The Guild Wheel, celebrating it’s first anniversary, has proved very popular with Prestonians. A great idea to encourage not only cyclists but walkers to get out and about and tour the outskirts of the city.

How many know there is already an established walking track that takes ramblers around Preston?

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The Round Preston Walk was founded by Rambler’s Association’s Preston and Fylde Group in 1970 and proved just as popular as the Guild Wheel with ramblers in its early days.

The original walk was only 20 miles from end to end. However, as Preston expanded over the years, the group extended it by an additional 3 miles to keep it ‘Round’ Preston Walk.

As with the Guild Wheel the walk can be attempted in sections started and finished at various places using public transport.

The handbook shown here published in 1985 (50p) guides walkers on absorbing routes through the countryside broken down into 10 chapters, giving details of any interesting places or features along the way.

For instance, did you know that Pudding Pie Nook just off Whittingham Lane may have been founded by refuges who came to the area due to the Great Fire of London in 1666? Or The Cottage at 483, Garstang Road has a motto painted in large letters on white boarding above the door that says ‘All suffices reckon’d rightly’, the first line of a poem by Christina Rossetti entitled ‘Amen’ (love to know if that’s still there).

It would be great to know if anyone still uses the Round Preston Walk or the rambling guide (no pun intended). Was it better than the new Guild Wheel? Does the walk still exist? Do you want to see more details of the walk from the guide (w can post later) Let us know if you do.