Unlike walking tours, typically run by private companies for groups of 16 or 18, walking festivals are underwritten by local tourism councils and open to the public. Groups can number 30 or more. Walkers arrange their own lodging and meals. Participants can come for a day, a weekend, or a week. They can also choose from a variety of routes.
Local experts serve as guides, sharing details about history, flora and fauna, and geology.
The festival's base moves to a different Borders town each year, offering further variety. But walks are not the only attraction. In the evening, social events range from talks and slide shows to spirited parties. A historic walk around the fishing port of Eyemouth features a local actor dressed in swashbuckling period costume. And a gathering in an 18th-century country house offers music and refreshments.