampton.

Hatfield Forest is one of the best areas to visit in the UK for ancient trees and meadows of a Medieval Royal Hunting Lodge and is situated in Takeley, Bishop's Stortford on the borders of Hertfordshire and Essex. Hatfield Forest is free to visit although if you park in the car park there is a small charge.

As with nearby Epping Forest, if you are lucky you will get to see fallow deer grazing amongst this historical and ecologically important Site of Specific Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve. Hatfield Forest covers around 400 hectares of ancient woodland, grassland and magnificent pollarded trees, along with 2 ornamental lakes, stream and marsh and a unique 18th century Georgian Shell House decorated with all kinds of flints and shells.

There are activities for the family all year round and it's the perfect place to take children. You can pick up a leaflet from the car park or shop which includes 2 walking routes of roughly the same length, at just over 1.75 miles; the Forest Walk and the Tree Walk. If you're looking for something a little longer then you can try this Hatfield Forest Walk that I completed with the family a few weeks ago or even this 7 mile Hatfield Forest Walk I found on Google Maps. For the latest membership offers you can visit the National Trust here.

4. Cotton Traders Walking Guide 

Here's a recommended bunch of walks from Cotton Traders and their best walks for the weekend and if you suffer from sore feet then you might want to try these SOLE Insulated Response Footbeds


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Saturday 12 October 2013

October Walks

Autumn To Winter Epping Forest Walks

Epping Forest is amazing all year round but autumn walks in Epping Forest are particularly wonderful with the vibrant green, brown and golden colours in this ancient and very well maintained woodland. The autumn to winter period also gives better visibility through the denser areas for spotting the Fallow Deer when going on long walks in Epping Forest

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Hertfordshire Walks Hatfield Forest Walks

Hatfield Forest is the perfect area to visit to explore ancient trees and meadows of a Medieval Royal Hunting Forest, and is owned and operated by the National Trust. This is a great place in Hertfordshire for walks and has a few way marked walking routes that are easy to follow, both of which are quite an easy 1.7 miles long. Hatfield Forest is at the end of the Forest Way from Epping Forest and also sits along a section of the Flitch Way, 5 minutes from the M11 in Takely, Bishops Stortford.

Get the full route here

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Epping Forest Bell Common Walking Route

The general idea for today was to go back out to Cobbins Brook, where I saw some of the Epping Forest Fallow Deer a few weeks ago, and take the Canon EOS 100D camera with me to test it out again and get some good pictures.

I started at Epping Forest London Underground Station and headed up to the High Road at Bell Common before joining the yellow Essex Ramblers Way Markers to Copped Hall where I walked up to Cobbins Brook and back. This walk took me just over 2 hours and covered just over 6 miles.

Find the full walking route here Epping Forest Bell Common Walking Route

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Another interesting place to walk is Westonbirt.

Here is a selection of the Westonbirt Arboretum Walks that are available in the autumn as well as some lovely photographs of what their trees look like.

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Scotland Walks
Walks in the Cairngorms Scotland - A midsummer walk up Carn Ban Mor by Jo Woolf, freelance writer and editor with a lifelong interest in the natural world. More here http://www.walksandwalking.com/


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Saturday 28 September 2013

Autumn Walking Festivals

Autumn Winter Walking Festivals 2013

September is the last big month in the walking festival calendar so here is a list of ones you can still attend this weekend as well as the others that are happening this autumn and winter. I found this list on the ViewRanger website and it also shows all of the walking festivals for 2013 so while you've missed most of them you can check all the links here to start planning for next year. You don't need a walking festival to get outdoors and walk your favourite routes, like I have done with my Epping Forest walks, but if you like the company then why not try out some of these ones. You can view all of my ViewRanger walks here.

