A POPULAR ANNUAL outdoor walking festival has been expressing delight at being awarded £6000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Moray Way Association will receive the funding in support of their Moray Walking and Outdoor Festival and a project based along the Moray Way 96-mile walking route.
Chair of the Moray Way Association, Bea Jefferson, said: “We are thrilled to have received support thanks to National Lottery players.
“Each year interest in the event flourishes and funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund ensures that we can keep growing. We look forward to celebrating Moray’s natural and built heritage through the Festival and our Moray Way project.”
As well as supporting events in the Moray Walking and Outdoor Festival the funding will help the development of a long-term plan to increase awareness of the Moray Way.
Funding will support a commission artist to work with communities along the Moray Way to gather stories which can then be used to promote the route – the project is expected to begin in the summer.
This year the Festival runs from June 16 to 25 and will have a ‘Heritage’ theme. It will include more events than ever before, exploring Moray’s built and natural landscape.
Highlights of the programme include two events by Moray-based historian and writer Dr John Barrett, Ghost Towns – deserted settlements in Strathavon where participants will be able to explore the remains of a lost culture.
Included is ‘A Royal Burgh the making of Medieval Forres’, involving a walk tracing the origins and development of the town.
Events are proving to be so popular an extra date has been arranged for the Ghost Towns walk which was sold out in a week.
The programme has a wealth of other historical and natural heritage events organised by local community groups – over the 10 days there will be over 50 events across Moray from Tomintoul to Lossiemouth.
Further information on the Festival can be found online.