This October, we’re challenging you to get active for wildlife! Will you take on the Big Wild Walk and raise vital funds to help us tackle the nature and climate crisis? The money raised will bring us closer to our goal of protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.

The challenge is to cover 30km, but the pacing and style of movement is up to you. You could walk it, run it, roll it, skip it, or even cartwheel it! For a little inspiration, we asked some of last year’s Big Wild Walkers what they thought of the challenge…

Steve

The Big Wild Walk came along at the same fortuitous time that we had a few days off from work over the half term, so we thought we’d sign up to get us out into the countryside and help raise some money. The Wildlife Trusts help to preserve habitats in my local area, and help birds and other nature to survive. The Wildlife Trusts always need help, so we thought we could raise some money and donate to such a great cause.

We set ourselves the 30km challenge. We thought that would be enough of a stretch, but in the end we loved being out so much that we went out every day and ended up walking 50km! We felt like we owed it to everyone that had donated though, because we also beat our target donation. The support of each of my friends really helped inspire us to achieve more than we thought we would.

The best part of the challenge was seeing some of the wild areas that the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust supports, and knowing that the money we were raising would be going to help directly. We saw some lovely scenery, and some great birds too!

I’d definitely recommend the Big Wild Walk to anyone! It’s a great way to get out into nature, maybe get to somewhere you’ve never been before, set yourself a goal and try to smash it!

Charlotte

The children have been members of Wildlife Watch - young members of The Wildlife Trusts - for several years. They take a real interest in wildlife and enjoy learning about our natural world. We wanted to take part in the Big Wild Walk because of all the work The Wildlife Trusts do locally to protect nature, and the fantastic way they engage children and families to become involved.

We set ourselves the challenge of walking 30km in 3 days, including a night hike. The best part was discovering more of the countryside in our local area and finding some new 'wild' places to explore and enjoy.

I’d absolutely recommend others to take on the Big Wild Walk! It’s a really lovely way to spend time together as a family or with friends, a chance to get out in the fresh air and explore more of the local countryside, and just enjoy each other's company.

Frances

I am super passionate about the environment and fully support The Wildlife Trusts' 30 by 30 project. I have a Master’s in Environmental Science, and my final thesis towards this degree was based partly on 30 by 30. I wrote about the current state of biodiversity and suggested ways in which we can change landscapes to preserve and restore the natural environment. So with that said, I was absolutely going to take part in an activity that will help with the 30 by 30 project as it is just so important for our futures!

My challenge was to walk 30km over 3 days (in a row!), which worked out at walking 10km in a different area each day. I chose to walk around some beautiful places (Kingsbury Water Park, Hartshill Hayes Woods, and Bradgate Park), so my favourite part was to just be with nature in its entirety. The sounds, smells and vibes were just so relaxing, and I saw some amazing wildlife, including many flora species, lots of different birds and even deer!

You can make the Big Wild Walk as challenging or relaxing as you like, you can walk alone or with family/friends (I walked the last 10km with my friend Hollie), plus the fresh air and exercise is super good for your body and mind. The money raised is a bonus, and it is a brilliant cause to donate to. I’d definitely recommend it!

Sign up for your Big Wild Walk.