ONE of the most popular authors of walking books about the Yorkshire Dales between the 1920s and 1950s will be remembered at the first AGM of the Burley-in-Wharfedale Walkers are Welcome group on May 12.

Alfred John Brown, known as AJB to his readers, was a Bradford businessman living in Burley, who began writing prose and poetry while recovering from serious illness during the First World War.

He wrote his first popular walking book Four Boon Fellows – a Yorkshire Tramping Odyssey in 1928, about a 100-mile weekend walk one Easter weekend from Barnard Castle to Ilkley.

This was followed up by a trilogy of successful guide books to walking in the Dales during the 1930s, and novels and further books about his war service and showcasing of Yorkshire during the 1940s and 1950s.

His last book was the Official Guide to the North Yorks Moors National Park published in 1957.

His headstone is inscribed with words from one of his poems Dales in Paradise: “There must be Dales in Paradise, which you and I will find.”

Chairman of the walkers group, David Asher, said: “We are very excited that AJ Brown’s biographer, John A White, has agreed to come to our AGM to give us an introduction to this wonderful author and poet, given he was such a keen advocate of walking and of Yorkshire who lived for so many years in Burley.

“It is surprising that not many people in Burley or Ilkley have heard of AJB given how popular an author he was before and after the Second World War.

He was also a great champion of free access to the moors and he frequently took part in campaigns in order to preserve footpaths threatened with extinction by the Public Rights of Way Act of 1934, as well as protest walks to maintain access to Ilkley and Rombalds Moor.”

The meeting will take place from 7.30pm at The Hermit, Moor Road, Burley Woodhead, one of AJ Brown’s favourite local pubs, where on occasions he met JB Priestley to discuss his writing career.

Mr Asher said that the meeting would be quite an informal event and certainly of interest to all walkers and lovers of the Dales.

“We are hoping for a good turn to learn more about AJB and to celebrate our achievements as a Walkers are Welcome village during our first year,” Mr Asher added.

John White will return to Burley on August 26, when he will lead a walk to The Hermit as part of the Burley Summer Festival.

Burley was launched as an accredited Walkers are Welcome village during the 2014 Burley Summer Festival.