THERE are festivals catering for almost every interest imaginable, but the organisers of a novel four-day event in a national park say theirs is not a step too far.

WalkFest, on the North York Moors, will aim to attract hikers of all ages and abilities to join walks with themes ranging from afternoon tea to history, poetry, art and wildlife photography.

The event is part of a five-year drive by the North York Moors National Park Authority to increase visitor numbers, and in particular walkers as they have little impact on the park's qualities, by 1.6 million before 2017.

The inaugural festival, from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25, will feature 20 walks, including a 3.5-mile walk along part of George Stephenson’s original 1836 railway line from Goathland to Grosmont and a stroll examining fairies, castles and folklore in the national park.

Alongside walks guided by experts in their field, the programme includes navigation workshops, geocaching and self-led trails.

A festival spokesman said: “The park has long run a successful programme of walks throughout the year and, of course, is hugely popular with independent walkers.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the line-up for our first ever walking festival – there really is something for everyone in there, and most of them are designed to be extremely family-friendly.”

The festival will start with a leisurely climb up 1,049ft Roseberry Topping with a picnic lunch at the shooting hut folly before a family-oriented basic map reading and compass skills session, which will be put to the test with an orienteering challenge.

Highlights of the festival for historians will include a five-mile trek across the ancient Wade’s Causeway, which stretches across Wheeldale Moor, near Goathland and an hour stroll at Robin Hood's Bay examining its hiding places and secret passages used by smugglers in the 18th Century.

Arts-themed walks will include a watercolour painting session under the guidance of artist Peter Reynolds at Beggar’s Bridge, beside the River Esk, a beach art workshop at Robin Hood's Bay and another stroll in the Esk Valley looking at the work of dialect poet John Castillo and a recital of Yorkshire dialect poems by Eric Scaife.

The festival's organisers will provide GPS units for a geocaching treasure hunt and will hold a drop-in animal tracks challenge at The Moors National Park Centre at Danby throughout the weekend.

Many of the walks include refreshments, and places cost from £2.50.

For details, visit northyorkmoors.org.uk/walkingfestival or call 01439-772738.