Canals walk is part of festival

TRANSPORT for Greater Manchester has reiterated its organisational commitment to active travel with a special Castleton and canals walk as part of the GM Walking Festival.

More than 350 walking and wheeling events are taking place across the city region as the hugely popular Greater Manchester (GM)

Walking Festival returns this month, to align with National Walking Month.

Transport for Greater Manchester is leading an Exploring Castleton and its canals walk on Thursday, May 16, at 6pm from Castleton Railway Station.

The walk will also showcase how the recent improvements to local infrastructure supports people to make more safer walking and cycling journeys.

The infrastructure forms part of a Greater Manchester vision to build the UK’S largest walking, wheeling, and cycling network, one which is fully integrated with the Bee Network.

It’s estimated that more than 200 million car journeys in the city region are less than 1km, with this month’s festival giving Rochdale residents the chance to leave their vehicle at home and explore their local area.

Community groups, walking groups, charities, and many others are putting on free, group-led walks throughout the month alongside Greater

Manchester Walking.

With hundreds of different group walks to choose from, you can search on the GM Walking Festival website for walks based on distance or grading, proximity to public transport, accessibility by wheelchair, buggyfriendly walks, and routes close to cafes and pubs.

Louise Robbins, Strategic Lead GM Walking, said: “This May we’re encouraging everyone to get walking and wheeling and explore their local area, discovering new places to walk, socialise, and have fun by moving more regularly.

“GM Walking supports everyone to walk regularly in their neighbourhoods and we hope to inspire everyone to do a little bit more by taking part in this year’s festivities.

“We’re lucky to live in such a beautiful region enjoying the great outdoors is just one of many reasons people may wish to get walking this month.

“There’s also the amazing mental wellbeing benefits; better sleep, relieving stress, and building new friendships and connections through group walks.”

Everyone is invited to the GM Walking Festival and you can discover the full programme of free, group-led walking and wheeling events on the GM Walking website at gmwalking.co.uk/ festival-routes/