Final plans in place for Swanage and Purbeck's 3rd Walking Festival

Organisers are thrilled to announce the launch of the Third Swanage and Purbeck Walking Festival, which will run from April 28th until May 6th 2012.

The Isle of Purbeck in Dorset has some of the most stunning scenery in the UK and the walk programme is designed to provide people of all ages, interests and abilities the chance to roam along the beautiful Jurassic Coast and over unspoiled heathland, through nature reserves and idyllic Dorset villages. The area is blessed with an abundance of wildlife, and those taking part can expect to see some of the UK’s rarest species such as the Sikka Deer for example, as well as magnificent and iconic landmarks such as Corfe Castle and Old Harry Rocks.

The programme is set to be as diverse as possible this coming year, take a leisurely stroll for a mile and a half walk around Swanage, discovering the fascinating history of this beautiful Victorian seaside town, or for the more active take the day out, with sixteen miles along the South West Coast Path on the infamous 'Jurassic Roller Coaster. Expect a variety of experiences, with discounts for those opting for trips on Swanage Steam Railway, and pub lunches included for some, or how about resting your feet and eating a packed lunch, sitting in a flower-filled meadow and looking out to sea?

Main Sponsor Oswald Bailey, the outdoor clothing and camping retailer, is once again supporting the festival and says....
“We are delighted to be involved with this popular event in the walking calendar once again, as a Dorset based family firm with 19 shops around the UK, the event totally encompasses the ethos of our brand. We want to encourage people to get outdoors to appreciate what our natural landscape has to offer and this event is the perfect way to do that.”

Festival organiser Andy Pedrick, commented: “The festival is now well and truly established and it has proved tremendously popular, it’s a great way for everyone to explore the Purbeck’s, and learn about how special the area is. Next years programme will include events of special interest, such as photography, art and food, and family activities etc. It’s going to be fantastic.”

More details can be found on the Walking Festival website, www.walkswanage.com or for more information on Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck please visit www.VisitSwanage.com.

Hillmaster and Sugula Most Popular Products

The Brasher Segula GTX and the Hillmaster GTX are the bestselling Brasher boots at Purekit.com, showing increased and strong early spring sales.

Brasher boots have long been a popular choice with British walkers, offering an exceptionally comfortable fit with a design to give comfort straight out of the box without a lengthy breaking in period.

The brand was formed in 1978 by Olympic Steeplechase Gold Medallist Chris Brasher, with the new range of footwear combining the comfort of trainers with the performance of hiking boots. As a marathon runner Brasher was obviously aware of the comfort of training shoes, yet knew that the design of walking boots was far behind the times.

The first release of Brasher boots saw Brasher rapidly growing into one of the top and best loved brands for serious walkers and hikers, because the footwear could offer levels of comfort which far surpassed that of the competition.

Since the first boots were produced, Brasher has been a leading force in the development of new technology to improve comfort for off-road walkers, paving the way for an explosion of styles to suit all terrain and conditions.

Whilst there have been many high quality models released, it was the launch of the Brasher Hillmaster GTX in 1993 which cemented the brands' position as the leading producer of hill and fell walking boots in the UK. The new model fairly rapidly became the benchmark by which other boots would come to be judged, especially when it came to comfort. Now 18 years on, the boot is still the bestselling boot in the men’s range.

“The Brasher Hillmaster GTX was an extraordinary walking boot when it was first released and they are still widely regarded as the best hill walking boots ever made” says Purekit.com MD Richard Gundle.

He adds: “It’s long been the bestselling Men’s hill walking boot here at Purekit.com, and sales are still on the increase”. Hillmaster is still dominating the sales charts, testament to the quality of the original design.

The Hillmaster dominates men’s Brasher boots sales at Purekit.com, but whilst it's a popular model with women, it has now been overtaken by the lightweight Brasher Segula. The women’s only model has been a favourite this spring thanks to a stylish design, and a lightweight construction ideal for the warmer weather.

As with all Brasher boots, the Segula boasts a generous fit to give the toes room to move. Memory foam is used in the collar and tongue for a close and comfortable fit, helping to ease lace tension on the instep, with a lightweight MEVA footbed to provide excellent cushioning, even over highly uneven terrain.

A robust outsole gives a great balance of stickiness for traction with the durability to take on rougher ground. The boots are stylish and hardwearing, and offer a considerable weight saving on other popular models, being 220g lighter than the Hillmaster for a women’s size six. By keeping the weight down, and improving breathability these Brasher boots are ideally suited for spring walking, a fact not lost on www.Purekit.com customers this month with sales of the boots soaring.