KEIGHLEY’s Big Local regeneration project has received an unexpected boost from an outdoors writer.

One of the treks in Lee Senior’s new book Walking In The Aire incorporates most of Big Local’s regeneration zone in the Keighley Valley area.

And the starting point for others can be easily reached by Keighley residents on public transport.

Mr Senior has teamed up with Big Local to take residents on the Keighley Valleys walk, which includes Park Wood in Keighley, on Saturday January 28.

Mr Senior is the Keighley Town Council allotment site officer and is an experienced walker and freelance writer who lives in East Morton.

Walking In The Aire is his first book, and features 14 mostly circular walks in areas such as Bingley, Saltaire, Malham, South Craven, Apperley Bridge and Castleford. All begin or end near a cafe or pub.

Mr Senior said his own favourite walk was the famous Wainwright’s Coast to Coast, but he loves the countryside on his own doorstep, which he believes is vastly underrated.

Big Local coordinator Shaun O’Hare said Walking In The Aire highlighted the beauty available to Keighley Valleys residents.

He said: “The landscape provides the setting for our day-to-day lives and it is not just those special designated landscapes that can be enjoyed and provide interest.

“The Keighley Big Local area contains a variety of landscape characters ranging from the industrial heritage of Dalton Lane, to the semi ancient woodland of Park Wood and wildlife corridors of the River Worth and Leeds Liverpool Canal.

“Big Local is very keen to promote a wider appreciation of what is right at our front door. We intend to promote the book of local walks and use it as part of the Big Local programme to promote what we have, and to use it!"

The guided walk on January 28 will begin at 10am outside the Café Choux Choux at Keighley railway station.

Walkers will return by noon, where a well-earned complementary cup of coffee will be available at the cafe, on the station forecourt.

Mr Senior said he was also pleased that the Aire Rivers Trust was supporting his book.

He said: “Many of the walks in the book go alongside the River Aire for part of the route. The Trust are doing a wonderful job as guardians of this wonderful river."

Visit walkingintheaire.wordpress.com to read Lee Senior’s walking blog. His Facebook page is facebook.com/walkingintheaire.

The book costs £6.99, and can be ordered via Facebook or by emailing walkingintheaire@gmail.com. Postage is £1.35.