Car free walking

Car free walking is a movement in the United Kingdom that aims to encourage people who go walking to use public transport instead of a car.

The principles of car free walking

Car free walking was created to encourage walkers to use public transport rather than using cars to reach the start of a walk. This is to reduce the number of cars in the countryside, particularly in National Parks, which can cause congestion and inappropriate parking [ [http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/index/learning_about/education_service/resources/animated_resources/tourism_issues-nonflash/tourism_issues-traffic-nonflash.htm Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Animated resources - Tourism issues - Too much traffic (non-Flash version) ] ] . It is also to support bus and train services in rural areas. Encouraging people not to use their cars is also one of the key aspects of efforts to combat climate change caused through greenhouse gas emissions.

Benefits of car free walking

Car free walking has environmental benefits, because it encourages people not to use a car and provides information on how to do this. It also supports public transport in rural areas. The benefits for the walker include the opportunity to walk linear routes that start and finish in different places and the chance to have a drink at the end of the walk without then having to drive. Many of the walking routes suggest a pub at the end of the walk.

Supporters of car free walking

Many organisations encourage their members to use public transport when walking. Prominent supporters of this approach include:

* Youth Hostel Association (YHA), through their Empty Roads website [ [http://www.emptyroads.com/ Empty Roads Enjoy the View Car-Free in the UK - Home ] ]
* Ramblers Association

Car free walking websites

National websites

Car Free Walks is an internet-based project to collect car-free walking routes from around the UK. People can find car-free walks throughout the UK or add their own walks. Car Free Walks is part of the growing car-free movement around the world.

The website was created in September 2007 by a group of keen walkers based in Brighton, UK. Because the group are based in Brighton, many of the walks currently on the website are in East Sussex and the South Downs. There are also a lot of car free walks in the Lake District. The website is free to use. Anyone can search for car free walks throughout the UK. Registered members can contribute walking routes or comment on existing routes. The routes can be viewed online or downloaded as a printer friendly version. Users can get up to date information about public transport to and from the walk as the website links to the Transport Direct website.

Regional websites

There are many websites describing walks in a particular region or from a particular railway line. These include:

* East Suffolk Line Walks
* Rail Rambles (Wales)
* Car free walks from Richmond (Yorkshire)
* Car free Walks in the Thames Valley and Chilterns

Books

There are several books of car free walking routes.

* "Car Free Cumbria: Walking the County Using Lake Steamers, Local Buses and Trains", A John Gilham green guide, by Jon Sparks, John Gillham, Ronald Turnbull
* "Walks in the Country Near London", Globetrotter Walking Guides, by Christopher Somerville
* "55 555 walks", Yan Press, by Robert Swain - routes accessible by the 555 bus route from Lancaster to Kendal

References

1. "Tourism issues - Too much traffic" http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/index/learning_about/education_service/resources/animated_resources/tourism_issues-nonflash/tourism_issues-traffic-nonflash.htm
2. "Empty Roads" http://www.emptyroads.com/

External links

* [http://www.carfreewalks.org Car Free Walks]
* [http://www.eastsuffolklinewalks.co.uk East Suffolk Line Walks]
* [http://www.ramblers.org.uk/wales/railrambles.html Rail Rambles ]
* [http://www.dalesbus.info/richmond/walks_intro.htm Car free walks from Richmond, Yorkshire]
* [http://www.roundreadingwalk.co.uk Car free Walks in the Thames Valley and Chilterns]