Initiatives — Inverness Festival of Walking and Wheeling

Partnerships for Wellbeing.

We are a charity supporting health and wellness in the Highlands.

We are a small staff team, supported by an amazing team of 150+ volunteers, including seven fantastic volunteers who currently make up our Board of Trustees.

Our two main services are our Health Walk Project and our Community Transport led by Transport Manager, Fiona MacInnes. We also run a Cheery Book Club and Partnerships For Wellbeing’s manager, Jeff Zycinski, produces regular Ways to Wellbeing podcasts.

Our work has been supported over the years by many partners and other stakeholders. We believe that working in partnership is key to the success of a thriving and healthy community, and we are excited to be working together on the festival!

Some of our regular health walks will be welcoming people to join for a taster walk, so if this sounds like something you would be interested in then please get in touch.

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Partners of the festival

The Inverness Walking Festival is partnering up with local organisations who offer regular opportunities to get out walking and wheeling. If you would like to get involved in this capacity please contact us.

Check out the brilliant organisations and groups involved…

Velocity cafe & Bicycle Workshop

Velocity Active Health Project

Velocity Inverness Active Travel Hub

"The Active Health project supports people to become more active as a way of improving their health and wellbeing. There is no cost to participate and any adult registered with a GP practice in the Highlands who would benefit from being more physically active can take part.

Project workers meet with participants 1:1 (By video call or phone) to discuss motivation, interests, hopes and challenges. They understand it can be difficult to make changes and support people to take small steps towards enjoyable activities."

Gordon Doherty - Photographer

Gordon will be judging the photography competition - check festival home page for link to the competition

“I am a local Wildlife and Landscape photographer. I started Photography about 6 years ago and just love being out in the fresh air capturing pictures of beautiful Scotland. My pictures have been featured on Visit Scotland, the BBC and the Inverness Courier amongst many others.”

“I love getting out early in the morning to catch the start of a new day. Listening to the birds and because most people are still in bed It feels like I have the place to myself.“

“Photography also keeps me fit as I find myself covering a lot of ground wandering around a location looking for nice compositions for my photographs.”

“I would encourage anyone to get out and start taking pics. You don't need an expensive camera as it's more to do with light and composition, the pics below were all taken with my mobile phone.”

Long Distance Walkers Association

The Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) is a national organisation of around 10,000 people, with 42 groups throughout the UK, including three in Scotland. Walks range from 15-16 miles to the annual ‘Hundred’ – the LDWA flagship event where entrants walk 100 miles in 48 hours and which take place in a different part of the UK each year.

North of Scotland is the most northerly group in the UK, with more than 90 members. We put on one or two walks a month ranging from low level treks taking in hills, glens, lochs and rivers, to serious mountain challenges.
We stage an annual 50-mile challenge walk, the Laich O’Moray 50, which entrants have 24 hours to complete and which this year is on October 7-8. Next year we are hosting the ‘Hundred’, with up to 500 walkers from across the country – and a few from overseas - entering our Speyside 100, based just outside Aviemore.
The LDWA is also the governing body of long distance walking in the UK, and the Long Distance Path section on our national website receives thousands of visits each day.

Hilton Family Support

Hilton Family Support exists to support children and young families through life’s ups and downs in the community of Hilton, in Inverness.

Like everywhere else, Hilton has its own unique challenges. In everything we do we aim to inspire confidence, increase resilience, and unlock the potential in the families we work with.

Lochardil & Drummond Community Council

Lochardil and Drummond Community Council represents the community interests in the area and brings local people together. We have been working on a path restoration project for MacDonald Park, a popular local park in Lochardil (entrance opposite the pharmacy). A great place to enjoy a walk round the circular path.

Nature 4 Health

Nature 4 Health aims to help people connect with nature, each other and themselves. Experience the mindful benefits of green and blue space and the fascinating species we share the planet with.

Our qualified and experienced guides deliver sessions on fire skills, foraging, camp fire cooking (eating and drinking), nature ID, team building games, crafts (e.g. paracord weaving, cordage, spoon carving etc.), navigation and journeying skills.

John O’Groats Trail

the John O’Groats Trail is a 147 mile coastal walking route from Inverness to John o’ Groats, traversing shorelines, cliff tops, back lanes and footpaths of the Scottish Highlands. The route goes along city streets of Inverness and crosses the Kessock Bridge (pedestrian walkway-closed at the moment). It then goes through woods and along quiet back roads the rest of the way. Check out their website for more details.

Inverness Library

Discover interesting books on cycling, walking and outdoor activities at the library. In 2023 Andrew from the library organised a Caledonian Canal 201st Anniversary walk -A historical Walk around the Muirtown Basin of the Caledonian Canal. We know he has some plans for a new walk exploring more history of Inverness for 2024.

Highland Council Ranger walks

High Life Highland’s Countryside Rangers run many events and guided walks which aim to help raise awareness and encourage appreciation of the scenery, wildlife and heritage of the Highlands. This wide range of events and activities is aimed at local communities and visitors alike.

Highland Disabled Ramblers

Highland Disabled Ramblers (HDR) is a varied group of over 40 members in and around Inverness, the Black Isle and Speyside. It was formed in 2001 and is run by disabled people with able bodied friends. Rambles are held on a monthly basis, but during the summer it is sometimes twice a month; on weekdays or on Saturdays.

Inverness Ramblers

If you fancy walking and exploring the stunning countryside in the Highlands then do join us one Saturday or Sunday and try us out. You will find a very warm welcome awaits you plus an exhilarating day in the outdoors!

We walk over a wide area centred on Inverness. As much of this area is wild and mountainous, many of the walks involve rough terrain and considerable ascents. However we do try to balance our programmes and include coastal, forest and other less strenuous walks. A walk is arranged for each week, alternating Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes there is a choice of walks of different grade.

Karen Powell Pilates

Hi, I'm Karen and I have been teaching Pilates and Nordic Walking in and around the Inverness area for nearly 20 years. I've always enjoyed outdoor activities and generally moving and being outside, exploring and watching nature. I feel very fortunate that I have a job that allows me to share this love with other people. I'm teaching a Nordic Walking Taster session as part of the Walking and Wheeling Festival, hoping to encourage some more lovely folk to take up this activity using specifically designed poles to enhance your own natural walking.

Wee Adventure

Our purpose is to advance the education and health of children and families, through accessing the outdoors. We put a huge emphasis on families discovering places and simply having fun together in the fresh air.

We think being in the outdoors can always be an adventure, if you’re in your back garden or up a Munro! We want children to grow up feeling connected to their natural environment and to instil a life-long love of exercise, learning and adventure.

Able2Adventure

We are a mobile outdoor activity provider for people of all ages and abilities based in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland. This means we use adaptive equipment and a 'can do' approach to make the outdoors accessible to all. We offer a large range of outdoor activities as taster sessions, skills courses, multi activity programs or as part of local clubs. These can be for individuals, families, groups of friends, schools and organisations. Whether you want a fun taster session or would like to develop your skills to go out independently we have an activity for you.