RAMBLERS are a step closer to one of the most anticipated events in their social calendar.

Ulverston WalkFest is returning for another year, with more far-flung visitors expected to descend on the famous countryside than ever before.

The festival, which began in 1999, takes place on Saturday, April 23, and lasts until Monday, May 2.

This year, organisers have pulled-off a coup by signing-up the legendary 'King of the Fells' Joss Naylor MBE to be the honorary speaker.

Mr Naylor MBE set a record in 1975 for running-up 72 Lake District peaks in just 24 hours - a distance of some 100m and more than 38,000 feet of ascent.

Stan Aspinall, a WalkFest organiser, said: "We were very pleased to have Joss on board. We've had good speakers for the last three years so he is following in their footsteps.

"He is very well known and he's been the king of the mountains for many years."

Ulverston WalkFest attempts to cater for everyone's needs, offering 36 different walks and events ranging from talks from guest speakers to bird watching in the Roudsea Wood Nature Reserve, and everything in between.

"Walks with a theme tend to attract more people," said Mr Aspinall, from Broughton-in-Furness.

"We have tried to balance industrial and archaeological themes with simply walking for pleasure around the Lake District, or picking-up skills like map reading."

Traditionally, the most popular walk is the Alpaca Encounter - a family-orientated event that allows those taking part to feed some of the region's more unusual residents - and every walk is led by an instructor and is fully risk assessed.

It is expected to be another bumper year, with Mr Aspinall, 69, confirming that more people from across the country are attending than ever before.

He said: "People are coming from further afield every single year.

"We always get a great response from locals, and most people come from a 20 mile radius around Ulverston, but at the same time we hope to educate people about our lovely area."

For more information visit www.ulverstonwalkfest.co.uk