Walking and literary festival aiming for wider audience

This year’s Richmond Walking and Book Festival will see appearances by veteran poet Pam Ayres and Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams, now Baroness Williams of Crosby.

The Yorkshire-born author Peter Robinson, who created the hugely popular Det Chief Insp Alan Banks series, will also be at the festival.

The 10-day event will run from September 23 until October 2 and will include 36 walking events in Wensleydale and Swaledale and more than a dozen literary and speaking events.

One of the organisers, Colin Grant, said: “There is an ambition to get more people involved.

“These types of festivals are often quite specialist and niche, but we are trying to get away from any sort of elitism to do with literature or simply attracting experienced walkers.

“It is about celebrating the whole area and appealing to a more diverse audience.

“We obviously want literature fans and walkers to come along, but we are organising more family-orientated events this year as well.”

The festival was first staged in 2000 when it focused solely on walks, before literary events were introduced seven years ago.

This year’s event is being sponsored by the Richmond-based boot makers Alt-berg. The company’s owner, Mike Sheehan, helped organise the first festival.

Tickets and information are available at www.booksandboots.org