BEDFORD –The Bedford Hiking Club is co-sponsoring a walk with Bloomington Parks on Saturday, April 16. Volkswalks, which began in Europe, are interesting walks laid out to highlight areas of interest and are specific distances – usually 10 Kilometers (K) (6.2 miles) or 5K (3.1 miles).
Regular Volkswalkers keep track of the events they walk and the distances they walk in books and look forward to the next walk to see new areas, old friends, and meet new friends.
The Bloomington Parks walk begins at Woodlawn Shelter in Bryan Park. Walkers should check-in to receive a map and directions anytime between 9 a.m. and Noon. They should plan on finishing the walk by 3 p.m. There is no fee for those who want to walk for free, but for regular Volkswalkers who walk for credit, there is a $3 charge. There are also Volkswalk awards available to purchase.
The walk winds through four Bloomington Parks and several interesting neighborhoods and highlights interesting landscapes, architecture, and points of interest. In general, it might take a person 2-3 hours to complete the 10K Volkswalk. People walk at their own pace and are encouraged to stop and explore points of interest along the way. It is not a timed event. Dogs are welcome but should be on a leash and bring bags to pick up after them.
Walkers are also encouraged to bring water but a checkpoint will be set up halfway through with water for walkers.
Volkswalks is German for People’s Walk. The International Volkswalk Association has walked on almost every continent. This is part of a network of walks that people can do for free or for credit. Credit is a stamp in a Volkswalk book that keeps track of all the Volkswalks a person completes for an award later.
People can come and just walk for the joy of walking, but anyone who thinks they might be interested in learning more about Volkswalking is welcome to come to learn more about this popular sport. The group will even have starter packs available to get people started as Volkswalkers with a book and coupons for 3 free walks. Volkswalkers love their sports so come learn more about them and enjoy this pretty walk showcasing Bloomington, Indiana.
For information on the volkswalk, contact Teena Ligman at 812-278-0139 or by email at tdligman@att.net.
The Bedford Hiking Club also sponsors four nearby year-round walks. The Hoagy Carmichael Walk is also in Downtown Bloomington and features all the sites related to Hoagy Carmichael’s life while he lived in Bloomington and goes by his gravesite. There are also Volkswalks at Paynetown State Recreation Area just east of Bloomington on SR 446, at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell. The fourth walk is the Limestone Walk in Bedford featuring interesting limestone buildings and two cemeteries (this walk can only be accessed by an online start box at this time or by contacting Teena Ligman). Bedford Hiking Club Website: www.bedfordhikingclub.com.
