Pull your socks up and make a date in your diary – the biggest walking festival in Britain, the Isle of Wight Walking Festival, is back and set to take place from May 9-24.

The Isle of Wight Walking Festival is a must for anyone who loves to walk on holiday while learning more about the area.

There are around 300 themed and accompanied walks including family treasure hunts, ghost walks, seaside stories and gentle evening strolls with the chance to socialise.

One day you can explore the island’s dramatic coastline taking in the sights of lighthouses and ancient monuments and the next you can take a leisurely walk through woodland and countryside with lovely river views.

2009 highlights:

Festival launch, Newport Quay (May 9) – Witness a bare-foot fire walk across hot coals, a lantern procession by local schoolchildren and enjoy the free family entertainment and live music – all this and more can be enjoyed at the festival launch on Newport Quay. Start time 6pm.

Speed-dating walk, Shanklin (May 10) – Even if you don’t meet Mr or Mrs Right, you’ll have plenty of fun at the Isle of Wight speed-dating walk. Age groups are mixed and there’s the opportunity to socialise in the pub afterwards. The walk starts at 11am at the Fisherman’s Cottage, located on the beach at the foot of Shanklin Chine, and takes three hours (four miles). The cost of £12 includes a light lunch at the pub after the walk. Registration forms are available at www.isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk

An evening with Janet Street Porter, Medina Theatre, Newport (May 15) -Celebrity journalist and television presenter Janet Street Porter is well-known for her distinct south London accent. From appearing in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here to being vice president of the Ramblers Association, the evening promises to be a highlight of the 2009 walking festival. Tickets priced £16 and can be booked on-line at www.medinatheatre.co.uk

Children’s walks - Children’s walks, seaside storywalks, twilight adventures, dinosaur walks, a princess walk around Carisbrooke Castle and a Pirate Parade in Sandown – these are just some of this year’s walks for children. There are also lots of family treasure hunts running throughout the event, such as the Troll Trail Family Quest on May 10.

Strenuous walks – There’s nothing quite like the warm glow from a long walk and hardy walkers can stretch their legs on a variety of strenuous walks, such as Let Us Thread a Needle (May 9, six hours, 14 miles), an undulating walk following the coastal path from Yarmouth to Freshwater Bay and then along the creek back to Yarmouth, Land Slip Rock Hop (May 17, five hours, seven miles), a hop across the rocks of remote coves and beaches with an experienced guide and Low Point/High Point (May 24, eight hours, 15 miles), a circular walk from Shanklin to Luccombe, the Devil’s Chimney (narrow access), up the downs to Whitwell taking in the donkey sanctuary and returning to Shanklin via the old railway track.

Darwin-inspired walks - In the summer of 1858, Charles Darwin and his family stayed at the King’s Head Hotel (now the Ocean Hotel) in Sandown, and Norfolk House (now the Waterfront Inn) in Shanklin. While holidaying on the Island, Darwin started writing the first pages of his Origin on Species and since 2009 is the bi-centenary of Darwin’s birth, several walks are planned, including The Origin of Sandown Bay (May 16, three hours, four miles) and Insectivorous Plants at Bohemia (May 13, two hours, three miles).

The Isle of Wight Festival is organised by the Isle of Wight Council as part of its commitment to supporting the Island’s tourism industry especially through events that encourage healthy activities and showcase the natural beauty the Island has to offer. Since it began in 1999, this two-week event has become a major part of the Island’s festival calendar and has put the Island on the map as a serious walking destination.

The website of the UK’s largest and arguably most famous walking event was recently re-launched and has already been visited by thousands of people. This has included enquiries for official programmes from people living in Quebec, Columbia and Vanderhoof in Canada, Paraza in France and Cape Town in South Africa.

Isle of Wight Council deputy leader George Brown, whose portfolio includes Leisure, said: “The walking festival continues to attract interest from all across the world which is great news for the tourism industry on the Isle of Wight.”

Visitors can view all the walks on-line at www.isleofwightwalkingfestival. co.uk, can also order the festival programme and book their accommodation. The free programme, which is also available from island tourist information centres, contains a description of all walks, including information on the difficulty of the walk, the distance and the time it should take to complete.

The walking festival programme also includes details of discounted fares on the cross-Solent ferry route (Southampton to East Cowes) and on-Island rail travel during the event.

For your Isle of Wight festival accommodation, telephone Isle of Wight Council on 01983 813813.

* The Isle of Wight Walking Festival is organised by the Isle of Wight Council’s events team. Since it began in 1999, the two-week Isle of Wight Walking Festival has grown to become the biggest event of its kind in the UK with a record 300 themed and accompanied walks and 24,500 individual people taking part in 2008.

* The festival website – www.isleofwightwalkingfestival.co.uk – was recently re-launched and has already been visited by thousands of people in the UK and abroad.

* Walkers who book their ferry crossing before March 31 can enjoy a 10 per cent discount on travel with a car or by foot on the Red Funnel (www.redfunnel.co.uk) Southampton-East Cowes route from May 9-24. Full details available from the festival programme

* There will be reduced fares for walkers on Island Line trains – just show the festival programme when purchasing tickets. Offer includes return fares from any Island station except Ryde Pier Head (www.islandbuses.info).

* Most walks during the festival are free – some walk leaders will request a donation for their chosen charity. See the festival programme for full details.

By Neil Richmond