Joe MacKinnon, President of the Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club invites and challenges all members of the CBIH and the general public to participate in the two (2) Year Round and the three (3) Seasonal Self-Guided walk events that the Island Hoppers sponsor throughout Cape Breton Regional Municipality and in the Village of Baddeck.
Year Round Events (YRE’s) are routes set up by the local volkssport club to showcase our town or city. Registration is generally at a local start point such as a hotel or tourist attraction. These walks can be done with the local Volkssport walking group, (walk) with a friend or walk on your own.
At the designated Start Point simply ask for the "walk box", sign-in and fill out the registration log and follow the map or directions found in the box. You may select to walk 5k or 10k. Walk at your own pace and leisure.
"The challenge for Club Members/Volkssporters is to complete all of these walk events at least once before 30 June of this year and then to do all of the walk events once again on or after 01 July and before 28 October 2011".
The goal is to have your "EVENT BOOKS" stamped with the Canadian Volkssport Federations registered trademark number, or Sanctioned number in your book with the plus ("+") sign on, and then again with the plus "+" sign removed.
The clubs 3 Permanent Seasonal Walk Events opened on 5th May and close 28 October 2011.
Walk Events are located at:
1. CVF - 247, Telegraph House House, 479 Chebucto Street, Baddeck
2. CVF - 192, CO-0P Gas Bar, 99 Reserve Street, Glace Bay
3. CVF - 243 Pecks Convenience Store, 2 Wolfe Street, Louisbourg
The 2 Year Round Events are located at:
The CBIH has two permanent or Year Round Events, these are open annually from 2nd January to 31st December.
4. Cambridge Suites Hotel, 380 Esplanade, Sydney - CBRM
5. Clansmen Motel, 9 Baird Street, North Sydney - CBRM
The Next Group Guided Walk Event And The Last One For May
The Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club invites you to join us for a Group Guided Walk on Monday 23 May, 2011.
Registration will begin at 1:30pm.
Walk Start Time is 2:00pm
The CB Island Hoppers will be walking on trails, near beaches and country roads in the Mira Provincial Park, located at 439 Brickyard Road, Albert Bridge, B1K 2R9.
Participants have the option of 5k or a 10k route with a walk leader to guide you along the trails.
These are very easy well groomed trails and Rated as 1B as per our CVF rating system, easily accessible for a baby stroller or even motorized wheelchairs with some minor changes!
Your walk leaders for this event are Shirley Pettigrew and Rollie Coombes.
The CB Island Hoppers are a group of walkers who welcome new participants and are part of the international Volkssport group.
What is Volkssport? It is a non-competitive sport that encompasses biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Our goal is to promote a healthy outdoor activity for fun, fitness and friendship. Walking is by far the most popular activity. Volkssport was started in Germany in the 1960’s to encourage people to exercise and migrated to Canada in 1984. The CVF is a member of the International Federation of Popular Sports (IVV) and now has over 35 walking clubs throughout Canada including the North West Territories. (www.walks.ca)
The most popular distances for a walk are 5 km and 10 km although optional longer routes are available. Year Round Events (YRE’s) are routes set up by local clubs to showcase their town or city. Registration is generally at a local start point such as a hotel or tourist attraction. These walks can be done with the local Volkssport walking group, with a friend or on your own. There are YRE’s in every province and territory in Canada.
Local Volkssport clubs also schedule guided group walks (called “events’) that only take place on a specific day. This might be hiking a trail at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia, ambling along a path on Saltspring Island or walking in a provincial park in Manitoba. As well, there are walking festivals hosted by local clubs such as the yearly Mountain Majesty weekend in Alberta and the International Walking festival in Ottawa. All walks cost a nominal fee which is determined by the local club.
There is an optional awards program that adds an incentive to be active. Every YRE or event walk has its own unique stamp and each time you complete a walk you can stamp your appropriate award booklet. There are special programs here in Canada such as walking in all the Capital cities, walking by Waterfalls, Cenotaphs or Lighthouses to name just a few.
For those whose wanderings take them further afield there are many YRE’s in every state in the United States, throughout Britain and in 49 countries in Europe and Asia. You can meander through Greenwich Village in New York, tackle the hills of San Francisco or follow in the footsteps of the Beatles in Liverpool, England.
A world of beautiful walks and new friendships is just a footstep away – why not join us on our walk Monday, 23 May, 2011 starting at Mira Provincial Park at 1:30pm.
