CAROL Ann Duffy, Christine Walkden, Tony Juniper, Brambly Hedge and Kathryn Williams are to headline the third NiddFest literary festival this summer.

NiddFest is a family-friendly festival celebrating nature in writing, featuring some of the UK’s best writers whose books are linked to nature. It takes place at venues across Upper Nidderdale – from remote churches to a barn café in a hilltop sheep farm, a riverside children’s tent and the festival hall in the market town of Pateley Bridge.

Talks are linked to outdoor events in the dale, including den building, wild swimming, stargazing, and bird and wood walks.

This year sees the return of NiddFest schools’ poetry competition, which drew 500 entries region-wide in 2015.

Hopes are high after a successful festival in 2015, with audiences, local and national, at 65 per cent capacity.

Highlights for 2016 include an intimate opening night hosted by Carol Ann Duffy and "world laureate" Imtiaz Dharker, with dinner, wine and stargazing, and a woodsman’s guide through a Nidderdale wood, with wild swimming and picnic.

There will be a re-creation of Wilfred’s Birthday Party from the Brambly Hedge books with a tea party at the children’s tent, and nature games with Hattie Garlick, author of Born to be Wild.

A musical evening features Mercury Prize-nominated Kathryn Williams.

The former head of Friends of the Earth, Tony Juniper, talks about the global impact of climate change. Farmer and writer John Lewis-Stempel speaks on Britain’s farmland.

An early morning walk and talk will be led by leading naturalist, Professor Nick Davies.

There will be a big draw with illustrator and children’s author Helen Stephens.

Legendary peace activist and environmentalist Satish Kumar recounts his peace march of the 1960s.

An exploration of Nidderdale’s plant life takes place with garden writer Noel Kingsbury, while the BBC’s Christine Walkden’s tales of life as a gardener will close the festival.

NiddFest’s patron is the UK poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The festival runs from August 5-7, but tickets go on sale next month.