News

Big Battlefield Walks Weekends prove successful despite the weather

23 September 2025

The Battlefields Trust’s Big Battlefield Walks Weekends this September have seen around 275 people walk across battlefields in England.

These free walks were organised to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Register of Historic Battlefields in England, which identified the 43 (now 47) most important battlefields in England and gave them limited protection in the planning system,

They were also timed to coincide with Heritage Open Days weekends to increase publicity and encourage those who might never have visited a battlefield, or encountered the Battlefields Trust before, an opportunity to do so.

Walks were held at the battlefields of Tewkesbury (1471), Northampton (1460), Otterburn (1388), Edgcote (1469), Maldon (991), Winwick (1648), Newark (1644), Lansdown (1643), St Albans II (1461), Myton (1319), Ethandun (878), Newbury I (1643), and Rowton Heath (1645).

The Trust’s partner organisations, Northamptonshire Battlefields Society and Tewkesbury Battlefield Society, participated in the Walks Weekends by leading walks at Northampton, Edgcote for the former and Tewkesbury for the latter.

Weather disrupted walks on 13/14 September and lower turnouts than expected were experienced, but almost all had double figure numbers of walkers making the event worthwhile for walk leaders and more sociable for those participating. Walks on 21 September with the sun shining were better attended.

The Battlefields Trust will now evaluate the walks and identify any lessons for the future organisation of such events.