Every now and again, we receive an email that makes our day. One such email arrived with us recently, from Angela – a walker who visited Bath from London and joined a guided walk led by a group of our Cotswolds Voluntary Wardens. She emailed to say:
“I attended the Circuit of Bath weekend this weekend and I wanted to share my feedback. I live in London and travelled up for the weekend. I am so pleased to say that I had the most amazing experience. The Cotswold Voluntary Wardens Steve, Maria, Andrew and Kate (I hope I have Kate’s name right) are professional, welcoming, personable, passionate and proud of Bath and they made us all feel very welcome and at ease. They shared really interesting information throughout the walk. They ensured that everyone was comfortable and able to walk at their own pace, in a way that did not negatively impact the flow of the day. The atmosphere they helped to create was energised and thoroughly enjoyable. It is hard to believe that these wonderful Wardens volunteer their time. What an amazing gift to us they are. Please pass on huge thanks from me.
The scenery was absolutely beautiful, the other members of the group were great company and we were fortunate to have great weather. I felt that each day was so full and rich that by the end of day 2 it felt as though we had been together for longer. I met people that may become future friends, another unexpected gift.
I am so very grateful that Bathscape have been funded to provide this exceptional opportunity, and I believe it is vital that funding continues to be provided to enable this programme to continue.
Finally, I would like to add that I am a mixed race, female solo traveller and it was great to see some diversity in the group, something that I understand from Steve, the organisation is intentionally working to increase.
Because of this experience, I will be returning to Bath in September for the Bath Walking Festival which the Wardens advised us of. I can’t wait!
Have a great day and please feel free to share this feedback in any way that will support this programme and the Wardens.“
Wow! What a fantastic email to receive – so we extend our thanks back to Angela: for joining a walk, and for taking the time to send such lovely feedback.
The CNL team and the Wardens are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your walk so much. Feedback like this means the world to us as a team – it really shows how beneficial being in the great outdoors is for us all, how much it offers, and how hard the Wardens work to make each route enjoyable for everyone attending.
Last year, the wardens put in an astonishing 52,000+ hours of voluntary time across the Cotswolds: leading walks, maintaining routes, devising routes, working to improve accessibility, helping with outdoor education, and more. Angela is absolutely right: they are amazing, and we’re grateful all year round for their dedication and support. She’s also right to acknowledge the Bathscape work – which has been ongoing for several years, and offers a fantastic range of ways to discover and enjoy the beautiful countryside around Bath.
If you’re inspired by Angela’s experience, and want to find out more about Bathscape (self-guided routes, the Bathscape Walking Festival, the podcast and much more), click the button below to visit their site.
And we wish Angela a very enjoyable return visit in September!