Date: 31st August 2011

Time is running out to sign up for the Scottish Borders Walking Festival
SEStran joins Borders Council and Scottish Natural Heritage to support event’s 17th successful year, 4-10 September 2011, Hawick

Over 530 people have already signed up to take part in the 2011 Scottish Borders Walking Festival.

The Festival, which moves to a different location in the Borders annually, is being held this year in Hawick. Spaces are filling up quickly, with 7 of the 21 walks available fully booked up and enquiries coming from as far afield as America, Holland and Turkey, as well as keen interest from local walkers.

This year, SEStran joined Borders Council and Scottish Natural Heritage in backing the event for the first time, as part of its commitment to promoting
sustainable forms of transportation; including walking, for public health and to reduce traffic congestion and car dependency.

 SEStran Chair Russell Imrie said:
“We are very encouraged by the response so far. The organisers have done a marvellous job and the event is well on the way to being a huge success”.
“The Scottish Borders Walking Festival is one of the oldest and most successful all-abilities walking events in Scotland, with walks to suit every level of fitness, from strolls through the regions historic towns and villages to serious hiking”. 
“It’s an ideal way of getting fitter while also seeing more of the region’s beautiful countryside.”
Festival Organiser Andrew Farquhar added:
"By introducing walkers to the relatively undiscovered beauty of the unspoilt natural environment that we ourselves enjoy, we hope that they will be tempted to re-visit Liddesdale and Teviotdale again and again.   

“The area features prominently in the history of Scotland and there is an abundance of wildlife with fantastic views for the visitor to enjoy”.  
Each day there is also a full evening programme, with presentations by well known authors, films featuring local life as well as a concert with local artists plus an end of festival ceilidh".
Andrew Panter of Scottish Natural Heritage said:
"The numbers signing up so far for the festival are really good. We've been supporting the Borders Walking Festival for several years, to encourage people to get out and see the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of the Borders. This is a wonderful event in a spectacular area for walking, so I'd urge people to sign up for events before it's too late as they are going fast. "

END
For further information, please visit the SEStran website at : www.sestran.org.uk,
the Scottish Borders Walking Festival website at http://www.borderswalking.com  
or contact:
Andrew Dougal, SEStran Communications Officer
T: 0131-524-5161
M: 07889-010-291
E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk
ENDS
SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is a partnership of eight local councils covering the Borders, Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Fife.

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