THIS?year’s Alton Walking Festival takes place from April 29 to May 7, offering a wide range of walks over nine days and incorporating two weekends.

While some of the walks are already fully booked there are still spaces on others, and the booking date has been extended to next Friday, April 21.

This year’s festival will start with a new walk called Alton Six Hills Walk – Phase One. The route is in its infancy but introduces magnificent views of Alton from three of the surrounding hills. The longer-term aim is to work both with landowners and developers to create some new access points which would enable walkers to connect existing paths to create a circular route taking in all six hills.

It is one of the longer walks that is already sold out, along with the April 30 walk from Bentley station to Alton (northern loop), the walk from Alton to Thedden and back on May 6, and the second of two adult ghost walks on May 5.

But there are still many more choices available with an opportunity to take part in walks ranging in distance and nature from bird spotting and photography to the English Civil War, and from tree identification and a children’s ghost walk to those exploring the town and the surrounding countryside.

They will be led by knowledgeable walk guides.

Devised and run by Alton Town Council, the aim of the festival is “to provide everyone the opportunity to be able to actively engage with the event which is designed to promote healthy living”.

For more details, call Alton Town Council on 01420 83986 or e-mail [email protected]. To book, complete a registration form, available from Alton Town Hall, or visit alton.gov.uk.