Festival of Walks 2026
June 1 - June 30
FOCS Walking Festival June 2026
You are invited to join our experienced walk leaders for a guided walk of their area. This has always been an important and enjoyable part of Federation Summer Festivals and we hope you will participate in this event.
FREE OF CHARGE, Please book with walk leader or online where stated
Please make your own provision for food and drink unless otherwise stated.
Monday 25th May (Whit Monday) 10 am: Penzance, Perambulating the Town’s 1614 boundary
Perambulate- to walk through, over, or about: pass through for the purpose of inspecting; survey the boundaries of a (parish)…
On Whit-Monday, a traditional Penzance OCS pilgrimage day, we will be perambulating the Town’s 1614 boundary.
This boundary is unusual as it was geometric, being half-a-mile radius from the Market Cross, not defined by natural features, roads or streams, as are most boundaries.
Starting bottom of Causewayhead – site of old Market Cross, at 10.00am, returning by 1.00pm.
The perambulation will be about 3.5 miles and visit all four existing boundary stones passing other historical sites and buildings en route.
Wherever possible we will be keeping to footpaths away from main roads.
As there will be a limit of 15 participants, please book your place by emailing penzanceoldcornwallsociety@gmail.com
As not everyone is comfortable with dogs, please do not bring your dog along.
Tuesday 2nd June: Torpoint River Front, Leader Tom Hardy
Start 1400hrs: Carbiele Mill, Torpoint (Meet at Football Club)
We will walk along the river side into town stopping to discuss all of the historic assets along the way.
Come and join us for this marvellous maritime meander!
Finish: Karkadia, Tamar Street for tea & coffee.
(Make your own way back to your car at your leisure)
Approx 1.5 miles (2 hours) Easy walking, no steep inclines.
Booking Essential: https://buytickets.at/federationofoldcornwallsocieties1/2175049
Wednesday 3rd June: Charlestown, Leader Lyndon Allen
Start: Church Gate, 7 pm. Easy walk mostly downhill.
Booking essential: alyndon03@gmail.com
Thursday 4th June: Rame Circular, Leader Mark Camp
A beautiful coastal walk led by an experienced guide. Come and join us for a marvellous maritime meander, as we explore this special part of Kernow. Start 1300hrs Rame Head car Park (w3w///pulse.snatched.outs) Approximately 4 miles (3 hours)
Booking Essential: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/federationofoldcornwallsocieties1/2173838
Friday 5th June: Gorran, Leader Michael Bunney
Meet 11am Barley Sheaf Car Park, Gorran. 4 miles around Gorran area and back to the Barley for refreshments.
Saturday 6th June: Looe, Leader, Mark Camp
Walk the Back Streets of Looe Start: The Lifeboat Station 2pm. Explore the narrow lanes that grew up betwixt sea and river in East Looe, clustered around the church of St Mary in the Marsh. Who lived here? What trades were carried out? …and were there really smugglers tunnels leading to the beach? Walk will last 1 hour 30 mins approx, all on level ground.
Sunday 7th June: Liskeard, Leader Brian Oldham
Fairly level town centre circular stroll of a mile and a quarter starting at the Fountain Monument on the Parade, with stops at thirteen substantial buildings to hear about who owned them, and the staff they employed, over 100 years ago. Meet at 2.30pm at the Fountain Monument on the Parade, Liskeard, PL146AH. Maximum of 25, no charge, dogs on leads welcome, please book with Brian via contactbrian@btinternet.com
Tuesday 9th June: Winston Graham and Perranporth led by Karin Easton
Guided walk of approx. 1 hour around Perranporth visiting places connected with Winston Graham author of the Poldark novels who lived for many years in Perranporth.
Meet at 11 am outside Perranzabuloe Museum Ponsmere Road, TR6 0BW Mostly on level pavements with the chance to leave towards the end before we climb up the road to Droskyn.
The Museum opens at 10.30 until 4.30 so there is chance to look around. There is a Winston Graham display inside. Stair lift for access. Limited parking outside. Nearest Pay and Display carpark at Wheal Leisure TR6 0EY about 5 minutes level walk away.
Tuesday 9th June: Kea Parish Tour
Meet at Kea Community Centre at 2 pm
Wednesday 10th June: Nare Head Circular, Leader Nev Meek
Meet: 1000hrs – National trust Kiberick Car Park (Nare head) w3w///quiz.gratuity.shaver
We will do the short circular walk around Nare Head, following the coastal path and the permissive path up the valley from Paradoe.
