The LDWA is an association of people with the common interest of walking long and ultra long distances in rural, mountainous and moorland areas. The LDWA promotes organised challenge walks, pioneers new walking routes and publishes information on all aspects of non-competitive walking. The association is recognised by the Sports Council as the governing body for the activity of long distance walking. People often ask us, "what is a long distance?" The Association's constitution now defines a long distance walk as an extended walk in rural areas, especially one that exceeds 20 miles in length.
The LDWA was started by two walkers, Alan Blatchford and Chris Steer, whose paths happened to cross in the Surrey hills in the early seventies. Alan's organising talents had already been proven by the Tanners Marathon which he first helped the YHA to organise in 1960. Following repeated requests for information on walking events Alan & Chris decided to collate information on all organised challenge walks and long distance walks in the country. This was published as a newsletter for a subscription of 35p. By 1972 they had become so popular that Alan and Chris decided to form the Long Distance Walkers Association. The membership by the end of 1972 was 355 and this has now grown to over 7000.
In 1973 the first AGM was held in Edale and there has been an AGM/social weekend held in a different part of the country every year since. In the same year the first 100 mile challenge walk was organized. This is now an annual event held in a different venue each year. In the autumn of 1973 the first local group was formed in Derbyshire.
The LDWA has become so popular that there are now some 40 groups throughout Britain. Members of the LDWA receive a copy of the Association journal, Strider, 3 times a year. This gives information relating to all aspects of Long Distance Walking.
You can join the LDWA online, please click on this link:-
This page was last updated 20 November 2011 at 16:28
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