Thank You to our Generous Donors!
We are grateful for the continued support and generosity of members who made donations to Berkeley Path Wanderers from February 2019 to February 2020. See their names here.
Path Forward: Berkeley Path Wanderers Association 2030 Plan
In mid-2019, BPWA's current board and other stakeholders met to chart out a vision for our next year, and next decade.
Meet John Ford: Board secretary, walker, and singer
I've been walking the paths regularly since I retired. I worked on a few paths before I injured my hand. I'm very supportive of BPWA's goals and am delighted to help out.
Meet Erika Wilson: board member, hiker, walk leader and co-coordinator
When I'm not walking or hiking (which I try to do as much as possible!) I work at a performing arts organization in San Francisco. I'm a singer, a film fan, and a reader, so I feel lucky to live in a beautiful place with so many opportunities to do what I love.
Exploring the Trails of Claremont Canyon: Gwin Canyon to Garber Park
This 3.5-mile, moderately difficult hike winds through two of the open spaces on the south side of Claremont Canyon and along some of the lovely streets between them in the neighborhoods above the Claremont Hotel.
Update: 2018 All-Paths Survey
On July 22 of last year, nearly 80 volunteers fanned out all over Berkeley, clipboards in hand, to walk all the paths in Berkeley and record their condition. With sharp eyes on signage, steps, handrails, and overgrowth, our volunteers gathered invaluable information to inform BPWA’s ongoing path improvement efforts.
Signpost 29 Trails: Take a Hike Without Going Far Afield
Driving on Claremont Avenue, between Grizzly Peak Boulevard and the Claremont Hotel, you may have noticed three black-and-white signposts numbered 27, 28, and 29.
Go, Elsa, Go!
Inspired by a Facebook post that she saw in January about an English grandmother who cleaned up 52 beaches in 2018, Elsa Tranter embarked on a mission to make Bay Area beaches better, one beach a week and one soda can at a time.
GoFundMe Campaign for Terrace View Paths
The Alliance’s fundraising target is $70,000, which will enable the addition of handrails to the most popular paths to make them safer for residents, especially those who might be mobility impaired or elderly. The funds will help to complete Columbia Path and potentially build Del Mar Path, and to make improvements in Glendale Path, Atlas Path, and Wilson Walk.
Three New Berkeley Walks Make Perfect Spring Outings
Consider taking one of three terrific new routes that walking guru Bob Johnson has created. They cover Upper Shattuck and the Marin Circle, Strawberry Creek Park and the Santa Fe Railway, and Berkeley Woods, a hilly neighborhood in Northeast Berkeley.
Meet Our Paths: Above the Claremont Hotel, Challenges and Charms
Developers of this hilly neighborhood built convenient paths so new residents could walk to and from shops, schools, and public transportation. Until 1958, the E train, the northeastern-most line of the old Key System, terminated just steps from the entrance to the Claremont Hotel; in fact, the train was originally supposed to end in the hotel’s lobby.
When it Rains, Take a Path Walk!
Path wandering above the landmark Claremont Hotel is an aerobic challenge with rich rewards: panoramic views, notable architecture, and yard-art eye candy.
Janet Byron: A Tailor-Made Editor for Our Monthly e-Newsletter
Our new board member Janet Byron has a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and years of experience as a reporter, writer, and editor. Could she have better qualifications to become the new editor of our monthly e-newsletter?
Veteran Path Walker Gary Forbes Elected to BPWA’s Board
Long-time Berkeley resident Gary Forbes brings decades of retail and management experience to our board and will helpful with marketing our map and other merchandise. In fact, he often is a walking advertisement for us, sporting his BPWA shirt and cap.
Garber Park: A Natural Treasure Restored
On the south slope of Claremont Canyon above the Claremont Hotel, lies one of the best-kept secrets in the Berkeley-Oakland Hills: Garber Park. This 13-acre City of Oakland wildland park has significant stands of big leaf maple, California buckeyes, regenerating coast live oak, and the typical understory found in woodland forests. Harwood Creek meanders through it in winter and spring.
Sharon Taylor Joins the BPWA Board: “A Perfect Fit!”
A lifelong hiker, runner, and lover of paths and trails, Sharon Taylor has a hard time being idle. Our new board member has walked every path in Berkeley in one day — a 33.4-mile route! — and has completed all 38 walks in the guidebook Secret Stairs of the East Bay.
Urban Designer Caroline Swinehart Tapped for BPWA Board
Caroline Swinehart moved to Berkeley in 2016, straight from graduate school at Notre Dame. She now is a senior designer at Opticos Design, an urban design and architecture firm in Berkeley that specializes in creating sustainable, walkable communities.
The Unstoppable Mary Lynch!
It may be a bad pun, but it’s no exaggeration to say that Mary Lynch has long been a linchpin of Berkeley Path Wanders. Since 2002, she’s contributed her ideas, talents, and sweat equity to help us to preserve, maintain and expand Berkeley’s path system.