National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks

Walks And Walking - National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks - Amazing walks only accessible by foot recently made available to the public by the National Trust. Each one of the National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks can only be accessed by foot. I often find the best hidden treasures on any walking route take a little bit of effort to get to. The list has been carefully selected by National Trust experts who wanted to showcase walks that offered a unique experience whether a hidden viewpoint, newly accessible coastal paths or the story of an old legend to encourage walkers to explore and share the many special places the National Trust looks after. Read more here National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks



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Wednesday 25 September 2013

Walk London

Walk London Autumn Ambles Walking Weekend - The Walk London Autumn Ambles Walking Weekend is an annual walking event in London that includes 36 unique walking routes over a 2 day period. This year the Walk London Autumn Ambles Walking Weekend is on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September 2013. More here Walk London Autumn Ambles Walking Weekend 

Looking for more walks? Try this one: Bell Common Walk. One of my recent Essex Walks - A 6 mile circular walking route in Epping Forest to Bell Common from Epping Station. 

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Sunday 22 September 2013

Secret Walks

National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks

Walks And Walking - National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks - Amazing walks only accessible by foot recently made available to the public by the National Trust. Read more here National Trust Top 10 Secret Walks

Each one of the National Trust top 10 secret walks can only be accessed by foot. I often find the best hidden treasures on any walking route take a little bit of effort to get to. The list has been carefully selected by National Trust experts who wanted to showcase walks that offered a unique experience whether a hidden viewpoint, newly accessible coastal paths or the story of an old legend to encourage walkers to explore and share the many special places the National Trust looks after.

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Friday 20 September 2013

Autumn Walking

Epping Forest – The best walks and walking routes in Epping Forest

This is a simple to follow guide to over 40 of the best walks andwalking routes in Epping Forest, including easy short walks, family walks and good long walks.

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Epping Forest Centenary Walk

The Epping Forest Centenary Walk celebrates the passing of the Epping Forest Act of 1878 whereby Epping Forest was declared a Public Open Space.

Get the full walking route here http://www.walksandwalking.com/2013/09/walks-walking-epping-forest-centenary-walk/

Get over 40 Epping Forest Walks here  http://www.walksandwalking.com/epping-forest/

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MacWet Gloves reviewed

Long Cuff Climatec MacWet Gloves Sports Gloves Review - all grip, no slip, moisture management, easy wear and easy care walking MacWet Gloves

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Gift Your Gear launches nationwide collection event

Do you have any spare walking bootswalking jacketswalking trousers or general walking accessories? Why not Gift Your Gear?

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Lake District Walks

5 amazing Lake District Walks - a personal guide by Nick Stuart including Blencathra, Bowfell, Dow Crag, Pillar and Great Gable walking routes with photos. More here http://www.walksandwalking.com/

Read the full article here Lake District Walks

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*Epping Forest*

Epping Forest is an ancient historic forest #woodland in Essex where there are plenty of beautiful attractions, walks, things to see, places to eat and stay. Clickhere 

*Walks in Epping Forest*

This is a simple to follow guide to over 40 of the best walks in Epping Forest, including easy short walks, family walks and good long walks. Click here.

*Walks in Essex*

Nearly 60 walks in Essex with maps and directions, including circular walks, easy short walks and day long hikes. Click here.

*About Walks And Walking*

Hundreds of UK walks with step-by-step descriptive guides, photographs and maps. I hope you enjoy the walking routes as much as I have and find my reviews of walking clothes, walking boots and walking accessories valuable. Visit Walks And Walking.

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Downloadable Walks in Hampshire and Isle of Wight

The National Trust are now offering downloadable Walks in Hampshire and Isle of Wight in the 'Visit - Local To You - London and South East' section of their website which you can find when you click on the National Trust banner here.

There are approximately 20 Isle of Wight walks ranging from a mile or so up to around 8 mile walking routes in this glorious Hampshire countryside. One of the walking routes that really stood out for me was the Tennyson Down walk which I did a year or so ago - probably one of the loveliest walks I've ever done. I was on my own, it was a gorgeous day and the route was easy to follow and a good balance of terrain, few steep climbs but nothing of a challenge, not very muddy and offering amazing 360 views of the island.

