The Pennine Way – Can You Help?
Hello. In July 2010 I’m walking the Pennine Way and writing a book about it. All the guide books recommend (in fact some insist) that the walk should be done from South to North, to keep the weather at your back and the sun out of your face. Despite which, I’m walking it from top to bottom, starting in Kirk Yetholm and finishing in Edale. It’s because I live close to the southern end of the trail, and I like the idea of walking home. Also, that way it will be downhill, right?
More importantly, I’m doing the walk as a poet, in the style of the old troubadours. Wherever I stop for the night I’m going to give a poetry reading. There will be no charge for the reading, but at the end of the evening I’m going to pass a hat around, and people can give me what they think I’m worth. I want to see if I can pay my way from start to finish on the proceeds of my poetry. So, it’s basically 264 miles of begging.
If you live on or near one of the recognised stopping points on the Pennine Way and would be willing to host or organise a reading for me, be it in a room in a pub, a village hall, a church, a library, a school, a barn, or even in your living room, do get in touch by emailing me at: simonpennineway@aol.com
If you can throw in B&B and a packed lunch, point me in the right direction next day, sherpa my gear along to the next stop, or even want to walk that leg of the journey with me, so much the better. I’m pretty well house-trained and know at least three moderately funny anecdotes.
Here’s the schedule, outlining where I’ll be and when, blisters permitting:
Wednesday, 7th July 2010
Launch reading: 8pm, Abbotsford, Melrose, Roxburghshire TD6 9BQ
www.scottsabbotsford.co.uk
Hosted by the Abbotsford Trust and Borders Writers Forum
Booking essential: 01896 752 043 or events@scottsabbotsford.co.uk
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Thursday 8th July
Kirk Yetholm to Uswayford
8pm, Rose & Thistle Inn www.roseandthistlealwinton.com
Hosted by Rose & Thistle Inn with Northumberland National Park, www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Friday 9th July
Uswayford to Byrness
Reading: 8pm, Forest View, 7 Otterburn Green, Byrness, NE19 1TS
Hosted by Forest View Walkers Accommodation, www.forestviewbyrness.co.uk
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
Saturday 10th July
Byrness to Bellingham
Reading: 7.30pm, with local muscians Jessica and Martha
Carr (fiddle, flute), Don Clegg (‘mouthie’ plus ‘pomes’), Gwennie Fraser (Northumbrian pipes), Stephen Fry (singer and concertina-player) and David McCracken (singer) at Bellingham Heritage Centre, www.bellingham-heritage.org.uk
Station Yard, Woodburn Road, Bellingham NE48 2DF
Hosted by Bellingham Heritage Centre
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
Sunday 11th July
Bellingham to Once Brewed
No reading – World Cup Final!
Monday 12th July
Once Brewed to Greenhead
Readings:
10.00 a.m. Northumberland National Park Centre, Once Brewed. Military Road, Bardon Mill, Hexham, NE47 7AN. www.
Hosted by Northumberland National Park, B&B courtesy of Once Brewed
Youth Hostel.
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
& 8pm, Greenhead Hotel, www.greenheadhotelandhostel.
Hosted by Sue & Dave, The Greenhead Hotel, Wendy Bond and Hadrian's
Art Trust
Booking: 016977 47411 or email: daveandsuegreenhead@btconnect.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Tuesday 13th July
Greenhead to Knarsdale
Reading: 8pm, Yew Tree Chapel, www.yewtreechapel.co.uk , Slaggyford, Brampton,
Cumbria CA8 7NH
Hosted by Josephine Dickinson with Mary and David Livesey of Yew Tree
Chapel
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
Wednesday 14th July
Knarsdale to Garrigill
Reading: 8pm, Garrigill Village Green, plus bar in Garrigill Village Hall
Garrigill, Cumbria CA9 3DS, www.northpennines.org.uk/
Hosted by Garrigill Village Hall www.garrigillvillagehall.co.uk
and the Save the George and Dragon Committee
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Thursday 15th July
Garrigill to Dufton
Reading: 8pm, Dufton Village Hall, nr Appleby, Cumbria, CA16 6DB
Hosted by Fell Poets Society, http://fellpoets.blogspot.com/
B&B courtesy of Meaburn Hill Farmhouse, www.cumbria-bed-and-breakfast.
