Cyclists and walkers welcome!
August 2, 2017
You’re out on your bike and run out of water… You want to hide from the rain with a pint but your walking boots are covered in mud… A pilot scheme starting in the South Downs this summer will help walkers and cyclists find a warm welcome and support the local businesses who offer it.
Us walkers and cyclists sometimes need a bit of help – whether it’s a top-up for our water bottles, a safe place to lock up our bike, or a friendly face that will tolerate a bit of mud or even provide some plasters.
If you’re in or around Lewes or Petersfield from this August a new scheme being trialled by the National Park Authority will help you to find what you need. Any business displaying a Cyclists and Walkers Welcome badge will give you a warm, friendly welcome and be able to accommodate kit and backpacks.
Some will even go a bit further offering Welcome Support – with first aid essentials for you or your bike, tool kits, access to local maps and free water refills, or Welcome Enhanced – offering cycle parking and kit to clean your muddy boots.
The Cyclists and Walkers Welcome scheme is part of Go South Downs, a new online resource launching later this summer. But as a South Downs News reader you can get a special early peek at some of the businesses who have signed up.
Dedicated to car-free days out and holidays in the South Downs National Park, Go South Downs will help you plan every element of your visit or holiday, from how to get to your destination by public transport, where to stay, where to eat and ideas for things to do while you’re here.
We hope to expand Go South Downs and Cyclists and Walkers Welcome to more locations across the National Park in the future so that more people can enjoy a car-free adventure.
Sign up your business
If you’re a local business in the Lewes or Petersfield areas of the South Downs that welcomes to cyclists and walkers, sign up to the Cyclists & Walkers Welcome scheme.
If you’re quick you can also request a free Welcome Pack and cycle-friendly kit (like puncture repair kits and ponchos) to make your welcome even warmer; and a host of materials to help you promote your business to cyclists and walkers. But be warned, these are limited so only available while stocks last.
Find local businesses who welcome walkers & cyclists or sign yours up