Best foot forward for the 8th annual Pendle Walking Festival

Thousands are expected to head to Pendle for the festival packed with 80 free guided walks.

Starting on Saturday 3rd September, the festival gives walkers of all abilities a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the beautiful countryside of this part of Pennine Lancashire.

Mike Williams, Pendle Council's Tourism Officer, said:

"Over the last eight years the Pendle Walking Festival has gone from strength to strength.

"We're so proud of it - it's been runner up in the Best Tourism Event category in the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards.

"But we're most proud that it attracts thousands of walkers from all across the UK - and beyond - to our stunning Pendle.

"The festival offers a great choice of guided walks of varying lengths in Pendle's excellent walking country. And all the walks are free!"

This year's festival will run from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th September.

From easy walks of two miles to more challenging ones of 14 miles, there really is something for everyone. 

A popular part of the festival programme is Pendle's version of the Three Peaks Challenge - that's Pendle, Boulsworth and Weets. As well as the challenge of walking the 45 mile Pendle Way over 4 days.

With the special 400th anniversary of the famous Pendle Witches just on the horizon in 2012 we have three special Witches Trail walks throughout the festival.There's also a wide choice of pub walks, which take walkers between pubs to sample the beers, most of which are CAMRA approved.

New for 2011 is the launch of Colne on Saturday 10th September as a "Walkers are Welcome" designated town with a number of walks in and around the town, including the new Castercliff Circular walk, once the site of an Iron Age fort with views to die for.

Once again the Walking Festival is being promoted on social networking site Facebook.

Search for the Pendle Walking Festival Facebook page to network with other walkers before and after the festival, and to share your photographs.

The 2011 Walking Festival will be officially launched by the Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Nadeem Ahmed, on Saturday 3rd September at 10am at Barley car park. The Mayor will be going on one of the walks himself and earning money for his charities at the same time.

Following this launch, four walks of varying length and difficulty rating will begin.

Councillor Jonathan Eyre, who is responsible for tourism in Pendle, said:

"We think the Pendle Walking Festival is the largest free walking festival in the UK.

"Every year it attracts people from far and wide and I'm sure this year will be no different.

"Pendle is so popular with walkers, with its fascinating landscape and stunning scenery.

"Tourism is big business in Pendle and the Walking Festival is a great way of attracting more visitors to the area to show them all that we have to offer.

"And, of course, anyone making the trip to Pendle for the Walking Festival will find a good range of accommodation to make a longer break of their visit.

"We've got everything, from friendly B&Bs to a fine hotel with leisure facilities, from homely self-catering cottages to a pretty village Youth Hostel."

Free Pendle Walking Festival programmes, which contain information about all the walks, are available to download from http://www.visitpendle.com/.

Programmes are also available in hard copy by calling Pendle's Tourism Team on (01282) 661981.

You can also search for accommodation in the area online at http://www.visitpendle.com/ or download a copy of our Visitor Guide. 

For more information about the 8th Pendle Walking Festival, contact Mike Williams, Tourism Officer, on (01282) 661963 or mike.williams@pendle.gov.uk