VISITORS could come from far and wide to a new walking festival being planned for Grassington.

It is proposed that the Wharfedale Walking Week (WWW) will be held in May during five days and mark the start of Grassington's festival season.

It is hoped to attract a high profile celebrity walker – such as Clare Balding, Julia Bradbury or Bill Bryson – and for it to be concluded with a party, including hog roast, on the last Saturday in the village square.

It will feature both circular and linear walks – with the linear ones using public transport – and will showcase the stunning countryside of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walks will be of between two-and-a-half and five hours long, and a guide on every walk will give information along the way of geological and wildlife, and of local history interest.

There will also be a walk for schoolchildren on the last Saturday, and routes will aim to be accessible to those with restricted sight or hearing.

There will also be a walk for those with limited mobility around Grimwith Reservoir and also a late night walk, with mobile telescopes to look at the stars.

Grassington Parish Council chairman, Councillor Michael Rooze, said running costs are not expected to huge but it was planned to apply for a grant to the national park authority.

He said it was proposed to charge for the walks, with the money being used to cover costs and any profit going to the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association.

But, what is needed is several volunteers, including walk guides and someone to organise a website.

Cllr Rooze said: "We will need a number of guides, people to liaise with the national park and with fell rescue and farmers, and we shall also need a copy writer, and someone to deal with insurance and risk assessment. We shall also need someone to talk to local businesses."

It is also hoped to get French and Dutch speakers on board, to attract visitors from abroad.

"May is a popular month for people from Northern Europe to come to our country, and it will also be a good start to the festival season," he added.

Cllr Rooze said inspiration for the festival had come from the popularity of the Craven Herald walks, while discussions had taken place with organisers of the Pateley Bridge walking festival to find out how it was done.

Firm dates for the festival will depend on the planets, as there are plans to have a moonlit walk with mobile telescopes, to make the most of the dark, light pollution-free skies of Grassington. Only support dogs, to support those with limited sight or hearing, will be allowed.

E-mail grassingtonpc@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested in helping out.