EAST YORKSHIRE – East Yorkshire’s annual walking festival returns in September with nine days of events ranging from Beverley history tours and coastal walks to vineyard visits, canal trips and a walk ending at a brewery.
The Walking East Yorkshire Festival runs from Saturday 12 to Sunday 20 September 2026, with activities taking place across Beverley, the Yorkshire Wolds, Holderness and the East Yorkshire coast.
Now in its 16th year, the festival has grown well beyond a programme aimed simply at serious walkers. This year’s events include heritage tours, food and drink experiences, cycling, boat trips and shorter guided walks alongside some considerably more ambitious routes.
Many events require advance booking and some have limited places, so it is worth looking through the programme before the festival begins.
Beverley gets its own programme of walks
There is plenty happening close to home.
Several guided walks will explore Beverley’s history, including tours looking at the town’s Green Plaques and the life and legacy of Mary Wollstonecraft, who spent part of her early life in Beverley.
Other events explore Beverley’s Quiet Gardens and the war graves at St Mary’s Cemetery.
It is a chance to discover some of the stories and places that are easily missed when walking around the town every day.
Explore the East Yorkshire coast
Some of the festival’s most impressive walks make use of East Yorkshire’s coastline.
Guided routes will follow sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path, including walks between Flamborough and Danes Dyke, Hornsea and Mappleton, and around the Spurn peninsula.
There are routes for different levels of experience, from relatively gentle walks to considerably longer days out.
The festival organisers grade walks as gentle, moderate or strenuous, with information about distance, terrain and difficulty available when booking.
Head into the Yorkshire Wolds
The Yorkshire Wolds feature heavily throughout the nine days.
One of the bigger challenges is the opportunity to complete the Wold Rangers Way in four stages over four days.
There are also shorter guided walks starting from Huggate, Millington and Fridaythorpe and taking in sections of the Yorkshire Wolds Way.
For anyone in Beverley, the festival provides a good excuse to explore parts of the East Riding that are remarkably close to home but can easily be overlooked.
Walk to a vineyard. Or a brewery.
Some of the more unusual events stretch the definition of a conventional walking festival rather pleasantly.
On Sunday 13 September, A Walk on the Wineside combines a circular walk with a visit to Laurel Vines vineyard.
The Boots and Beer Walk returns on Thursday 17 September and includes a visit to Wold Top Brewery.
There is also a Foston and Side Oven Bakery tour and tasting on Wednesday 16 September, while the Seaways Supper Walk on Tuesday 15 September combines an outing in the Wolds with food.
For anyone whose enthusiasm for a long walk increases substantially when somebody puts a pint or a cake at the other end of it, the organisers appear to understand their audience.
Country houses, canals and local history
There are plenty of options for people more interested in history than accumulating miles.
Birdsall House and Wassand Hall and Gardens feature among the historic properties included in the programme.
Elsewhere, visitors can take a boat trip along the Pocklington Canal, explore the history of Stamford Bridge and the Stamford Bridge Tapestry, discover Georgian Goole or join guided walks along Hull’s waterfront.
The result is really a nine-day programme of East Yorkshire exploration rather than a walking festival in the narrowest sense.
Something for different ages and abilities
The festival is open to everyone and includes family-friendly activities alongside routes for more experienced walkers.
Some events are free while others carry a charge. Children can take part in many of the walks when accompanied by an adult, although individual listings should be checked before setting off.
Dogs are permitted on some events but not others.
Most organised activities should be booked in advance. A smaller number, including some walks organised by the Ramblers, allow people simply to turn up on the day.
Walking East Yorkshire Festival 2026
The Walking East Yorkshire Festival takes place from Saturday 12 to Sunday 20 September 2026 at locations across Beverley and the East Riding.
The programme includes guided walks, local history, coastal routes, cycling, wildlife, food and drink experiences, country houses and boat trips.
Prices vary, with a number of free events included. Advance booking is recommended for many activities, particularly those with limited places.
The full programme, including individual dates, prices, distances, difficulty levels and booking information, is available through the Walking East Yorkshire Festival website.