Booking essential: email fell.poets@gmail.com
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
Books available for sale.
All tickets must be collected on the door by 7.30 otherwise it will be assumed you are no longer attending, and they will be made available to all-comers on a first-come first-served basis.
Friday 16th July
Dufton to Langdon Beck
Reading: 8pm, Langdon Beck Hotel, Forest-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, Co.
Durham DL12 0XP - www.langdonbeckhotel.com
Hosted by North Pennines AONB Partnership www.northpennines.org.uk & Langdon Beck Hotel
Booking essential: 01388 528801
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Saturday 17th July
Langdon Beck to Baldersdale
Reading: private farmhouse.
Hosted by Peter Murray and Jane Hilton
Sunday 18th July
Baldersdale to Keld
Reading: 8pm, The Georgian Theatre Royal, Victoria Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4DW
www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk
Theatre Bar opens at 7pm
Hosted by Vaughan Curtis, The Georgian Theatre Royal
Booking essential: 01748 825252
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Monday 19th July
Keld to Hawes
Reading: private home.
Hosted by Ann Pilling
Booking essential: 01969 666960 / ann.pilling@btinternet.com
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Tuesday 20th July
Hawes to Horton-in-Ribblesdale
Reading: 6.45pm, St. Oswald’s Church, Grasmere
See Poetry in Grasmere 2010 season, Wordsworth Trust,
www.wordsworth.org.uk
Wednesday 21st July
Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Malham
8pm, Malham Tarn Field Centre, BD24 9PU
www.field-studies-council.org/
Hosted by Adrian Pickles, Head of Centre
Booking essential: contact enquiries.mt@field-studies-
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Thursday 22nd July
Malham to Ickornshaw
Reading: 8pm, Gargrave Village Hall, West Street, Gargrave, BD23 3RD
Hosted by Gargrave Civic Society
No need to book.
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Friday 23rd July
Ickornshaw to Hebden Bridge
Reading: 8pm, Calder High School, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge HX7 5QN
Hosted by The Elmet Trust, www.theelmettrust.co.uk
Booking essential: 01422 392606 or email anna.turner@calderdale.gov.uk
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat afterwards.
Saturday 24th July
Hebden Bridge to Marsden
Reading: 8pm, Standedge Tunnel
& Visitor Centre, www.standedge.co.uk ,
Waters Road, Marsden, Huddersfield HD7 6NQ
Hosted by British Waterways and the National Trust Marsden Moor www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/
Booking essential: Ring NT Marsden Moor on 01484 847016
Sunday 25th July
Marsden to Crowden
PLEASE NOTE NEW VENUE
Reading: 8pm, The Oakwood pub, 67 High Street West, Glossop, SK13 8AZ
Hosted by Lisa & Sean Caldwell, Bay Tree Books and The Oakwood
Booking essential: Bay Tree bookshop, www.baytreeglossop.com - 01457
862512
Email: contact@baytreeglossop.com
Free event but Simon will be passing round his troubadour's hat
afterwards.
Monday 26th July
Crowden to Edale
No reading.
And even if you can’t offer a reading, if you see a weather-beaten poet coming over the horizon early next summer, do say hello. Many thanks.
SA
Simon Armitage: He can talk the talk – now he'll walk the walk: Rachel Shields in the Independent on Armitage and the Pennine Way
We talk, trudging along the route picked out by Armitage for his work, should that be walk, of art. Not apparently a natural rambler, he is about to get a lot better acquainted with the great outdoors: he is set to embark on the 268-mile Pennine Way – a challenging walk which stretches from the Scottish borders to the Yorkshire Dales – with no money in his pocket, and only his verses to help him on his way.