The Berghaus events aim to encourage new walkers to join seasoned outdoors fans

Seasoned walkers are being urged to get a friend on to their feet in the great outdoors with help from a top gear brand.

Berghaus’s scheme enables those who already know the value of hitting the hills to bring a buddy to show the joys of walking.

Walk with Berghaus is one of the Sunderland-based brand’s effort for the Britain on Foot campaign, which aims to encourage a million more Britons to take part in outdoor activities.

Britain on Foot was established by the Outdoor Industries Association, the trade body for firms and organisations in the outdoor sector, and has cross-party backing from Westminster politicians.

The free walking events are open to pairs of people and will take place at four places in England and Wales during the summer.

The company said: “Berghaus invested funds to help get Britain on Foot established and is now playing an active role in developing activities to raise the profile of the campaign and help it reach its target audiences.

“The four Walk with Berghaus events have been designed to offer a good balance for newcomers to the outdoors, with a combination of locations that provide access to beautiful countryside and routes that are not too challenging for beginners.”

The walks will be guided by professionals and will also be attended by members of the Berghaus team.

Caroline Smith, head of marketing for Berghaus, said: “Britain on Foot is a really important campaign. The OIA has shown great vision in developing it and Berghaus has been a supporter from the very start.

“We feel that as well as helping to get a fighting fund started, it is essential that we do something proactive to help deliver the campaign to the public.

“What better way is there than to invite some of the public to join us for a walk?

“Inevitably, each event will have a fairly limited capacity. However, we really hope that together they manage to inspire a new love for the outdoors in some people and that just hearing about the walks gets a few more people onto the hills or encourages other companies to come up with their own Britain on Foot activities.”

Everyone who attends a Walk with Berghaus event will be given a Berghaus baselayer and goody bag. Places on the walks are free but limited in number.

All the walks take place on Saturdays. The venues are: 27 July, Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire; 10 August, Ambleside in the Lake District; 24 August, Neath Valley area, south Wales, and 7 September, Seven Sisters Country Park and South Downs Way.

Anyone wanting to request a pair of places is asked to email Berghaus with their details, and those of the person they will be introducing to the outdoors, along with the location of which walk they would like to attend.