Organisers in Shropshire taking steps to make next year's walking and running festival the best

The famous Shropshire Way 80K Festival will feature no fewer than five running and walking routes ranging from a gentle 10KM right through to the brand new How Welsh Dare You Go? at a whopping 86 miles.

Run by the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, in Craven Arms, the event will be held on April 1.

Entrants can also choose from the Half-Mammothon (13 miles), Mammothon (26 miles) or SW80K (50 Miles).

"There is camping, a film and pizzas available the night before and you’ll be looked after for the duration of the event," said a spokesman for the discovery centre.

"The routes are designed to showcase the very finest of Shropshire’s hidden treasures and take participants over Iron Age hillforts, ancient drovers’ roads, picturesque river valleys and the majestic summits of Stiperstones and Pole Bank, offering visitors that unique Shropshire experience."

The event is also well known for the delicious local food provided to sustain the runners and walers on route.

Event organiser, Grant Wilson, said: “Our charity, Grow Cook Learn, aims to connect people to the food, history and landscape of this fascinating and beautiful area, so as well as some cracking trails, we make sure everyone gets a real flavour of Shropshire, with Fidget pies, local cheeses, sausages and our homemade Bara Brith.

"The highlight is a local beef stew which is served in a barn high in the hills - always a welcome sight for hungry walkers. If you don’t eat meat or have any other dietary needs, we’re happy to accommodate these too."

The event is an important fundraiser for Grow Cook Learn with all surpluses from the entry fees being used to support the charity’s educational programme and maintain its 12 hectares of meadowland for the benefit of wildlife and visitors.

The event provides a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for anyone wanting to take on a new challenge, and with a range of distances on offer, the event is suitable for everyone from novice walkers making their first foray into the countryside through to experienced trail runners looking for a PB!

If you are interested in taking part in this event, there’s lots of information on the Discovery Centre’s website or drop the organiser a line if you have any specific questions.

Entry to the Discovery Centre and Onny Meadows is free but there is a charge for visitors to enjoy our Shropshire Hills Through Time exhibition and visit the mammoth.

The Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre offers an extensive programme of family events, adult courses and a variety of activities for the whole family.

The unique grass roofed building houses a replica of a mammoth skeleton found in Shropshire.

The café serves home-cooked food and the shop has a range of gifts.

For further details call 01588 676060 or visit the website: www.shropshirehillsdiscoverycentre.co.uk