ENTHUSIASTS are today recreating one of the lesser-known walks of Alfred Wainwright 70 years to the day that he first started the route.

Members of the Wainwright Society will set off from Houghton for Settle at around 10.15am today before heading off towards Hadrian’s Wall.

The 231-mile route, which was described in his A Pennine Journey book, has been compiled by society members David and Heather Pitt.

On September 24 1938 Wainwright set off from his home in Blackburn on the train to Settle before completing the 11-day walk to Hadrian’s Wall and back.

Mr Pitt said he had been inspired to recreate the walk as a tribute to Wainwright.

Around 20 walkers are set to begin the challenge today.

He said: “I went over it and wrote down where I think he walked, although it was mostly on roads because he was trying to cover the ground in the most direct manner possible.

“But quite quickly I realised that road-walking wasn’t a good idea, so we started to put down a rough outline of a route using public footpaths where possible, and deviating away from Wainwright’s original course in some places.”

A Pennine Journey was not a walker’s guide but essentially a narrative story about a circular walk.

Now Mr Pitt is completing a new guide to the walk, featuring maps and illust-rations for other people who want to follow in Wain-wright’s footsteps.

Mr Pitt said the walking holiday is seen as a perfect piece of escapism.

When Wainwright completed the journey the Second World War was looming.

He added: “We set up the Wainwright Society in 2004 and this idea came about as a way of strengthening the group and being something that a lot of people could participate in.”

Details and photographs from the event will be used to complete the new guide book, which is expected to be published later this year.