THE fourth three-day Kirkby Stephen walking festival attracted some 300 walkers to the town last weekend with visitors attracted from Dorset in the south to Perthshire in the north.

Thirty different guided walks, ranging from four to 16 miles, easy to strenuous, were led by local volunteers - all with a particular expertise. One of the toughest involved 3,000 ft of ascent and others covered areas from Roundthwaite in the west, Sedbergh in the south-west, the Pennines in the east and Warcop in the north.

Two walks focused on conservation initiatives being undertaken in the Kirkby Stephen area and included valuable inputs from a trustee of the John Strutt Conservation Foundation and Mark Chippendale, of Wharton Hall Farm, showing their commitment to conserving the countryside and the wildlife it supports.

One walk included a journey out on the Settle Carlisle Railway Line, taking walkers to Garsdale and the start of a 16-mile walk back to Kirkby Stephen along Mallerstang Edge.

Many of the walks brought the natural beauty of the area to the attention of the walkers, including such special features as limestone pavements, drumlins, Nine Standards, the beauty of bluebell woods, and the wild flowers, which adorn riverbanks, and quiet roadside verges.

Some highlighted the rich history of the Eden Valley and its links to Lady Anne Clifford, while another focused on the area's villages and their history.

One walk encouraged the development of navigation skills under the tuition of a member of the local mountain rescue team.

The drama walk, sponsored by the National Lottery Awards for All, is now established as a special feature of the weekend. It involved actors and local children who had attended workshops beforehand to produce props and costumes. The play was written by Chrissy Bury and included many special effects.

The rest of the festival received sponsorship from Eden District Council and 13 other local businesses.

As well as the walks, events were arranged for the three evenings, which included a welcoming supper, a hoe down, a pub quiz and a farewell tea.

Ann Anderton, co-ordinator and secretary of the committee said: "Once again we were blessed with fine weather, but the most memorable part of the whole weekend for me was hearing the walkers' comments about what a great weekend it had been and how much they appreciated the warm welcome from the local people"