A DELEGATIION of nine tourism professionals have been testing their legs and lungs in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Beauty, The members of the group were all part of a Walking Tourism Network' spanning County Leitrim and North Roscommon in the north of Ireland and were here to find out about the walking tourism product which is promoted in the area.

The visit was hosted by the North Pennines AONB Partnership and involved a wide range of interests: lecturers in tourism at Fermanagh College and the Institute of Technology, Sligo; tourism professionals from Sperrins Tourism Ltd; the manager of the Una Bhan tourism co-operative, based in Boyle; business owners interested in developing walks; the Sliabh an larainn Hillwalking group; and the Fenagh Development Company.

Claire Carty, Tourism Development Officer with Arigina LEADER, the organisation which set up the Walking Tourism Network, said: "The local community really welcomed us and we got a lot out of our visit to the North Pennines. We all found out lots about how walking is promoted to visitors in the AONB by a variety of different organisations and individuals. The Know Your North Pennines training programme was of particular interest and it is possible that some form of collaboration might happen in the future."

The packed three-day schedule included: sampling a recently developed caravan walk' from Allendale Caravan Park; a masterclass in organising community-led walking festivals by the Haltwhistle Partnership; an introduction to the Northern Rocks Festival at Ninebanks Youth Hostel; an in-depth insight into the Know Your North Pennines' training programme organised by Pennines Horizons; a discussion revolving round the Roof of England Walks Festival at Allenheads; presentations from the North Pennines LEADER+ Programme; and a tour round the Rock House Estate holiday accommodation, near Nenthead part of the Wake up to Wildlife initiative.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, North Pennines AONB Officer, added: "The delegation of Irish walking tourism professionals was given a fantastic welcome at Fawside's new residential centre at Deneholme and in Allendale itself. The group had a wide range of knowledge and expertise which they shared with the AONB staff unit and other organisations as part of the visit. The walking product in the North Pennines AONB was put under the spotlight and our Irish visitors were introduced to and immersed in what this wonderful area has to offer for walkers."