Wainwright fans will be heading to the Howgills as part of the challenge

A series of challenge walks by aficionados of author Alfred Wainwright will help a charity’s bid to preserve and extend an upland plant.

The Wainwright Society’s 60-50-40 Challenge marks three anniversaries in the guidebook writer’s publishing.

This year will be the 60th anniversary of the first page of the first of his series of Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells – when he kicked off his now revered hand-illustrated guidebooks with his volume on the Eastern Fells.

The challenge will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Northern Fells volume and the 40th year after his Walks on the Howgill Fells was published.

Society members will tackle 91 walks, heading to the summits of all the fells featured in the Eastern and Northern Fells volumes, along with the routes described in the Howgills book.

Money raised by members from donations and sponsorship will be given to Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the Society’s main beneficiary this year. The society is supporting the trust’s Uplands for Juniper project.

Derek Cockell of the Wainwright Society said: “A decline in the use and management of juniper in recent years, coupled with reduced seed production of older plants and overgrazing of young saplings has taken its toll on the viability of juniper to continue to flourish in its natural habitat.

“The project aims to survey the 231 identified juniper sites in order to establish the condition and extent of juniper.

“Following the survey practical steps will be taken to improve the condition of existing juniper sites, expand juniper woodland sites and create new stands through planting locally sourced saplings.”

Members of the Society will tackle the challenge routes between 5 and 26 May.