Get Cork Walking Projects

Title: Annual Celebration of Walking 

Overview: Every year we try to celebrate walking through various festivals and events. Cork Walking Week 2024 will take place from the 23rd to the 29th of September!

This celebration is an annual opportunity for us all to celebrate and promote local walking groups or clubs. Hillwalking and Community Walking groups around Cork are invited to host walks and invite the wider community so that we can spread the joy of walking. Each year we run events, workshops and programmes which take place during the festival.  

We hope you will be able to join us and help ‘Get Cork Walking’ together at our next Cork Walking Celebration.  

Title: Programmes, Classes and Training 

Overview: Cork Sports Partnership in partnership with a number of the Get Cork Walking Stakeholder organisations work together to facilitate and coordinate various walking programmes around Cork City and County. 

These programmes are designed to provide all demographics to get out and about walking in a safe and fun environment. 

For more information on these programmes click the links to the right and don’t hesitate to reach out to achambers@corksports.ie if you have any questions. 

Title: The Cork Walking Forum 

Overview: The mission of the Cork Walking Forum is to create and develop a network of walking leaders and walking group participants who will support each other in any way they can. NGB’s are vital supports for their members and Cork Sports Partnership and Get Ireland Walking hope to fulfil this role for Community and Hillwalking Groups around Cork city and county.

Therefore membership is open to anyone who leads or coordinates a walking group in a professional or volunteer capacity as well as members of community or hillwalking groups in Cork city and county. One of our goals over the next few years is to continue developing the Forum and set out some structure for the future. There is no cost or mandatory attendance to being part of the Forum. Even just sharing information about events and campaigns can be a huge help in increasing walking in Cork. Therefore you can be involved as much or as little as you can manage. With this in mind, we are asking anyone who would like to continue as a member or become a member to fill out the form attached. 

Title: Support for Schools 

Overview: Cork Sports Partnership and the wider Get Cork Walking Stakeholder Network are committed to supporting schools and school children around Cork city and county to get active throughout the school day and beyond. Click below for more information about various schools challenges, the Active School Flag Initiative and the Active School Walkway Initiative. 

Title: Walking Trails and Areas

Overview: Cork Sports Partnership and the Get Cork Walking Stakeholders come from all systems involved in walking and walkable spaces at a local level here in Cork. We have representatives from planning, urban design and sustainability. In accordance with the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, we hope to advocate for development and maintenance of walking areas and trails throughout Cork along with our partners in rural and recreational development and the local authorities. We have compiled a list of amenities around Cork city and county to facilitate more people to walk more often in Cork. 

The Glen Sli na Slainte Development was completed as a coordinated project between: Cork Sports Partnership, Cork City Council, Cork Healthy Cities, Cork City Partnership, Mayfield Sports Complex, Glen Resource Centre and the Health Action Zone Project, as part of the Active Cities Initiative. This route provides an easy, accessible and inexpensive environment for regular exercise for walkers. The attractive signage aims to encourage people to incorporate more walking into their lifestyle. Plans are also well underway for a northwest city Sli na Slainte route extension. 

The Get Ireland Active National Database is Ireland’s interactive activity, sport and recreation hub. It is a central registry bringing together the collective resources of Government, Sport Ireland, local authorities, state agencies, and the national governing bodies of sport to capture all sports facilities and places for people to be active in Ireland. The database is accessed through an easy-to-use, interactive website, unlocking the many resources on your doorstep. 

Follow the links to find out more about all these initiatives. 

Title: Walking Group Listings 

Overview: Cork Sports Partnership and Cork Kerry Community Health Care have worked in partnership to create a comprehensive list of walking groups around Cork city and county. These groups are led largely by volunteers and so times and dates are subject to change. With this in mind, we advise that you reach out to the contact listed to avoid any disappointment. The walk leaders are the life blood of community and hillwalking in Cork. As such, the walking groups are integral to giving more people in Cork the option to get involved. The Get Cork Walking Project hopes to support these groups as much as possible through the Cork Walking Forum. However if you are  a leader and would like another for of support, please reach out so we can help. 

Click on the links to the right if you would like to find a community or hillwalking club in Cork city or county. 

Title: Annual Walking Challenges

Overview: Every year Cork Sports Partnership alongside our partners run a number of walking challenges throughout the year.

• The NTA Smarter Travel Team run Marchathon and Walktober which focuses workplace health and wellbeing.
• Green Schools run their Big Travel Challenge which challenges children and parents to walk to school.
• Cork Sports run our annual Step into Spring, Step into Summer and Step into Winter Challenges which challenge schools and services to incorporate walking into their school day. 
• Active School Flag also ran their ‘Run around Ireland Challenge’ in 2023 also.  
• And there are many more…..

Keep an eye on our latest news for regular updates and like and follow our partners for more information!