With interest in the outdoors, walking for wellbeing and focus on supporting local seeing huge increases the North Downs Way are delighted to re-launch their North Downs Way Ambassadors programme which combines all three! Led by walking and outdoor adventure company Pied-a-Terre, this will provide a springboard for keen walkers to share their passion for the outdoors and develop their trail knowledge to create a range of engaging, professional and safe guided tours for visitors.

Training will consist of 6 sessions starting in September. The course will cover multiple topics about the North Downs Way including nature, history, art, food and drink, family fun as well as practical sessions on insurance, risk assessment and walking tour business development. Lessons will be offered online and in person including trips out onto the trail itself to test and feedback on the skills and knowledge learnt before being assessed and finally let loose in Kent and Surrey as fully fledged Ambassadors.

Applications are now open until 20th August and the North Downs Way team are looking to attract guides from all different backgrounds and locations along the trail including minority groups, disabled trail enthusiasts and family guides who can attract new and diverse audiences and help remove some of the access barriers to the glorious British countryside. If you're still not sure the Kent Downs AONB will be hosting a webinar to explain more about the programme and answer any questions on the 3rd August. Those interested can register on Eventbrite.

Peter Morris, North Downs Way Trail Manager said “The North Downs Way has so much to offer with 153 miles of beautiful views, stunning historic castles, cathedrals, palaces and artworks plus delicious produce and most importantly local beer! We're delighted to be setting up this programme with Richard from Pied-a-Terre Adventures to help more people discover it.” 

Richard Betts from Pied-a-Terre Adventures said 'This is a great opportunity for us and we're excited to be working with the Kent Downs AONB and North Downs Way teams to deliver a programme of training that will ultimately encourage more people to explore the outdoors. By combining local expertise with route knowledge these tours can be really engaging, offering visitors a chance to experience the local area in a totally different way - without the car! Hopefully they'll get the walking bug just like we have.”

Applications are now open and more information can be found at https://www.kentdowns.org.uk/experience/northdownswayambassadors/.

Notes to Editors 

For further information about the Kent Downs AONB, EXPERIENCE project or North Downs Way Ambassadors Programme please contact Marketing and Communications Officer Charlie.Lewis@kentdowns.org.uk or Communications Manager Kate.Hickey@kentdowns.org.uk.

About the North Downs Way National Trail

The North Downs Way is one of only 15 designated National Trails in England and Wales and has a diverse appeal for many unique reasons. Passing through 153 miles of stunning and diverse landscapes and through the protected landscapes of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Kent Downs AONB.

The North Downs Way presents a diverse and unique landscape, following a chalk ridge that winds over hills and grassland, passing through valleys and ancient woodland and along the White Cliffs to the Dover coastline. The route passes through many protected sites of specific scientific interest (SSSI) and is home to a number of rare species (notably orchids and butterflies) hard to find anywhere else in the UK. 

Full of history aside from the cathedrals you will find archbishops' palaces as well as numerous stately homes and gardens on, or near to the main route. There are also Neolithic sites, Roman and Napoleonic forts, medieval castles and WWII fortifications. The North Downs can be considered the ideal natural defence having protected London from invaders from across the Channel and is the most accessible of the National Trail's it's easy to walk a short section or use the train to link between towns and villages or take a country walk around a specific place of interest.

For further information visit www.nationaltrail.co.uk/north-downs-way 

About Pied-a-Terre

Pied A Terre Adventures is a family-run company providing exclusive, tailored walking, outdoor, and adventurous experiences throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, including guided treks in France, Italy, Austria, the Swiss Alps and Dolomites. We're based in Sussex, though our reach is limited only by how far you wish to explore. We love the countryside and our absolute passion is to be able to share this with you. If there's a mountain to climb, long distance trail to walk or a valley to explore, you can be sure that we're on our way to do just that.

For further information visit www.patadventures.com 

About the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The Kent Downs AONB is one of 46 AONBs across England, Wales and Northern Ireland which cover one fifth of the UK.  The NAAONB is the voice of the AONB partnerships and conservation boards and represents the AONB network on national issues including policy and advocacy, communications, training and securing resources.  AONBs have the same legal landscape protection status as National Parks.

The Kent Downs AONB offers dramatic views, vibrant communities, a rich historic and cultural heritage and diverse wildlife and habitats making it a worthy landscape for national protection. It is the eighth largest AONB and, along with the High Weald AONB, covers 33% of Kent's land area providing a wealth of opportunities for people to explore, enjoy and benefit from this outstanding landscape.

For further information visit www.kentdowns.org.uk

About the EXPERIENCE Project

EXPERIENCE is a €23.3 million project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (€16 million) through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme and designed to develop the experiential off-season economy in the future in a safe and sustainable way. The project is a 4-year scheme that runs from 1st September 2019 to 30th June 2023, involving 14 partners in France and England. Led by Norfolk County Council, both Visit Kent and the Kent Downs AONB are core partners with distinctive roles underpinned by budgets of €1.6 and €3.1 million respectively. Experience aims to capitalise on the emerging global trend for personalised and local tourism experiences which increasingly provide the all-important reasons to visit pilot locations.