The National Forest Walking Festival

The National Forest Walking Festival took place between 15-29 May 2026

This year’s festival marked the 17th edition of our annual celebration, made possible by the dedication and enthusiasm of our incredible volunteers, so a huge thank you to each of them for helping bring this event to life.

Theme for this year invited participants to explore the Forest through the lens of art and culture. There were walks that encourage playful engagement with sound, texture, and colour, or ones that explored the ways the Forest has shaped communities and local history. In addition, the Youth Landscapers Collective joined the festival as artists in residence, to mark their tenth anniversary. With a spirit of curiosity and creativity, they will appear at selected walks to collect the sights and sounds of the Forest in imaginative ways. Recordings and images collected will be used in a new public artwork later in the year.

Follow the Festival on Facebook for updates as they become available for next year’s event in May 2027.

The National Forest Walking Festival is supported by North West Leicestershire District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, the National Forest Company and South Derbyshire District Council together with the huge number of organisations and individuals that volunteer their time to design and lead walks.

If you would like more information regarding this event, accommodation, or general tourist information please email: info@visitsouthderbyshire.co.uk

Unable to join us for the Festival?  There are lots of walks featured on our Walks page for you to explore on your own or with friends and family.