Moray Walking & Outdoor Festival unveils busy 10-day programme
A total of 34 events are planned for this year’s Moray Walking & Outdoor Festival which begins this Friday.
Everything from long rambles to gentle ambles will be on offer during the following ten days, including specially themed history and nature walks.
The Moray Way Association, which organises the festival, has worked alongside with numerous local experts who each bring specialist knowledge of Moray’s historical, archaeological, architectural, cultural, natural, and landscape heritage.
The first event – Hidden Tales and Trails of Glenlivet – kicks off at 10am on Friday with the Glenlivet Heritage Ranger, who will uncover traces of the past hidden in the landscape.
Amongst the various things to be investigated en route will be prehistoric hut circles, the enigmatic Clach Neart lifting stone and the ancient paths once used by smugglers.
Kath Todd, chairperson of the Moray Way Association, said: “We’re incredibly lucky to have such a diverse landscape in Moray, and our event experts will help you discover its wildlife, natural beauty and heritage that you might otherwise miss.”
Numerous more challenging walks of seven miles or more will be taking place during the festival, as will a mountain bike ride to Elf House Cave
Moray historian and writer Dr John Barrett will conduct one walk in Aberlour, and another along the coast from Burghead.
Local historian and guide John Halliday will conduct one walk in Grantown-on-Spey, as well as another – the ‘Jesus Saves Stone Walk’ – across the Dava Moor .
Kinloss Abbey Trust will hosting a Solstice guided walk around the remains of the largest Cistercian Monastery in the north of Scotland, including the Abbot’s House, which is not usually accessible.
Meanwhile, writer Rob Wallen will lead his ever-popular Garmouth & Kingston Walk, exploring the area’s shipbuilding heyday.
Dan Puplett will conduct both ‘How to be a Nature Detective’ and ‘A Deep Time Walk’.
Ruaraidh Milne is staging ‘A Useful Nature Foraging Walk’ and ‘Dunearn Nature Walk’.
In addition, a new event in Forres with storyteller Carol Scorer will be a family-friendly walk that involves both the feet and and the imagination.
The Moray Walking & Outdoor Festival is taking place from Friday, June 13 to Monday, June 23.
Ticket details and further information and all the various events can be found at moraywalkoutdoorfest.co.uk
