The following towns currently have Walkers are Welcome status:

Hebden Bridge
Moffat
Dumfries and Galloway
Prestatyn & Meliden North Wales coast
Mytholmroyd
West Yorkshire
Church Stretton Shropshire
Market Weighton,
E Yorks
Kilsyth
Lanarkshire
Pentrefoelas
Bishop's Castle, Shropshire
Richmond,
North Yorks
Otley, West Yorkshire
Cilgerran,
Pembrokeshire
Martley, Worcs
Tadcaster
Rhuddlan
Haltwhistle
Llanfairfechan
Penmaenmawr
Kirkby Stephen
Holywell
Deal
Malvern
Kingsbridge
Llangollen
Leyburn
Pickering
Llandrindod Wells
Winchcombe, Glos
Ross-on-Wye
Ilkley
Llandysul & Pont Tyweli
Wiveliscombe
Newton Stewart
Huntly
Pateley Bridge
Corby
Tomintoul
Chesham
Marsden
Bradfield
Cleobury Mortimer
Dunster
Hayle, Cornwall
Kirkintilloch
Longborough, Glos
Wellington, Shropshire
Knaresborough

CRITERIA

The Walkers are Welcome scheme is different from most top-down accreditation schemes, in that it has emerged from, and is being promoted by, communities themselves. To become a Walkers are Welcome town involves meeting six criteria.

Conditions to be met in becoming a WALKERS ARE WELCOME town

Please remember that, to be successful, the push for WALKERS ARE WELCOME status must come from the community itself. It should be a ‘bottom-up’ initiative, not something to be introduced by external agencies or organisations, no matter how well-intentioned!

1. Demonstration of popular local support for the concept. Demonstrated, for example, by signatures of local residents collected on a petition. Recommended minimum support: 50 signatures (small village), 250 signatures (small town), 500 signatures (larger community).

New: Here is an example of a petition, as used in Church Stretton. You are welcome to adapt it for your own use.

2. Formal endorsement of application for WALKERS ARE WELCOME status by local council. Demonstrated by the local council (unitary, district and/or town council) passing a resolution in support; allocating responsibility for WALKERS ARE WELCOME to a member of staff or committee; making small budget available

3. Action to ensure that the footpath network is maintained in good condition. This can be demonstrated by the local council and/or voluntary group making a commitment to ensure that paths in the town/village are walked at least once a year; that any obstacles are removed promptly; that efforts are taken to extend the opportunities for walking

4. Adequate marketing of WALKERS ARE WELCOME status. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways: press coverage; signs/map in the centre of town advising casual visitors of walks they could undertake; at least two waymarked walks starting from town centre; leaflets readily available; local shops encouraged to display WALKERS ARE WELCOME stickers

5. Encouragement of walking using public transport. This can be demonstrated, for example, by including clear public transport advice on marketing leaflets

6. Demonstration of mechanisms in place to maintain WALKERS ARE WELCOME status
This can be demonstrated by the creation of a local WALKERS ARE WELCOME steering group or Advisory Board