John is putting his best literary foot forward

forward to a new career after one of his hikes appeared in a walking magazine.

Mr Burland, from Otley, below, has written an account of getting around the Wasdale Valley in the Lake District - a favourite with fell walkers from all over the country.

Now, after the walk appeared this month in the countryside magazine, Cumbria, he is planning another article based on his own devised circular route around the Washburn Valley - The Washburn Way. "I am wanting to do further articles and the next one I have in mind is the area around the Washburn Valley and the Yorkshire Water reservoirs. I have always fancied devising a circular walk round this area called The Washburn Way," he said.

And the Otley town councillor, who has also written for The Great Outdoors and Climber and Rambler, is also busy writing his first novel loosely based on his family.

A Blacksmith's Tale will use information gleaned about his father's ancestors who were blacksmiths in Horsforth and Thorner. "Over the last ten years I have spent a lot of time researching my family history and have traced both my father's parents' sides of the family back to 1600 and my mother's sides back to 1800 for her father's family and the mid 1600's for her mother's side," said Mr Burland.

Meanwhile, Mr Burland's account of the Wasdale Valley will appeal to many hikers.

He said: "Virtually anyone who has walked in the Lake District will have heard of, if not visited, the valley of Wasdale. Nestling in the west of the district, it is surrounded by some of the most well known fells - Scafell and Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Pillar to name but a few."

Mr Burland's Wasdale to Wasdale walk should take around three days with each day taking in from 13 to 16 miles. Included within the walk's description are interesting historical details and overnight lodging listings.

He said: "Wasdale and Wasdale Head are magical names to all fellwalkers, they conjure up the sight of Kirk Fell, Great Gable and Lingmell at the head of Wast Water.

"Not so the Wasdale and Wasdale Head in the Shap Fells, here there are no high mountains, but only gentle rolling hills, no scree runs or naked rock - only a granite quarry."

And for people now thinking of putting their boots on, be warned..Mr Burland's walk is not a Sunday afternoon stroll: "It is not a walk for the fainthearted, but one that will live long into the memory if people are prepared to give it a try. They can then say 'I have walked from Wasdale to Wasdale'." (30-16-AH)

l ROUTE CHANGE: Walkers travelling from Ilkley to Windermere have had their journey shortened by at least 50 yards, thanks to a re-routing of the Dales Way path.

The path will now cut through land housing Farfield Friends Meeting House, near Addingham, meaning walkers no longer need to tread a dangerous 50 yards along the B6160. The new path can be viewed this Saturday (August 12), when the meeting house and burial ground will be open to the public from 2pm to 5pm.

For more information contact David Hickson of the Historic Chapels Trust on (01943) 609839.