OUTDOOR enthusiasts are being urged to step out for the latest North Pennines Walking Festival.
The event offers everything from the shortest of strolls for families who want to discover nature, to an exclusive, once a year chance to bag a “Nuttall” – the normally out-of-bounds Little Fell.
It has been organised the Friends of the North Pennines and takes in some of the most stunning parts of Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria.
It is the Friends’ third walking festival, held in collaboration with staff from the North Pennines AONB Partnership and the recently-accredited Middleton-in-Teesdale Walkers are Welcome group.
Taking place between Saturday, June 30, and Saturday July 14, the festival features seven walks showcasing some of the best wildlife, most fascinating history and most stunning scenery in the AONB and UNESCO Global Geopark.
Sarah Elton, of the Friends of the North Pennines, said: “Every walk on the programme has something different. And not only do you get out into the glorious North Pennines countryside at a really good time to see our wildflowers and birds, but you can learn so much from the walk leaders and your fellow walkers too.
“I only wish I had enough time to do them all myself.”
The first walk, on Saturday, June 30, starts along the Pennine Way, discovering the glacial history of the Kirkcarrion area, near Middleton-in-Teesdale. The Botany and Bees walk, on Saturday, July 7, around the Bowlees Visitor Centre, will introduce families to the plant and insect life found in the AONB.
Other events give walkers a chance to explore diverse areas of the AONB, including Talkin, on Tuesday, July 3, and Renwick/Kirkoswald on Sunday, July 1.
Those keen for a taste of Isaac's Tea Trail in the Allen Valleys can sample it on Tuesday, July 10, and walkers will have exclusive access to the normally private Little Fell on Saturday, July 14.
On the same day, Middleton-in-Teesdale celebrates its launch as a Walkers are Welcome community a trek up Snaisgill.
Full details of the festival programme and booking details are available at www. friendsofthenorthpennines. org.uk.
