Last year’s festival attracted walkers of all abilities and ages. A family walk up Flinter Gill to the viewpoint is featured in the 2011 programme

Organisers of a Dales walking festival will run a shuttle bus service to the nearest railway station to encourage visitors to use public transport.

The Dent Walking Festival will offer outings ranging from a full-day walk up Whernside, the highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, to a gentle stroll round the hay meadows round the village, once in the West Riding of Yorkshire but now part of Cumbria.

Dent station, the highest mainline station in England at 350m (1,148ft), lies on the scenic Settle to Carlisle line and is famously almost 7km (4¼ miles) from the village the name of which it bears, and 200m (656ft) above it. The shuttle bus will run between Dent and Dent station at peak times during the festival, which runs over the bank holiday weekend of 30 April and 1 May.

The walking festival will also feature local artists and craftspeople, with several of the routes taking in a visit to the village’s Meditation Centre for a chance to view the Highlights Contemporary Craft Tour exhibition Meadowsweet. Village venues will also feature live music.

Matthew Clayton, one of the festival organisers, said: “We’ll have more than 30 guided walks running through the weekend and these will range from full-day ascents of Whernside to gentle strolls around Dent village and the nearby hay meadows plus lots of half-day walks in between.

“Each walk will be led by a local enthusiast or by a volunteer from the Yorkshire Dales National Park and many routes will include visits to local galleries, open studios or workshops.

“It’s very easy to say that there’s something for everyone at the festival, but I really think that visitors to this year’s Dent Walking Festival are going to be surprised by both the welcome and the walks.”

The Dales Way national trail also passes through the village.

More walk details are on the Discover Dentdale website and further information can be obtained by ringing Matthew on 015396 25022.