KEEN hikers will be making tracks this weekend to the 2005 Malvern Walking Festival.

The event builds on the success of two similar festivals, held in May and October last year.

As before, the programme contains a variety of walks of different lengths, to suit all levels of fitness and ability.

Among the new events for 2005 is a Mums Up The Malverns walk on Bank Holiday Monday (May 30), at 10.30am.

Led by Ruth Kiely, the 4-mile walk starts at British Camp car park and provides a pushchair-friendly ramble taking in the Worcestershire Way, the reservoir, Pink Cottage and Castlemorton Common.

Also new is a chance for early risers to hear the dawn chorus in Colwall on Sunday, May 29.

Ian Rowat, director of Malvern Hills Conservators, will lead the 2-mile walk, which starts at the Downs School at 5am.

Other events on the programme include a 2-mile walk for health starting at 2pm tomorrow (Saturday), at Great Malvern station.

The same day, John Tretheway leads a five-mile hike from the Wyche Cutting to British Camp, at 10am, and Mike Dixon takes an eight-mile ramble from Hollybush to North Hill, at 10am.

On Sunday, at 11am, Ian Rowat leads his second walk of the day, a three-hour trek across the northern part of the hills.

On Monday, at 10am, Derek Starkey leads an energetic hike across part of the Worcestershire Way, starting outside Time Outdoors in Church Street.

Robin Elt, chairman of The Malverns Experience, which is organising the festival, said: "We've got something for everyone, from gentle strolls to strenuous hikes."

Leaflets giving full details are available from the Tourist Information Centre, Church Street.