Click here for Downloadable Walks in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

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Walking Holidays Amsterdam

A guide to walking holidays in Amsterdam including walking tours, off the beaten track places to visit and plenty of options for cheap hotels in Amsterdam. More here http://www.walksandwalking.com/

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Epping Forest Gateway

Essex Walks - two family circular walking routes from the Epping Forest Gateway at The View in Chingford - The Holly Trail and The Willow Trail. More here.

Get both routes here Epping Forest Gateway

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The Times Exploring Britain's Lost Railways

Walks And Walking - The Times Exploring Britain's Lost Railways Book Review including a competition to win a free copy of the book. Win a copy of the book here The Times Exploring Britain's Lost Railways

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 Walking Accessories

A practical guide on what to wear walking with information about walking accessories, walking aids, walking poles, rucksacks, child carriers and gaiters. More here.

Read this quick guide here Walking Accessories

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Walking Clothes

A practical guide on what to wear walking with information about walking clothes, waterproof jackets, sensible layers and walking trousers. More here.

Find out what to wear walking here: Walking Clothes

Sunday 8 September 2013

Epping In Essex

*Epping Forest*

Epping Forest is an ancient historic forest #woodland in Essex where there are plenty of beautiful attractions, walks, things to see, places to eat and stay. Click here 

*Walks in Epping Forest*

This is a simple to follow guide to over 40 of the best walks in Epping Forest, including easy short walks, family walks and good long walks. Click here.

*Walks in Essex*

Nearly 60 walks in Essex with maps and directions, including circular walks, easy short walks and day long hikes. Click here.

*About Walks And Walking*

Hundreds of UK walks with step-by-step descriptive guides, photographs and maps. I hope you enjoy the walking routes as much as I have and find my reviews of walking clothes, walking boots and walking accessories valuable. Visit Walks And Walking.

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Saturday 31 August 2013

September Walking Festivals

List of Walking Festivals for 2013

Have a blast and enjoy the great outdoors at more than 100 events and walks on a wide range of themes during the Walking Festivals calendar. Walking Festivals are the perfect way to promote all that is great about walking. They offer the opportunity to get together with friends and family and really enjoy the outdoors.

Here is the Walks And Walking guide to Walking Festivals - this list will be updated every year and as often as possible - if you have any Walking Festivals you would like to add then please contact Walks And Walking through their FacebookTwitter or Google+ pages.

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September Walking Festivals

Here are two walking festivals taking place in September.

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Corwen Walking Festival 2013

Corwen Walking Festival 2013 - 31st August & 1st September - inc. Caer Drewyn iron age hillfort in the valley of the Afon Dyfrdwy, Denbighshire in Wales. More walks here.

Get the full details here Corwen Walking Festival 2013

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The Yorkshire Wolds Walking and Outdoors Festival - 14th - 22nd September 2013

Walkers looking for spectacular scenery, welcoming towns and walking routes to suit all abilities already know that the Yorkshire Wolds boasts some of the most beautiful walks in the country.

Get the full details here The Yorkshire Wolds Walking and Outdoors Festival

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MacWet Sports Walking Gloves Review

All grip, no slip. That is the mission statement of these fantastic MacWet Sports Climatec long cuff sports gloves. For walking and hiking where a good grip enhances your performance wear these maximum grip Macwet gloves. 

Read the full review here 

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Dickies Medway Walking Boots

Dickies Walking Boots review of the Medway SS S3 BT - PLUS win a free pair of Dickies hiking boots! Enter here.

I've got 2 pairs of walking boots in my fleet, Salomon Quest GTX and Scarpa SL Activ. The Salomon walking boots are for short walks in dry weather, as their grip isn't very good, and the Scarpa walking boots are for my long hikes in any weather. So, I was really interested to see how the Dickies walking boots compared to my others.

