People of all ages from across North Somerset are being urged to take part in a brand new walking festival.

The North Somerset Walk Fest is organised by North Somerset Council’s Better Health team in collaboration with Age UK Somerset.

It is part of the National Walking Month celebrations taking place in May.

This event promises a blend of free activities and several challenges to engage everyone.

The principal aim of the initiative is to encourage more people to adopt walking as a regular healthy habit, along with promoting social connections and enjoyment.

Cllr Jenna Ho Marris, North Somerset Council’s executive member for public health, said: "We’re committed to tackling health inequalities and helping people across North Somerset enjoy better health.

"National Walking Month is a great opportunity to do that and with the launch of North Somerset Walk Fest, this year is going to be bigger and better than ever!"

She stated that walking is an excellent way to enhance both mental and physical well-being, adding: "There are lots of opportunities to enjoy walking in North Somerset", and highlighted the various options available - from organised walking groups to family walks in open spaces.

Weston Mercury: The North Somerset Walk Fest is organised by North Somerset Council’s Better Health team

Ms Marris believes that, beyond health benefits, walking can be a great way to explore local areas and discover services and sites.

She encouraged people to participate in the walking festival to fully appreciate the surroundings of North Somerset.

The festival programme, loaded with information about walks and events happening daily in May, can be obtained from local libraries for free or downloaded from the Better Health North Somerset website.

The scheduled activities range from guided walks and walking sports to networking walks.

All events note their suitability for individuals with varying abilities and requirements.

Several 'walking cafes' are supporting the fest with local walking route maps and special offers for participants.

The website also includes a list of walking groups that people can join and a variety of mapped walking routes across North Somerset, including accessible routes for limited mobility individuals.

In an additional promotion for participation, those who complete a short survey stand a chance to win a £50 voucher from Outdoors and Active.

More information on the North Somerset Walk Fest is available on www.n-somerset.gov.uk/nswalkfest or by calling the Better Health Team on 01275 882 730.