THIS weekend marks the return of an annual international walking event commemorating the life and ideas of Jane Jacobs.

Jane was an author and activist best known for her influential book the Death and Life of Great American Cities, which argued urban renewal did not respect the needs of inhabitants

Her life is remember across the world each year with Jane’s Walk, a series of walking tours through towns and cities.

Colchester was one of the first in this country to embrace the idea back in 2011 and once again the town is going all out with a number of walks in and around the town.

It was set up in the town by Rowena Macaulay, of Walk Colchester, who is also founder member and chairman of the Essex Access Forum at Essex University, and was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List this year for her services to higher education.

She says: "This year marks the 100th anniversary of Jane Jacob’s birth. It is also Colchester’s 6th Jane’s Walk festival, and since we hosted the first in the UK in 2011 it has reached London, Birmingham, Hereford, Nottingham, Sheffield, Liverpool and Manchester."

Taking place over three-days this weekend, it all starts on Friday, May 6, with a one-mile walk exploring Colchester's new Fixing the Link project.

Led by Jane Thompson, it starts at the new elephant sculpture at Colchester's North Station at 1pm and leads into town.

Other highlights over the rest of the weekend include the director of the Colchester Archaeological Trust Philip Crummy taking a full circuit of the town's historic walls and Chelsea Flower Show Gold Winner Mick Lavelle and his wife Christine introducing people to the wildlife havens along the River Colne.

For more information go to www.walkcolchester.org.uk/projects/janes-walk-2016

Jane's Walks, Colchester - Walks Programme

Friday, 1pm - Fixing the Link – starts Colchester Station led by Jane Thompson, one hour.

A one-walk which introduces the 'Fixing the Link project, a recent initiative in Colchester aimed at improving the walking experience between Colchester Station (North Station) and the town centre, using a methodology pioneered by Dutch railways.

Friday, 6.30pm - Fiona Broom's Sites of Former Employment - starts Three Wise Monkeys, High Street, led by Fiona Broom, one and a half hours.

An usual walk which takes people on a journey through the employment history of one Colcestrian with some rather unusual stories along the way.

Saturday, 10am - The Story of Colchester’s Water Supply - starts Jumbo Water Tower led by Brian Light, two hours.

Find out how the Romans delivered water to a town sitting on a hill and why so many of Victorian Colchester's 400 plus wells were shut down by the water company.

Saturday, 1pm - Jane's Walk lunchtime launch and One-Idea-One-Minute - Castle Methodist Church, Maidenburgh Street, led by Rowena Macaulay, one hour.

The only event that isn't a walk but a chance to hear more about Jane Jacobs and take part in the one-idea-one-minute event which this year has the theme Colchester: Lost and Found in which people have a chance to reflect on what they love and have loved about Colchester.

Saturday, 2pm - Tracing Britain's Oldest Town Wall - Castle Methodist Church, Maidenburgh Street, led by Philip Crummy, one and a half hours.

A full circuit of the Roman Walls. As Philip says himself: "The wall is a complicated thing... there are lots of elements to it - many periods in its life, secret bits and not-so-secret; collapsed bits, excavated bits, bits that have been rebuilt... It's not just a bit of old wall."

Saturday, 2.30pm - Lagoon Blooms - starts end of Haven Road, The Hythe, opposite the Anglian Water site, led by Michael and Christine Lavelle, two hours.

A walk along the west bank of the River Colne towards Rowhedge, taking in a bird hide and The Lagoons - the dredging of which ceased in the mid seventies and has turned into a valuable haven for wildlife.

Saturday, 5pm - The Castle to The Tower - starts entrance to the Castle led By Robert Johnstone, one and a half hours.

Taking in the towns two award-winning parks, Castle Park and High Woods Country Park, this walks ends up at Tower Lane close by to the former Severalls Hospital and Colchester United's football stadium.

Saturday, 8pm - Haunted Colchester: North Hill to East - starts Marquis of Granby North Hill, led by Rob Brown, two hours.

Taking in the historic and haunted places of Colchester through the dark history and uncanny tales of the ancient Dutch Quarter.

Sunday, 10am - The Myland Orbital - starts High Woods Country Park Visitor Centre led by Robert Johnstone and Pam Nelson, two hours.

The unusual and hidden places of Colchester's Myland area taking in a small section of the proposed 13.5 mile Colchester Orbital, a multi-user walking and cycling route which is in development at present.

Sunday, 11am - Landescape: The Defence of the Ancient Tribal Kingdom (foraging and history along Grymes Dyke) - starts Leather Bottle pub car park, Straight Road, led by Mitch Mclean, two and a half hours.

Reconnect with the history and natural environment of Colchester's ancient ancestors as walk leader Mitch Mclean introduces the ancient boundary and landmarks of the stronghold of Camulodunum.

Sunday, 12pm and 5pm - All Trees Great and Small - starts the Castle Bridge, led by Christopher Howard, two hours.

Back by popular demand, a tour of some of the 65 beautiful trees gracing Castle Park's slopes.

Sunday, 12pm - The Surprise of the Hythe - starts Hythe Station, led by Belinda Federl, two hours.

Discover the history of the Colchester's old port and some surprising places you may not have known were there like the picturesque Distillery Pond.

Sunday, 2pm - Observing Colchester, through the lens of Jane Jacobs - starts Firstsite Art Gallery Cafe, led by Rebecca Rocket, two hours.

Jane Jacobs encouraged everyone to engage directly with the environment around themselves so visit familiar but maybe not always closely observed spots around town, looking at them with new eyes.

Sunday, 2pm - Horrible Histories: Cruel Colchester - starts Colchester Castle, led by Halim (nine) and Zakir (seven), two hours.

Halim and Zakir take you from Castle Park, to Hilly Fields and back via quiet streets revealing through short stories the spots where some of Colchester’s most darkest, macabre and ghostly historical events have taken place.