THE Big Wigan Walk Week is set to be the biggest yet.
The annual walking festival will take place from Saturday, May 24, to Sunday, June 1, and will feature more than 55 free events.
The third annual festival will include walks such as the Top Lock Canal History Walk, a stroll around Wigan Flashes with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and the Uncle Joe’s Mint Ball Trail.
There will also be new walks including an early morning Sunrise Walk from Robin Park, an Evening Wander in Borsdane Wood, and a trek along the Community Rail Trail from Wigan to Hindley.
Councillor Chris Ready, Wigan Council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: "Last year’s Big Wigan Walk Week was an incredible event with more than 400 walkers joining us across the nine days – and this year promises to be bigger and better still, with even more organised group walks to choose from.
"There are history trails celebrating our rich industrial heritage and nature walks where you can explore and learn more about the world around you.
"Many of the walks are short and easy going, while others present more of a challenge; so there really is something for everyone.
"The really great thing about the Big Wigan Walk Week is the amazing sense of community, with people coming together from all over the borough and beyond to be active in the fresh air and enjoy the sights and sounds of spring."
The event is organised by the council’s Be Well service.
It will coincide with the final week of National Walking Month and the GM Walking Festival.
The festival will begin with a Bee Network Canal Walk along the improved towpaths between Wigan and Appley Bridge.
On Thursday, May 29, the ‘Mint Ball Trail’ will tell the story of one of Wigan’s most famous exports – the Uncle Joe’s Mint Ball.
The festival will culminate on Sunday, June 1, with the ‘New Wigan Way’ – a nine-mile circular walk encompassing Wigan’s past, present, and future.
For more information, go online.
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