DORCHESTER is set to host its first walking festival this summer with an 'exciting' schedule of more than 40 walks and activities to be enjoyed.

During national walking month in May, the festival will be running from Saturday, May 13 to Sunday, May 21.

Dorchester Walking Festival will start in the Borough Gardens at 5am with a family-friendly Dawn Chorus to listen to bird song and identify birds.

It will finish with a grand finale, Beating the Bounds, around the old town walks with the town crier and local folk band Tatterdemalion, with pop-up surprises along the way.

Walks include a 'great mix of long and short walks' and activities for all abilities and interests.

Self-guided walks are also included, lengths of which vary from two-mile trails around the town to more intrepid hikes, such as the 26-mile Cerne Valley walk. 

Almost half of the walks are free, with opportunities to find out more about the town and its history, including an imaginary walk around 17th century Dorchester at Dorset Museum.

The walks are graded from gentle to moderate, with strenuous walks for the more experienced hiker, with almost half of the walks free of charge. 

Dorchester Town Council and Kingston Maurward College are two of the headline sponsors for the inaugural festival. 

Cllr Janet Hewitt, mayor of Dorchester said: “Dorchester Town Council is proud to be a Headline Sponsor of the Dorchester Walking Festival

"It is a fantastic inclusive event that can be enjoyed by all. It is also a great way for us to bring visitors to the town and boost our local economy.

"Dorchester is a brilliant place to walk in and around, we have so much incredible history and beautiful green spaces.

"A walking festival is a superb way to celebrate and enjoy our magnificent town.”

Esther Baker, head of marketing at Kingston Maurward College, added: “We are delighted to be involved with the Dorchester Walking Festival and are looking forward to celebrating our beautiful estate with the residents of Dorchester and the wider community.

"Kingston Maurward has a long history dating back to the mediaeval era, links with Thomas Hardy, and of course its rich heritage as a college, and we'd like people to explore this.”

The whole walking itinerary can be viewed at discoverdorchester.co.uk/dorchester-walking-festival.