AS the annual Welcome to Walking Week gets under way this weekend, more routes across the North-East are being opened up to walkers with the support of the Government's agri-environment schemes.

Organised by the Ramblers' Association, the week is the national festival of walks designed to introduce people to the benefits of walking, with hundreds of events across the country to suit all members of the family.

Starting tomorrow, it runs until Sunday, September 25.

The North-East already has an impressive network of footpaths and rights of way, including the Hadrian's Wall Heritage Trail, while the Pennine Way and Cleveland Way pass through the region.

Many of the region's farmers and landowners are adding to the network, creating routes through "environmentally sensitive areas" with the help of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and through Countryside Stewardship Schemes, delivered by the Rural Development Service.

These closed to applicants last year, but have been replaced by the Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

In the past year, more than 20 walks have been opened up to the public in the North-East as part of these agreements. These include coastal walks, routes through wildlife-rich farmland and others offering an insight into our cultural and industrial heritage.

Details of the walks can be found in a free guide, Conservation Walks and Rides Register, published by Defra. They are available by calling (01902) 693218, or on http://country walks.defra.gov.uk