Waverley Countryside - Walks for Health

The Waverley Walks for Health scheme is part of Walking for Health (a national initiative led by Natural England). Regular organised walks are provided from four locations within Waverley.  All are led by volunteers, who have attended a Walks for Health training day, with back markers making sure that everyone completes the walk at a pace they find suitable. 

Best of all, the walks are FREE.

Our weekly health walks give you the opportunity to take regular exercise, enjoy your local environment and meet new people.

Designed to improve your health, our walks offer a safe and secure environment in which to walk with friendly and welcoming company. All you need to do is turn up in comfortable shoes and enjoy the walk!

• How long?  Most walks are 40-60 mins and are approximately 2 miles. Walks routes vary every week, but all are risk assessed first. Some locations offer a longer walk once every month.
• How fast? Walks take account of the pace of the slowest person, but the aim is for brisk walking to increase your heart rate and make you breathe a little faster than normal.
• What do I need?  Comfortable shoes, and suitable clothing - this is Britain!
• Who will be there?  Other people like you, who want to improve their health, enjoy some air and exercise, and meet other people.

Walk locations

Cranleigh

Every Wednesday and Saturday at 11am.  Meet at Cranleigh Leisure Centre.  Cranleigh walks tend to be slightly longer (40-90 mins and are from 2-4 miles long).  New walkers are recommended to start with the shorter walks.

Farnham

Every Tuesday at 10.30am.  Meet at Brightwell's Gostrey Centre, Dogflud Way.  Two walks are offered each week, including a shorter slower walk which still takes about 60 mins. A third faster longer walk is also offered on the last Tuesday of each month, for the more experienced walkers. Tea and coffee are available at the end of every walk (payable at the time), and on the last Tuesday of the month, all walkers are invited to come along to a  lunch at the Gostrey Centre (please bring money).

Godalming

Every* Thursday at 11am.  Meet opposite the entrance to the Council Offices car park beside the river (opposite The Burys Field). *A longer walk replaces the short walk on the first Thursday of each month; this includes a pub lunch (for which you will need to bring money). 

Haslemere

Every Tuesday at 2.30 pm, meet at Haslewey Community Centre.  Thursday walks leave at 1pm from the High Lane Community Centre. On Saturdays, walks start at 11am, from the Herons Leisure Centre.

New leaders wanted!

We always need new leaders. If you would like to become a voluntary leader (and/or back marker), try one of the walks first to see what they are like, and then contact us. You will be invited to attend one of the regular one-day training courses, where full training will be given locally. No previous experience is necessary, just a willingness to help and an enjoyment of walking which you would be willing to share with others. A sense of humour would be useful!

STOP PRESS: A new leader training course is being run on Tuesday, 05 July at the Herons Leisure Centre in Haslemere.  For further details, please contact countryside@waverley.gov.uk

This may be the last training course for some time, so if you have been considering being trained, now is your chance!

Contact us

Contact your local Leisure Centre for details on specific walks in your locality:

• Haslemere, The Herons  Tel: 01428 658484
• Godalming   Tel: 01483 417282
• Farnham      Tel: 01252 723208
• Cranleigh     Tel: 01483 274400

For general information about all walks in the scheme, please contact Nick Baxter (Walks for Health Contact)
Tel: 01483 523392
Email: countryside@waverley.gov.uk

Please note that phone calls may be recorded for training or monitoring purposes.

Page owner: Nick Baxter. Last updated: 29/11/2011 10:21