Kirkcaldy Walking Festival a step in the right direction!

9 days. 14 walks. 13 organisations. 230 people. 41 miles. An average temperature of 18°. 69,000 calories burned (based on an average of 100 calories burned per mile – source: British Heart Foundation with 230 people walking an average of 3 miles).

The first ever Kirkcaldy Walking Festival took place between 14th and 22nd July, bringing together organisations from around Kirkcaldy to run walks in the local area. Part of our Gear Change to Tackle Climate Change project funded by the Climate Challenge Fund, the festival aimed to encourage people to walk in their local community, get active and bring people together to enjoy different aspects of Kirkcaldy and Dysart.

Not only is it healthy to walk, but it is also better for the environment. The average vehicle emits about 404 grams of CO₂ per mile (source: US Environmental Protection Agency) With 230 people walking an average of 3 miles during the festival, that’s about 280kg of CO₂ saved if we had each used our cars to travel instead of walking.

But it’s not all about numbers. The community spirit of Kirkcaldy was evident with walks organised by local groups – Bennochy Walkers, Kirkcaldy Walking Football, Pole O Rama, Nordic Walking with Judith Frame, Langtoun Tots Baby and Toddler Group, Walk On, Bums off Seats, Active Fife, Greener Kirkcaldy, Linton Lane Centre, Kirkcaldy Civic Society, Clued-up, Beveridge Park Group and Fife Council’s Walk a Mile with See Me.

And of course, everyone who came along to walk together! The happy faces of the walkers say it all!

If you would like to keep walking then there are a range of regular walks in Kirkcaldy:

Monthly Monday Lunchtime Walks and Saturday morning Wild Walks with Greener Kirkcaldy

Walk On at Kirkcaldy Galleries on Wednesdays at 10.15am (book on 01592 583206)

Bums off Seats with Active Fife on Wednesdays at 1.15pm, meeting at the lorry park on the Esplanade.

Bennochy Walkers dates of the next walks can be found on the Bennochy Church website: http://www.bennochyparishchurch.org.uk

Nordic Walking with Judith Frame (e-mail judithframe@icloud.com)

Self-guided quiz in Beveridge Park – collect the quiz sheets from the burger van between 11am and 4pm every day.

Kirkcaldy Walking Football Club (e-mail kevinritchie@blueyonder.co.uk)