Thousands of people are expected to take part in the third annual Otley Walking Festival starting on Saturday.

The action-packed programme offers walks for everyone from disabled people and children to experienced hikers and poet.

Ruth Blackwell, chairman of the Otley Walking Festival Committee, said there would be a variety of walks of events suitable for all abilities.

"There will be a poems and pints walk for the poetically licensed, the Chevin access walk with electric scooters and walking in Wharfedale for blind and partially sighted people," she said.

"There will also be the women's supper walk, which will include walking and dining, the Disney dawdle for toddlers and their adults, and Murder and Mayhem in Otley.

"We have tried to make sure there is something for everyone."

The nine day event has at least three different walking events happening everyday and is set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Last year the popular event attracted more than 1,000 budding walkers and this year the organisers expect to beat that record.

Mrs Blackwell added: "We are hoping to build on the last two walks. Last year we attracted more than 1,000 people and I think we will exceed that this time.

"The longest walk is 18 miles from Bolton Abbey and shortest is one mile. The festival is very important because we want to put Otley on the map.

"All the walks will help people see what Otley has got to offer. It is run by volunteers and we can offer it for free because of the financial help local organisations have given us."

The event, organised by Otley Town Partnership, will include murder mystery walks, treasure hunts and a Chevin memento walk, where the elderly will be collected and taken to the Chevin where they can share old photographs and memories with each other.

Other walks will also include rural rambles, a walk around the town centre, short strolls, hard moorland walks and family walks.

And for those who take a more leisurely view of the countryside, there will also be slide shows and an evening of poetry in a pub, and an end of festival party at Otley Civic Centre.

Otley Walking Festival programmes are available from Otley Library, Otley Civic Centre, Wharfedale Newspapers, Orchard Gate, and Chevin Trek, Gay Lane.