On our perambulation we will discuss the landsacape and any features of historical significance.
Distance: Approx 2 miles (Time: about 2 hours)
There is a downhill section to Paradoe. and a steady incline on the route back to the car park.
Stout footwear, suitable clothing, drinks, and sun cream are recommended.
We may pop over to the pub at Portloe for lunch after
Please let us know if you would like to join us: stgandpocs@gmail.com
Wednesday 10th June: Launceston, Leader Rob Tremain
The route will take us through the town and down to Newport and around, focusing on ancient sites and industrial history. For people who would like to attend with limited mobility (steep hill for the return to ascend), transport back up the hill to the car park can be arranged.
Booking essential: Email: kaymunn024@btinternet.com
Tel: 07476610655
Thursday 11th June: Padstow, `Shadows of the Rawlings Family`, Leader, Daphne Hicks
Meet at the Lawn Car park at 10:30am. This is a relatively short walk and with information stops will take about an hour and a half to two hours finishing at the Church.
Contact leader details -Daphne Hicks 01841 532202 Email: hicksdaphne60@gmail.com
Thursday 11th June 6.30pm, Leader, Adrian Wilson
A circular walk from the village of St. Dennis to the historic hamlets of Enniscaven and Gothers. Come and hear the story of St. Dennis parish from the Iron Age to the Industrial Age and how the parish changed from an agricultural one to the leading China Clay parish in Mid Cornwall. Listen to how the church was built inside a Dinas, and of the most important Tin Streaming works in Western Europe and much more.
Distance just under 3 miles, time around 1 1/2 hours, walk difficulty easy to moderate, walking on quiet lanes so good walk shoes should suffice, one steep downhill lane and one moderate gentle short climb.
Meet at St. Dennis Church, parking and toilets at the start of the walk with the kind permission of the Parochial Church Council
Contact details: Email adrianawilson49@gmail.com Tel 01726 890702. In case of poor weather please ring by 5.00 p.m. so that the weather situation can be assessed.
Saturday 13th June: Gool Goon Brenn – Walk: Guided Walk of Altarnun, Leader Peter Allen
Start: 1245hrs @ St Nonna’s Church
Itinerary:-
Church history overview including link to Daphne Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn, Rev Tripp and his family,
Packhorse Bridge, floods and the old ford
John Wesley and methodism
Neville Northey Burnard
Impact of the C19 mining boom
Early 19th century politics in the village
Altarnun’s 20th century decline and rebirth
Anecdotes about buildings including Church Hall, Village Hall, chapels, the mill demolished in 1960s etc
The walk will end up back at the Church gates.
Number limited to 12. Booking essential.
Book your free ticket: https://buytickets.at/federationofoldcornwallsocieties1/2174759
Saturday 13th June: St Ives, Talk and Walk, Leader Val Thomas
Start at Carbis Bay Memorial Hall which has parking until 5pm for 25+ cars
The morning start with refreshments at 10 am followed by a talk by Margaret Stevens about some of the many down’long pubs, taverns and Inns, approx. length 1 hour
You can leave cars to go to St Ives by bus, train, taxi, minibus or walking for lunch, pasties will be available to purchase at the hall.
In the afternoon there will be a guided walk, commencing at 2 pm of the same route as the talk before returning back to the Memorial Hall to collect cars before 5pm.
Contact email address: stivesoldcornwall@gmail.com
Monday 15th June 2 pm: Porthleven, Leader, David Henshaw
The walk will begin at the Bickford-Smith Institute (Clock tower) by the start of the pier and will proceed around the harbour and up on to the cliff top Wrestling Fields.
Along the way David will talk about the key buildings around the harbour and about the planning, construction and working life of the harbour itself. There are many points of interest and topics for discussion and the walk usually takes 2 hours (plus). The distance covered is only about 1.5 miles in total and is easy to moderate terrain. There is more emphasis on standing at given points rather than any strenuous walking.
Booking essential, contact henshawdavid@hotmail.com
Tuesday 16th June 10.30: ‘An hour at Amey’s Side’ @ Portreath, Leader, Jonny Davey
Meet: 11:45 for a 12:00 start @ Portreath Car Park
The objectives are to view all 6 of Lady Basset’s baths and the site of the original jetty with no doubt some other bits and bobs thrown in!
