Pendle Walking Festival launches Colne's Walkers Are Welcome status

The walks, which are part of the Pendle Walking Festival, show walkers two very different aspects of Colne.

The Nature's Way walk passes through Colne's three Local Nature Reserves - Greenfield , Alkincoats Woodland and Upper Ball Grove - and clocks up eight miles.

The three mile Castercliff walk visits the site of an iron age hill fort, not far from the bustling town centre.

Both walks leave from Colne Railway Station at 2pm.

And leading up to the walks, from 12 noon there will be a display at The Crown Hotel in Albert Road highlighting how Colne and the surrounding area welcomes visitors and why it is such a great base for walking.

There will be members of Colne's Walkers are Welcome Steering Group on hand to help people find out about the many different walks to enjoy the local countryside.

David Penney, Coordinator of the Colne Walkers Are Welcome Steering Group, said:

"Colne really does welcome walkers and our launch event on 10th September will highlight why.

"We're looking forward to meeting lots of walkers from Colne, other parts of Pendle and further afield to celebrate what the town has to offer as a superb walking destination.

"Nearly 1,000 local residents and businesses backed our application to become a Walkers Are Welcome Town by signing our petition. There was support too from Colne Town Council, Colne Connected and the three Parish Councils of Foulridge, Laneshawbridge and Trawden.

"I hope they will come along and enjoy these two walks which celebrate two different aspects of the town. I'm sure they will also attract other walkers who have come to Pendle specifically for the Walking Festival."

Colne Town Councillor and Pendle Borough Councillor Dorothy Lord will officially launch the Walkers Are Welcome status, before walkers set off on the two walks at 2pm.

Councillor Lord said:

"We announced Colne's success in achieving Walkers Are Welcome status back in July.

"But this launch event has been timed to coincide with the Pendle Walking Festival, which attracts hundreds of walkers to the area.

"I'm delighted to have been asked to help launch this. These two walks highlight Colne's beautiful nature reserves and its rich history - a superb advert for the town."

Councillor Jonathan Eyre, Executive Member for Tourism in Pendle, said:

"The Walkers Are Welcome accreditation has many benefits for Colne and the surrounding villages, bringing more visitors to spend money in the town and giving local businesses a boost."

The national Walkers Are Welcome campaign supports the improvement of footpaths, better facilities for walkers and public transport to reach the countryside.

For more information about Colne's Walkers Are Welcome accreditation, contact David Penney on 01282 870076, 07948 203836 or david.penney53@ntlworld.com. Or to find out more about Walkers Are Welcome status go to http://www.walkersarewelcome.org.uk/. 

For more information about the Pendle Walking Festival, which runs until Sunday 11th September, contact Tourism Officer Mike Williams on (01282) 661963 or mike.williams@pendle.gov.uk.

Walking Festival programmes can be downloaded for free from http://www.visitpendle.com/.