Finding your words in the Fells - explore writing with award winning author and poet, Julie Carter

Day 1: ROCK  Explore the meaning of rock for you.  How do you interact with our earth’s foundation?  With origins in deep-time rocks can be cold, inhospitable and connect us to fear, anger and awe.  But rock has many textures and colours, provides stability and substance, and is the home from which life emerged and is nurtured by. 

Evening: Red Deer Talk and mountain flora talk from Lee Schofield.

Day 2: RED DEER  A boat trip on the Ullswater Steamers will take us to Howtown, the start of our special Red Deer Day.  Today’s workshop, in the tiny church of St Martin, Martindale, built in the 1660’s, connects us with echoes of roaring deer and clashing of antlers, autumn light on the fells and the cycles of life.

The walk, led by Hiking Highs guide, Nicky, will take us deep into Martindale and Bannerdale valleys and a slow roam up and over Bedafell, with binoculars in hand.  Whatever the weather, the echoing of the magnificent stags is guaranteed during October. 

Martindale is home to England’s oldest red deer herd. They have inhabited these fells for over 300 years. We can guide our hikes with kind permission of the McCosh family, with whom Hiking Highs works closely, from the Dalemain Estate who own this valley.

Please note: The Ullswater Steamers may not sail if the winds are high, and we will organise a car share to Martindale.

Evening: Readings and films.

Day 3: WATER  The freedom of water.  The flow takes its course, we can't control it, we shouldn't control it, but we need it.  It is free to run away down the fellside. Sometimes sitting amongst our bogs or hiding in our glorious Sphagnum mosses. We will touch and feel these mosses, and listen to the becks in full autumn flow, maybe raging, maybe trickling, maybe underground with echoes to listen for - shhhhh… it’s a secret. How might it feel to walk on the cold wet ground?  How you connect to the water will be up to you…. We are all different.

Take away pages containing your words, emotions and sensations as a lasting reminder.

Event Venue

Glenridding

Event Website

https://www.sientries.co.uk/series.php?series_id=908