The lowest tide of the month is at 1:30pm so we will start at midday and view everything before the tide starts to flood. Easy walking and refreshments on hand. No booking required.
Friday 19th June 11 am: The Festival of Britain Plaques in St Ives, Leader, Tony Mason
A celebration of 75 years in 2026. The plaques (very special as Bernard Leach kiln shelves suitably engraved to identify keys areas of town), Alfred Wallis grave and a couple of Titanic graves and a sadly misrepresented AWOL soldier’s grave now corrected. Also a little about Emily Hobhouse and her impending 100th anniversary (plaques in town and she lived in St Ives as well as St Ive). Even the famous Green door of Instagram fame will be on route.
Start at 11am at train station and ending at the war memorial and a chance to see inside St Ia church (and the sad Hepworth sculpture of Madonna and Child) with a lovely/quiet coffee shop in the grounds of the church.
The walk will be led by the only Honorary Freeman of the Town, Tony Mason. There have only ever been 8 other Freeman, names like Bernard Leach and Barbara Hepworth.
If weather is poor on 19th, this walk will run on 26th. Booking essential as limited to 20 participants, Contact John Thornton, email john.thornton878@gmail.com
Saturday 20th June 2 pm: St Mawgan
Meet at the village car park
Thursday 25th June 2 pm – Cotehele
As a part of both the Festival of Walks (www.kernowgoth.org) and the Speak Cornish Week (www.speakcornish.com), a bilingual walk from the Quay carpark for a gentle amble along the banks of the Tamar
Contact Kathy Wallis, email rillaton@gmail.com
Thursday 25th June 6.30pm: Leader, Adrian Wilson
A walk around the village of Roche and out through Tregonhay, Carbis and Trezaise. Come and hear the history of the village which recent excavations show dates back at least 6,000 years, see the iconic Chapel perched 80 feet up on the rock, hear of tin streaming, tin mining, china clay working and brick making, our unique streams and the old road to Bodmin. Distance about 3 miles, time around 1 ½ hours, walk difficulty easy to moderate, no mud so good walking shoes will suffice. Walking on quiet lanes and hard sand footpaths. One half mile long gentle uphill gradient.
Meet at the Roche Social and Sports Club car park by kind permission of the Parish Council. The Social Club is at the start of Trezaise Road just along from Roche Parish Church. The public toilets will be open for the start of the walk. Contact details; Email adrianawilson49@gmail.com Tel 01726 890702. In case of poor weather please ring by 5.30 p.m.
Saturday 27th June 10.30am: Beating the Bounds of Par, Leader, Di Osborne
Start at the Gott Hall (limited parking) along the road, noting the history on the way, towards the beach, covering the harbour, industry, tide bell, wildlife plants and other points of interest as we walk across the beach and around the pond. Arriving back at the hall for a pasty lunch
Contact details – Di Osborne austrip2012@gmail.com Tel 07391 187723 Booking essential.
Saturday 27th June – Carharrack Area – Leader – Eric Rabjohns
Start from Mills Hall Car Park, moving off to walk around 1 1/2 miles fairly flat route which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Redruth Chacewater Railway. The walk will take 1 1/2 to 3 hours
Numbers are limited, so prebooking is essential. A suggested £2 donation to be made on the day, profits to local charity.
For more details and booking through Redruth Old Cornwall Society, please message Redruth OCS on Facebook
Monday 29th June Carharrack Area, Leader – Eric Rabjohns
(see Saturday 27th June for details)
Tuesday 30th June 7 pm: St Agnes, Leader, Roger Radcliffe
Meet at the Jubilee Garden overlooking Trevaunance Cove just before 7pm (there are 3 car parks to choose from, all within close walking distance of the cove). Nominal charge £2 for non-members, booking not necessary.
Roger will be leading us up the coombe, detailing its history; the gradient is uphill but very shallow and we will be stopping frequently for Roger to talk.
Tuesday 30th June 6.30 pm: Wadebridge, Leader, Andrew Langdon
Meeting Point: John Betjeman Centre, Southern Way, Wadebridge PL27 7BX
Maximum numbers – 16
Estimated Finish Time of Walk 8pm, followed by Refreshments at the John Betjeman Centre – Donations Welcome
Parking – there is a small amount of parking at the Centre. Other Car-Parks (Library and Jubilee) which are free after 6pm and no more than 5 mins walk from the start point.
To book. Email cerigoodfellow@gmail.com preferably no later than Sat 27th June.
