THE ANGUS Glens Walking Festival has retained its traditional spot on next year’s outdoor calendar.

The 2008 hiking event, which will take walkers of all abilities to some of the area’s most scenic spots, will run from May 29 to June 1.

Next year’s event will see the start of a drive to reduce local authority cash backing. Angus Council has set aside £27,000 to help cover the costs of staging the showpiece over the next three years, while attempts are made to find outside funding and organisation.

News that the four days for the festival had been booked follows a warning last month by council infrastructure services boss Eric Lowson that a decision on a date for next year’s event had to be taken quickly to keep its late May-early June position.

He told councillors, “There are now some 24 walking festivals in the 2007 Scottish calendar of events, which will be competing for this prime slot.”

This year’s programme attracted 587 bookings for walks, up from 416 last year, and 216 signed up for evening events compared with 130 in 2006.