Local walking challenge set

Herefordshire and Worcestershire will run a free “Walk This May Challenge” from May 1 to May 14, asking residents to log miles through local community walks. (herefordshire.gov.uk) The 2026 challenge is being led by Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council. Organisers said people of “all ages and abilities” can take part. (worcestershire.gov.uk) The target is collective: walkers are being asked to see how many times they can cover 53 miles, the length of the border between the two counties, during the two-week event. (herefordshire.gov.uk) This year’s push follows a much bigger total in 2025, when participants across the two counties walked 4,723.18 miles. Councils said that worked out as 89 crossings of the 53-mile border. (worcestershire.gov.uk) The challenge is tied to National Walking Month, a United Kingdom campaign each May that promotes walking as daily exercise and local travel. Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire has framed the event as a way to get people outdoors and meeting others nearby. (activehw.co.uk) Organisers are also using the challenge to draw people into existing walking groups, including Herefordshire Wellbeing Walks and Worcestershire Health Walks. Earlier council information said those walks were designed to be free, guided and reachable on foot or by public transport. (herefordtimes.com) Stephen Brewster, chief executive of Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said in last year’s launch that the challenge was aimed at “regular walkers and new joiners” during May. This year’s council notices use the same pitch, urging residents to “lace up their walking shoes” and join in. (worcestershire.gov.uk) (herefordshire.gov.uk) The event opens on Thursday, May 1, and runs through Wednesday, May 14. Organisers are now trying to beat last year’s 4,700-mile mark with another fortnight of short local walks. (bbc.com) (yahoo.com)