THE Conservative Party’s most adventurous member has set off on a 260-mile walk around Cumbria to meet his prospective constituents.

Rory Stewart, conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Penrith and the Border, hopes the walk will give him first hand experience of the main issues facing Cumbria’s rural communities and the opportunity to meet people in the area.

”The walk will help me get to the heart of the issues affecting people in the constituency and it’s been very exciting so far,” said Mr Stewart.

“It’s given me a sense of where the real problems are.

"For example I spent the day in Kirkby Stephen on Thursday learning from councillors and local people their feelings over the community centre being moved away from the town’s main street - it is issues like this when people deserve to have an MP out and about, making themselves visible.”

Mr Stewart walked to Kirkby Stephen last Thursday and onto Orton Farmers’ Market on Saturday.

His tour is expected to come to an end on January 14.

Walking up to 15 miles a day Mr Stewart will be staying with friends, in local pubs and with people who have offered him free accomodation.

“I am very grateful for the generous offers of hospitality and accommodation I have received from people whose towns and villages I will be passing through on this walk,” said Mr Stewart.

“It’s a great privilege to spend time with people in their homes and to share some insight into their lives.”

Mr Stewart was selected as the conservative party candidate for Penrith and the Border in an open primary in October 2009.

If elected, he will replace MP David Maclean, who is stepping down at the next general election after 26 years in office.

“I think this area needs somebody who can operate well in Westminster as well as know the constituency,” said Mr Stewart.

“It’s a tricky balancing act but that’s what I’m hoping to do.

“And I’m conerned that we need to give more power back to local communities like parish councils to allow them to work out their own futures.”

Not averse to a challenge, Mr Stewart trekked 6,000 miles across Asia in 2001 and describes himself as an obsessive walker.

Mr Stewart encourages people to walk with him along the way and he is using the opportunity to raise funds for the Penrith Lions who are helping families affected by the recent floods.