The English Riviera Walking Festival: what to know

Two weeks of guided walks every September, free or low-cost, led by local guides who know the bay properly. The festival has run since the 1990s and now offers over 100 walks across the fortnight – from gentle harbour ambles to 18-mile coast-path challenges.

Highlights from previous years: night walks on Dartmoor edge, geology walks of the red cliffs, foraging walks for hedgerow food, dawn birdwatching at Berry Head, photography walks at sunset.

Most walks are free. A few have a small charge to cover transport or refreshments. You book online or by phone, normally six weeks ahead. The popular walks fill within days of release.

If you’re new to walking in the bay, this is the way in – the guides are excellent and the social side is part of the appeal.

Dates: usually mid to late September. Programme published in late June. Check englishriviera.co.uk/walking-festival.