What have the press been saying about the walking festival?

Walk, the magazine for walkers - 10/03/09

Under the banner "Celebrating 60 Years of National Parks and Access to the Countryside," Shepherds Walks has launched the first Rothbury & Coquetdale Midsummer Walking Festival. Taking place 13-20 June 2009, the event aims to draw crowds of walkers and country-lovers to the this beautiful part of Northumberland National Park. This new addition to the walking calendar is one of a series of special activities in the National Park taking place this year to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Act of Parliament that brought National Parks, National Trails and Nature Reserves into being for people's enjoyment. 

"It's marvellous to have a real celebration in what I think is the finest area in the region," says Jon Monks from Shepherds Walks. "The variety of walks on offer for this festival is second to none and it will be a great time to come on holiday to the area".

From Saturday 13th June until Saturday 20th June 2009,  a wide range of guided walks ranging from 3 to 12 miles - for all abilities and interests - will take place during the day and evening. The walks will be led by local experts including National Park Rangers, local guided walking businesses and trained volunteers, and will feature topics such as ancient haymeadows, bumblebees, birdlife, history, heritage and some plain good stretches of the legs and lungs in the clean, clear air of this stunning open countryside. 

Suggested donations for the walks range from £5 to £7 per person but are not obligatory, and all the money raised from the walking festival will go into the 'Good Nature Fund' for conservation projects in Northumberland National Park. For more information visit www.rothburywalking.co.uk or call Shepherds Walks on 01830 540453 to receive a leaflet.

Westmorland Gazette - 05/03/09

Since prehistoric times, the great sandstone ridge of the Simonside Hills and the Coquet Valley below have echoed to the gathering of people for the summer solstice.

This year, the first ever Rothbury and Coquetdale Midsummer Walking Festival will be drawing crowds of walkers and country-lovers to the this beautiful part of Northumberland National Park.

The new event in the walking calendar is one of a series of special activities in the National Park this year marking the 60th Anniversary of the Act of Parliament that brought National Parks, National Trails and Nature Reserves into being for people's enjoyment.

From Saturday 13th June until Saturday 20th June 2009, A wide range of guided walks from 3 to 12 miles, for all abilities and interests, will take place during the day and evening.

The walks will be led by local experts including National Park Rangers, local guided walking businesses and trained volunteers, and will feature topics such as ancient haymeadows, bumblebees, birdlife, history, Christian heritage and some plain good stretches of the legs and lungs in the clean, clear air of this stunning open countryside.

Jon Monks from Shepherds Walks said: "It's marvellous to have a real celebration in what I think is the finest area in the region. The variety of walks on offer for this festival is second to none and it will be a great time to come on holiday to the area".

Suggested donations for the walks range from £5 to £7 per person but are not obligatory, and all the money raised from the walking festival will go into the 'Good Nature Fund' for conservation projects in Northumberland National Park.

For more information visit www.rothburywalking.co.uk or call Shepherds Walks on 01830 540453 to receive a leaflet.

Newcastle Journal - 23/02/09

Walkers are told to put their best foot forward.
 
Walking enthusiasts are being urged to put their best foot forward and head for part of Northumberland this summer to indulge in their favourite hobby.
 
The Coquetdale community of Rothbury is staging its first-ever walking festival from Saturday June 13 to Saturday 20th.
 
For thousand of years people have gathered in the Simonside Hills and Coquetdale for the summer solstice, and the Midsummer Walking Festival aims to tap into that tradition.
 
There will be a series of 15 day and evening walks over eight days led by experts such as full-time National Park Rangers, local walking businesses and five volunteers, who will be trained at a cost of £1,000. 
 
Bookings have already come in for the festival from America, London and Scotland.
 
Jon Monks of Shepherds Walks, who has been actively involved in planning the festival said there was a great variety of choice on offer for keen walkers in the festival.
 
He said "Its great to see such an event being organised in what I think is the finest area in the region.  The variety of walks on offer for this festival is second to none and I'm certainly looking forward to taking part in it".
 
All money raised from the festival is available by visiting www.rothburywalking.co.uk or by calling Shepherds Walks on (01830) 540453.