Angus Glens walks on the wild side hailed a great success story

festival: Range of distances for all abilities makes event attractive to hillwalkers and ramblers

This year’s Angus Glens walking festival has been hailed a huge success by organisers.

The 16th annual festival was more popular than ever, with a 94% uptake of all places booked and 229 walkers taking part.

The festival covered 20 walks over four days, through stunning scenery, open moorland, heather-clad hills, mountains, rivers and crags.

Event manager Norman Greig from Angus Alive said: “The 20 walks were graded from extremely strenuous, for example Jock’s Road and the Four Munro Challenge, to moderate which included the Minister’s Path and the Rocks of Solitude.

“Walkers came from all over Scotland, including a couple from Orkney, across the UK and further afield with a group from the United States joining the event.

Walkers came from allover Scotland, including a couple from Orkney, across the UK and further afield with a group from the United States joining the event. NORMAN GREIG

“One of our regular customers from the south of England has never missed the festival throughout all its 16 years. Of all the reports I received a few leap to mind immediately.

“There was a sighting of the golden eagles on the Four Munro Challenge and Raptor Watch walks, the baby adders on the Falls of Damff walk and a report of a lady’s hair standing on end during an electrical storm on one of the walks on the Saturday – a hair-raising experience you might say.

“Seventeen of the 20 walks were fully booked which was proof that the balance of very strenuous Munro bagging type experiences and the moderate wildlife rambles was just right.

“Through our collaboration with Artisana, walkers were able to prepare themselves for the day ahead or refuel with coffees and tasty treats from their Vintage Mobile Patisserie which will also be popping up at Crombie and Forfar Loch country parks over the summer.”

Mr Greig said his team are already thinking about the adventures they can enjoy on the hills next year.

Designed to appeal to all levels of ability, the walks for the festival were identified in the programme by a key, from moderate to extremely strenuous.

One of the most popular was Jock’s Road, Scotland’s oldest right of way, while the Mount Keen walk was back for 2018.

The 16th Angus Glens walking festival was more popular than ever this year, with a 94% uptake of all places booked.