This year’s Deal Walking Festival will be the biggest and best yet. The six-day event, now in its fifth year, is being launched at Deal Castle on Thursday, August 22 and will run until Wednesday, August 28.

In the past it has been run by Alan Sutton of Walmer, who organises the Happy Walkers group. The festival was an important part of Deal meeting the criteria to get the prestigious Walkers Are Welcome status, the first town in the south of England to do so.

Other things included getting the support of the local authority – in this case Deal Town Council – for walking, and getting plenty of pubs, guest houses and restaurants to demonstrate that they welcome walkers.

Alan has now handed over the festival to the White Cliffs Ramblers, the branch of the national ramblers organisation which covers east Kent.

The White Cliffs Ramblers was founded in Deal in 1989 and has worked hard to expand this year’s festival, with 23 walks planned ranging from two to 18 miles.

The programme includes health walks, historical and special interest walks, walks for the disabled, a walk about the smugglers of Deal, a treasure trail for families plus a walk about the wildlife in and around the town.

There’s also the 18-mile Three Pits Walk – visiting the sites of the three coal mines of Betteshanger, Tilmanstone and Snowdown; a 14-mile stretch of the Timeball and Telegraph Trail – a 103-mile long distance path devised by keen walker Peter Jull, which links the timeballs of Deal and Greenwich and an evening walk to Dover ending with fish and chips.

Several walks involve taking buses from Deal and then walking back.

White Cliffs Ramblers chairman Margaret Lubbock said: “We hope the programme will meet the needs of local walkers and visitors to Deal, whether their need is for a demanding yomp or a leisurely interest stroll. The festival will have walks for all abilities, so even if you have never walked with a group of people, please come along. It promises to be a great few days.”

The Deal Walking Festival runs from Thursday, August 22 to Wednesday, August 28.
For a full programme of walks visit www.dealwalkingfestival.org.uk. Leaflets will also be available at tourist information centres, libraries and other outlets throughout Kent