Read the full review here Dickies Medway Walking Boots

Sunday 25 August 2013

Summer round up

Epping Forest Summer Walks

This is a simple to follow guide to over 40 of the best walks and walking routes in Epping Forest, including easy short walks, family walks and good long walks.

Click on the link for the latest Epping Forest Map 2012 with up to date news, visitor centre details and information on Epping Forest walking routes

There is also a very good Epping Forest walking map available at the Epping Forest shop at the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge in Chingford so that you can plan your own special walking routes in and around the ancient royal hunting grounds of Epping Forest

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Click here for Camping in Epping Forest.

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Cobbins Walk

Essex Walks - A 4 mile Epping Forest Cobbins Brook circular walking route from Upshire. More here 

Get the full route here Cobbins Walk

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Beech Trail

Essex Walks - A classic family walk in Epping Forest following The Beech Trail High Beach walking route for about 2 miles of well maintained tracks. More walks here.

Get the full route here Beech Trail

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Two short family circular Essex walking routes from the Epping Forest Gateway at The View in Chingford - The Holly Trail and The Willow Trail

Read more here Epping Forest Gateway

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Leytonstone Walk

Essex Walks - A classic family walk in Epping Forest following The Lime Tree Trail Leytonstone walking route for about a mile of well maintained tracks. More walks here 

Get the full Epping Forest walk here Leytonstone Walk

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Hornbeam Trail Epping Forest

Essex Walks - A classic family walk in Epping Forest following The Hornbeam Trail Snaresbrook walking route for 3 miles of well maintained tracks. More walks like this here.

Find the full walking route here Hornbeam Trail Epping Forest

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Way Marked Trails in Epping Forest 

Epping Forest  - Way Marked Trails in Epping Forest  has plenty of beautiful scenic attractions, walks, trails, outdoor activities, things to see, places to eat and places to stay. The City of London, who manage the Epping Forest estate, have been working with the Heritage Lottery Fund provided by the National Lottery to create a series of Way Marked Trails in Epping Forest
 
Following the distinctive 'green arrows' the aim is to make walking in Epping Forest more inviting and accessible for walkers of all abilities, families with children or seniors, and anyone else looking to explore this magical ancient royal hunting woodland forest.
 

1. Click here for the Willow Trail Walk which is a simple 3 mile classic family circular walk around Connaught Water.

2. Click here for the Holly Trail Walk which is another simple 3 mile classic family circular walk around Chingford Plain.

3. Click here for the Lime Tree Trail Walk which is a lovely family 1 mile walk in Leytonstone starting at Harrow Road Sports Pavillion.

4. Click here for the Oak Trail Walk which is a gentle 7 mile circular walk to the deer sanctuary and Ambresbury Banks starting in Theydon Bois.

5. Click here for the Hornbeam Trail Walk which is a short 3 mile Epping Forest family walk starting in Snaresbrook at Eagle Ponds.

6. Click here for the Chestnut Trail Walk which is a simple 4 mile classic family circular walk starting in Wanstead Park.

You can download the official Way Marked Trails in Epping Forest here, where you can also find out more information about the City of London and the great work they are doing for maintaining and preserving Epping Forest.

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Walking GPS Garmin Oregon 600 GB Discoverer 1:50k Bundle

Best deals and product review of the Ordnance Survey Walking GPS Garmin Oregon 600 GB Discoverer 1:50k Bundle. More here http://www.walksandwalking.com/

Sunday 11 August 2013

Canon EOS 100D Camera Review

Canon EOS 100D Camera Review

The perfect camera for walkers to capture stunning images at the click of a button - Reviewed by Walks And Walking.

The EOS 100D offers a range of simple controls and a helpful in-camera feature guide which makes it easy to use, even for beginners like me. It's a great option for those looking for the quality of a DSLR but without the bulk normally associated with a larger camera – making it the perfect travel companion for walkers on any walking routes. It also features a range of easy-to-use shooting modes, creative filters and a large touch screen so it's really simple to adjust settings and capture stunning images with ease.

Click here for the full review.