12 MILES OF WINTON WALKS CREATED BY WINTON FORESTERS

On Saturday September 2nd Winton Estate at Pencaitland launched a new 12 mile (20km) network of walks created over the last two years by Winton's foresters for Winton House visitors and the local community. The paths run from nearby Pencaitland through undulating East Lothian countryside and provide fascinating perspectives on local wildlife and history.

The Winton Family Fun Day to launch the walks was also a fundraising event for a very hands-on charity called Mercy Ships; they are a global charity which partners with local communities in West Africa to construct water wells and sanitation as the basic requirement for health and wellbeing, as well as providing healthcare and education on hospital ships and on land. £125,000 has already been pledged for Mercy Ships' water supply projects in Ghana but further funds were needed to complete the 'Mainstay' water and sanitation programme.

David Costello, Depute Provost East Lothian Council, who has already enjoyed strolling along these paths, says: "It is an absolutely superb path network that has been set up. It is exceptional, and fits in well with East Lothian's strategy for encouraging personal fitness and makes it easy for families and other visitors to appreciate our beautiful countryside."

Sir Francis Ogilvy, who developed these walks with the help of the Winton Estate forestry team, adds: "The Winton Walks combine old and new routes over Winton Estate and around the village. There are short ones, long ones, flat ones and bumpy ones, some for the dog and some just for its owner! Assistance in creating the paths and signage has come from The Community Council, The Leader Plus European Fund and the hard work of Winton's multi-talented forestry team who have also made many of the wooden carvings and other creations. This big project would not have been possible without all their help."

Walkers have four routes from 1.5 miles to 6.6 miles to choose from, including a walk along the River Tyne, a historical walk through Pencaitland, and a 6.6 mile (10km) walk for more serious exercise. Each walk has intriguing points of interest along the way: a wood carved pirate ship, an 'Ormiston Express' train and a bike; five unusual 'walkers' roosts' with space for up to four people to shelter; two African ladies carved like totten poles; and carved 'Pixie Perch' toadstools.

Notes for Editors
Mercy Ships provides very practical health care and water supply improvement services to Africa where nearly 50% of the population have no access to a hospital or doctor, 1.2 billion people do not have safe drinking water and life expectancy is only 41 years.

Their Mercy Ship, Anastasis, recently arrived in Ghana with a crew of 400 for a project to provide free healthcare, training and community development. On board several hundred patients will receive surgical care for conditions that local hospitals may not be able to treat. Simultaneously, teams go out into the community to provide clean water to 23 villages which includes constructing 35 new wells and rehabilitating 20 existing wells, as well as installing sanitation. All of this is supported by training on well maintenance, latrine construction skills and hygiene promotion.

In the words of Nelson Mandela: "...I salute the vision and mission of Mercy Ships and ask that you join me in supporting their noble work and contribute to make this world a better place."