LEGAL MATTERS - Walking tourism’s benefits

Could your town benefit from becoming a Walkers are Welcome accredited destination? It is an initiative that has helped many communities strengthen their local economy, enhance well-being and celebrate the natural assets that make their areas unique.
Across the UK, towns surrounded by attractive countryside, public rights of way, or open access land have seen the value of welcoming walkers. These visitors are not the traditional image of hikers with Thermos flasks and heavy boots, they are everyday people of all ages who enjoy outdoor activity and contribute significantly to the local economy.
Walkers shop in local stores, visit cafes, pubs and attractions, and often stay for weekends or short breaks in B&Bs, hotels, and holiday cottages.
As interest in health, well-being, and outdoor recreation grows, walking tourism has become one of the most accessible and sustainable forms of visitor economy development.
Walkers are Welcome is a nationwide, grassroots accreditation scheme set up in 2007. With more than 70 member towns and villages, it promotes destinations that actively support walkers and value their public path networks. Communities involved in the initiative typically enjoy:

•        increased visitor numbers

•        a stronger reputation as an outdoor destination

•        improved local facilities

•        positive health and well-being outcomes for residents and visitors

How could your town begin?

A typical provisional member creates a small steering group of local volunteers committed to improving walking opportunities and promoting the town. This could include members of walking groups, tourism businesses, volunteer organisations, local attractions, rangers and councillors.

There is a modest annual subscription based on population size, and towns work towards six straight-forward criteria:

1. Show community support – eg collecting signatures from 5% of residents and engaging local businesses.
2. Obtain formal council endorsement – usually through a council resolution and sometimes a small financial contribution.
3. Commit to maintaining the public path network – inspecting paths and reporting issues to appropriate authorities.
4. Ensure adequate marketing – such as press coverage, a website, waymarked walks and promotional materials.
5. Encourage public transport use – supporting sustainable access to reduce traffic pressure and maintain local services.
6. Put mechanisms in place to maintain the status – for example, a constitution, committee, and financial plan.

Each prospective town is assigned a national advisor to help guide them through the process, and members have access to a range of fact sheets.
Volunteers often find the work rewarding, building pride in their community while improving local amenities. Many towns go on to create websites, walking festivals, footpath maintenance groups, accessible routes, health walks, self-guided literature or downloads and even long-distance trails. The accreditation can also strengthen your voice when seeking support or funding for larger projects.

Whitchurch’s Walkers are Welcome – community story

By 2015, the effects of austerity and years of under-investment by absentee landlords had taken their toll on the historic town centre, which was beginning to look shabby and uncared for. Faced with the next round of budgetary cuts, Hampshire County Council declared that this was going to be the Decade of the Parish, in other words, look to yourselves.
In autumn 2014, one of the future steering group members had booked a few days walking, coincidentally in a Walkers are Welcome town similar to Whitchurch in terms of size, heritage and access to the countryside, but here the similarities ended because this town seemed to be on an upward trajectory. She resolved to find out more and discovered Walkers are Welcome listed as one of the community groups contributing to the aims of their National Landscape Management Plan.
Whitchurch, has a well-trodden path of ‘doing it for ourselves’ and the more they looked into the Walkers are Welcome scheme the more they were convinced that ‘we can do this’. This was a scheme they believed the community could really get behind.
In autumn 2015, following a successful local campaign, Whitchurch became the first Walkers are Welcome town in north Hampshire. This was where they started to bring about change but what to do first?
Every town’s priorities are different and the focus of Whitchurch was aimed at improving the rural economy by encouraging more people to visit the town, to support the independent shops, pubs and visitor attractions and for visitors to be able to explore the lesser-known north Hampshire countryside.
Getting Whitchurch ready involved establishing a steering group with links to other community groups and then drawing up a long term ‘vision’, looking at short-term and medium-term goals. Aims and objectives were aspirational, but also realistic and achievable, in other words, small cumulative gains, rather than trying to do everything at once. There’s no quick fix.
Demonstrating a commitment to the local countryside is one of the key criteria for accreditation and in Whitchurch, they were determined to keep the countryside rights of way fit for purpose. There is now an enthusiastic volunteer footpath maintenance group and a rolling programme of community litter picking, supported by Whitchurch Scouts. A mutually beneficial relationship has been developed with the management teams at Hampshire Countryside and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, as valued partners to their annual walking festival. Improving access, introducing new mapped walks, interpretation boards and a town tourism website… residents can see the progress.
To attract more visitors, it was recognised that there was a need to raise the profile by promoting unique selling points, heritage and and enviable location on the famous River Test chalk stream and as the Southern Gateway to the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Opening-up a dialogue with South Western Railways led to Whitchurch being listed on their website as a Top Destination.
The efforts of the Walkers are Welcome volunteers and local community has also inspired other projects; such as the historic shop fronts renovation project and Whitchurch in Bloom.

