VOLUNTEERS with Newtown’s walking group have clocked up more than 400 volunteer hours in the past year.

At the annual meeting of Walking Newtown, held on March 12 at the Waggon and Horses pub, members were told how the group had repaired gates and fence-posts and cleared paths on 22 walks totalling 125 miles.

The joint scheme, which sees Powys County Council provide materials and liaise with landowners ahead of footpath work, racked up 434 hours of voluntary work.

“We have to date developed 22 walks covering 125 miles. Most of these walks have been published, at least on the web, and we have several others in the process of being developed,” said chairman Mike Davies in his annual report.

“This year we have installed 10 gates, many of them kissing gates, repaired a bridge, replaced a stile, installed steps, erected fingerposts and way markers and done major clearance work on a number of our existing and developing walks.

“To date we have installed a total of 61 gates.”

The meeting was also told that plans for this year’s walking festival were now at an advanced stage, with the two-day event set to run over the weekend of June 1 and 2.

“The walking festival planning is well in hand and we have had tremendous support both financially and practical, from our members and the public,” said organiser Paula Scott.

“The festival programme is almost finalised with about a dozen walks each day plus two treasure hunts.”

Ideas for walks at the festival have previously included challenge walks, shorter walks of six, eight and 10 miles, walks suitable for parents with buggies and people with limited mobility, dog friendly walks, foraging walks, heritage and history, family, pub and train walks, Welsh language walks, singing walks with a local choir and short ambles.

The group also confirmed a healthy outturn, having started the year with a balance of just under £50 and ending it with just over £1,700, mostly due to successful fundraising for the walking festival.