HUNDREDS of walkers will follow in the footsteps of a rambling legend when the first North Pennines Walking Festival takes place this autumn.

The nine-day festival will start on Saturday, September 28, with walkers celebrating the 75th anniversary of Alfred Wainwright's Pennine journey.

His 247 mile trek, which included crossing the North Pennine's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), took him 18 days, but walkers divided into groups will between them complete the whole route in just one day.

Ian Forbes, chairman of the Friends of the North Pennines charity which has organised the festival alongside other partners including the North Pennines AONB Partnership, said: "It's going to be an amazing start to what we hope will become a popular annual event.

"We wanted to create something where we could make the most of this stunning landscape and what better way to start things than by paying tribute to one of the most respected walkers of all time?"

There will be a further 49 walks between the start of the festival and its conclusion on Sunday, October 6, for walkers of all ages and abilities, as well as lectures and talks.

Walks are situated throughout the whole of the North Pennines from Baldersdale to Bowlees and Rookhope to Westgate in County Durham, Brough to Kirby Stephen in Cumbria and from Hexham to Housesteads in Northumberland.

Paint Your Own Turner on Monday, September 30 follows the artist's footsteps, taking in a walk through the landscape of Upper Teesdale to Low and High Force waterfalls culminates in a painting session.

Wildlife lovers will have the chance to look into the nocturnal life of bats along the Allen Banks on Thursday, October 3, on a short evening walk led by The National Trust.

The organisation is also holding a fungal foray event later in the week with mycology lecturer, Dr Gordon Beakes, heading the hunt for edible and deadly mushrooms.

A walk will also be held exploring the mines at Nenthead, while several walks will raise money for charities.

Di Denbury, from Friends of the North Pennines, said: "We hope the festival gives people the chance to explore parts of the North Pennines they've never been to before, or rediscover favourite spots."

For further information or to book a place on any of the walks, visit northpennineswalkingfestival.org.uk