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The organisers of the annual Saffery Rotary Walk are encouraging everyone in the Bailiwick who can, to take a regular “Walk this May.”
May is National Walking Month and the theme this year is for people who are able to, to walk for 20 minutes each day. This message is being endorsed by the sponsors of the Saffery Rotary Walk because of the enormous health benefits that walking can bring.
Simon Milsted, the chair of the Saffery Rotary Walk’s organising committee says: “Walking is recognised as one of the best forms of exercise for people to take. It is absolutely natural and because it is weight bearing and a workout for the muscles and cardiovascular system, it’s a real health booster. It can be done as part of the daily commute, a trip to the shops, or as a leisure walk to get out and enjoy the Bailiwick’s beautiful environment.”
In addition to being National Walking Month, May is also the start of the Bailiwick’s Spring Walking Festival, (21 May – 5 June) which, like the Saffery Rotary Walk, is designed to attract both locals and visitors. More than 50 walks have been created by fully accredited local tour guides to take in the beauty and history of the Bailiwick. They vary in terrain and difficulty, but all are led by accredited guides who will intersperse the walking with interesting facts and paint pictures of the deeper history of the places passed along the way. Brochures are available at the Tourist Information Centre and there are full details online, including how to reserve a space.
If the chance to walk in May has whetted your appetite, then there is still time to book a place on the Saffery Rotary Walk, which takes place on Saturday 11th June. It’s a glorious circumnavigation of Guernsey, beginning early in the morning in St Peter Port and taking in the full length of the stunning south coast cliffs, before heading west at Pleinmont and routing around the west coast bays and their rocky outcrops before the final leg in the north and back into Town.
Simon Milsted says: “The theme this year is Welcome Back, and my organising committee wants to welcome walkers old and new to the delights of the Saffery Rotary round the island walk. It really is a glorious day out as well as a physical achievement to complete the 39 miles all in one day, with lots of initial ups and downs. But it’s very sociable, there are rest stops and chances to refuel and get water all laid on, and there’s no need to rush. So, if you’re tempted, I can absolutely recommend joining in. Plus, we offer the chance to take part as a family, or, for those who want to walk a part of the distance, as a member of a relay team.”
The Saffery Rotary Walk raises money for local charities and good causes and this year 17 have been chosen, ranging from medical and social support to sports, housing and culture. This means that as well as taking part, people have to get sponsorship. To date, more than £850,000 has been donated to local charities, and it’s hoped that 2022 will be a record breaker both in terms of participants and money raised.
The organising committee would like to make special mention of the sponsors, Saffery Champness, whose generosity in organising all aspects of the walk, enables every penny raised by participants to be donated to charity. To sign up for the walk, go to: safferyrotarywalk.org.gg