Chepstow and Walkers are Welcome, a perfect fit

Becoming a Walkers are Welcome town has made a huge difference to Chepstow in Monmouthshire. It’s brought the community together, encouraged people to get out and about, and attracted visitors who love exploring the town and its beautiful surroundings.
One of the biggest highlights is the annual walking festival, which brings walkers from across the UK and overseas. The festival has helped put Chepstow on the map as a friendly base for great walking experiences.
Another success has been Chepstow’s involvement in the GP Referral Scheme for Fit for Life, originally funded by the Welsh Government through Ramblers Cymru and rolled out to towns across Wales.
Five towns in Monmouthshire took part, but when the funding ended, Chepstow was the only one able to keep the scheme going. Thanks to being self-sustaining and able to cover its own insurance, the town carried on long after the official support stopped and has renamed itself Chepstow Walkers are Welcome, Walk for Health.
It’s a well-known fact that walking is good for you, giving people simple, enjoyable ways to boost their fitness and mental well-being. It also shows how powerful walking can be for preventative health and long-term lifestyle change. The social interaction along the way together with refreshments after the walks leads to many lonely people finding new friends particularly in later life.
The Walkers Are Welcome status has boosted community spirit and encouraged local groups to support each other, helping Chepstow grow as a welcoming destination for walkers of all ages. In turn, this has given a valuable boost to the local economy.

Kirkby Stephen – in an ideal position to benefit

Kirkby Stephen has a population of about 1,800 and a hinterland of Upper Eden, with 17 parishes totalling 5,000 residents.
They are at the centre of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast as well as many other long-distance trails, with lots of walking countryside of the Westmorland Dales and Open Access moorland, Howgills and lower-level River Eden valley walking. They have always had increasing amounts of walking visitors but were attracted to Walkers are Welcome accreditation as a way of advertising that they really did welcome walkers and wanted to improve that experience. Walkers had in the past had a bad press for contributing very little to the local economy so they wanted to change that image.
The town council endorsed the action and an exhibition was organised in conjunction with the Charter Fair and local walking facilities – baggage transport, clothing, walk leaflets, accommodation and tour guides were brought together to launch the idea and collect signatures of support, with a steering group brought together from various bodies.
Public rights of way monitoring was needed, so they produced a postcard system where walkers could report any problems.
Now, 16 years later weekly health walks take place, with longer leg stretchers and special walks throughout the year. Self-guided walks from historical town walks and blue plaques are also published. The Coast to Coast has become a National Trail, there is a new long-distance route with the Roof of England and another route is in the pipeline.
Most importantly the group works with so many organisations to help bring projects and funding to the area.

Read more case studies to inspire you, visit walkersarewelcome.org.uk/join/towns-history/

Every town and village has different reasons for joining Walkers are Welcome, with diverse objectives to meet their local needs but it is always inspirational to come together to share ideas and general encouragement to further the aims.
For support in exploring the scheme, more information is available on the walkersarewelcome.org.uk website, or email secretary@walkersarewelcome.org.uk with any questions.

Since 2012, Walkers are Welcome secretary Ann Sandell has been at the heart of the organisation’s journey. Over the years, governance has evolved – most notably with its formalisation as a Community Interest Company in 2015 – and new faces have joined the National Executive Committee and become directors.
Throughout these changes, the core principles and criteria that underpin Walkers are Welcome have remained steadfast, continuing to provide a reliable recipe for success.
Ann also plays a vital grassroots role as the voluntary chairman of Kirkby Stephen & District Walkers are Welcome in Cumbria. For Kirkby Stephen, walking isn’t just a pastime, it is part of the town’s identity. Ann will be delighted to hear from you and help with your journey. 

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Written by Ann Sandell, Secretary, Walkers are Welcome CIC
As appeared in Clerks & Councils Direct, May 2026
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