A FREE guided walk along part of the Dales High Way will start and finish in Austwick this Saturday. A talk about the route will follow in the afternoon.

Everyone is invited to meet at 10:30am in Austwick Village Hall for a moderate walk of about four miles led by Chris Grogan, a member of Friends of the Dales.

This year is the tenth anniversary of the creation of A Dales High Way, designed by Chris and her husband Tony.

The long distance route from Saltaire to Appleby was officially launched in 2008 with the publication of the first edition of A Dales High Way Route Guide.

Its popularity as a high level trail crossing the Yorkshire Dales soon grew and it is now estimated around 1,000 walkers tackle the route each year.

The trail is now way-marked and included as an official Long Distance Recreational Route on OS Explorer and Landranger maps.

"I'm delighted to be leading a short walk along the trail for Friends of the Dales," said Chris. "Not everyone can tackle the whole 90 miles in one go but breaking down the route into short sections is a great way to enjoy it."

In the afternoon, Chris will present an illustrated talk explaining more about how A Dales High Way was created, and how her upbringing on a Dentdale hill farm led to a lifelong passion for walking.

The talk starts at 2:15 pm in Austwick Village Hall (small charge for non members includes tea/biscuits).

Boots and outdoor clothing are advised for the walk and bring a snack/drink. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome.