Posted by trev on July 26, 2010 – 2:41 pm
Award winning British poet, playwright, and novelist Simon Armitage is in many senses “singing for his super” by walking the 264-mile Pennine Way with no money and instead staging nightly poetry readings in halls, houses and pubs en route in return for donations, accommodation and food.
The poet who has been the recipient of accolates such as The Sunday Times Author of the Year, a Forward Prize, a Lannan Award and an Ivor Novello Award is embarking on this trek to see if he really can make his poetry pay it’s way, along with an attempt to make the readings much more intimate and personal to those who come to listen.
As he nears the end of the journey, it seems it really is paying off with large groups coming to listen to the poet reading his own popular works including GCSE students who stood at the back of The Lodge – a remote Derbyshire study centre – and who will most likely be studying this modern day poet’s works for their exams.
The motivation for all this? Armitage says along with bringing the poetry to the people, a big motivation is to recreate the ways of the Medieval poets who would tour the countryside in the same way before the invention of the printing press.
Armitage now plans to put some of his experiences into a book about the people he has met along the way.
Posted by Paul on July 25, 2010 – 3:54 pm
A series of free summer arts festivals is set to showcase the best of contemporary dance, folk music and street performances in Durham this August. The Streets Of… festivals will see buskers, musicians, dancers and acrobats entertain crowds in Durham’s historic streets over the Bank Holiday weekend from 28th to 30th August 2010.
The festivals open with the Streets of Folk on 28th August when Scottish folk supergroup The Peatbog Faeries headline the main stage in the city’s Millennium Place, combining high octane dance with traditional Celtic jigs and reels. The Streets of Dance festival heralds a return of the curious spectacle of Durham’s ‘Quiet Riot.’ People are encouraged to bring their own favourite tunes on an IPOD or MP3 player and silently dance in the streets with hundreds of fellow music lovers.
The festival weekend closes with the hugely popular Streets of Play when buskers, acrobats, clowns, jugglers and daredevils wow the crowds with their startling agility, skills and nerve. Highlights this year include Glastonbury favourite Betty Brawn, an Australian Strongwoman, and The Black Eagles, an acrobatic troupe from Tanzania who combine uplifting dance with African music and daredevil acrobatics.
The festivals are family friendly with several workshops available for parents with young children including the ‘Big Moving Story’ during the Streets of Dance where families can explore the amazing story ‘Giraffe’s can’t dance’ with a professional storyteller and a dance teacher.
The Streets Of… is part of a packed calendar of annual events which take place in Durham: North East England’s cultural city and county. Why not stay a few days and take advantage of the best rates on hotels in Durham using our hotel price comparison search engine?
Posted by Paul on July 21, 2010 – 8:52 am
Shiver me timbers! The East Sussex town of Hastings could soon be awash with brigands and sea-dogs for Pirate Day on 6th August 2010 as the town attempts to set a world record for the largest gathering of pirates in one place. Organised by local landlubber Roger Crouch and the Old Town Traders, last year’s inaugural event is back by popular demand and has inspired the local population to go for the Guiness World Record for the largest number of people dressed as pirates in one place.
The current record is 1,670 pirates, who gathered in the American town of Portland, but Roger is confident that the record can be brought to Hastings. ‘If you know our Jack in the Green and Hastings Bonfire festivals, you’ll know that the people of Hastings love any excuse for fancy dress. We had hundreds of people here last year so it shouldn’t be too hard to break the record’.
Taking place during Hastings Old Town Carnival Week, which runs from 31st July to 8th August 2010, the attempt will take place on August 6th at 13.00 on the beach. The record attempt will be the climax of the day, which will also include a colourful pirate procession, Pirates of the Caribbean look a-likes, songs from the Pirates of Penzance and live music from the fusion Afro beat band Superfunk Pirates who will be filming footage for their new DVD during the event.
With a packed programme of events which range from the annual seaboot and pram races to ghost walks and High Street Traders’ party, Hastings Old Town is the place to be during the first week in August. Many events are free and there’s something for all ages, but when you come don’t forget to bring your parrot!
For further details of Hastings Old Town Week activities and what to do in Hastings see: www.visit1066country.com
Posted by admin on July 16, 2010 – 11:55 am
Following the release of Tim Burton’s film Alice in Wonderland to UK audiences, Antony House in Torpoint – where many of the scenes were filmed – is hosting a special Alice experience until the 31st October.
The experience will include art installations and sculptures spread throughout the gardens of Antony House along with the option to slide down the rabbit hole into a magic garden filled with giant mushrooms.
Other parts of the story have been included in the offering such as the caterpillar perched on a mushroom, the Cheshire Cat and of course Mad Hatter’s tea party, where Alice, the hatter, the White Rabbit and the Dormouse will lead children around the gardens.
For full details, contact the National Trust Antony House on 01752 812191.
Other useful links:
Visitor Attractions in Torpoint
Hotel accommodation in Torpoint
Self-catering in Torpoint
Posted by trev on July 12, 2010 – 5:22 pm
From the 21st to 25th July 2010, a little corner of Cheshire blossoms with an array of colour in the form of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Tatton Park Flower Show based in the grounds of the magnificent Tatton Hall.
Tickets to this event are still available via the RHS web site for £19 to £22 or £27 a person on the day plus a £1.75 handling fee (RHS Members exempt). Each paying adult can also bring two children aged 16 and under free of charge to the show.
Group visits are also available for £20.50 per person.
Full details are available on the RHS Tatton Park web site.
Note: RHS Members get discounts on this and other RHS events – click here for details of RHS membership.
Posted by admin on July 10, 2010 – 3:41 pm
On the 31st July and 1st August Tatton Park in Cheshire will be hosting the2010 Tatton Park Picnic Concerts featuring lakeside fireworks and a variety of music from world-class artists.
On the 31st July Myleene Klass presents an evening of sensational opera and fireworks at Tatton Park this summer with the world-famous Hallé, conducted by Stephen Bell, and very special guest stars Wynne Evans and Natasha Marsh.
And for the younger generations, on the 1st July the concert will present the multi platinum-selling Will Young of Pop Stars fame, who’s first single Evergreen became the fastest selling debut single in chart history.
Both concerts end in a fireworks finale.
For full details including online booking options, see the Tatton Park party web site.
Other useful links:
Tatton Park details.
Hotels near Tatton Park.
Posted by admin on July 10, 2010 – 1:38 pm
A new scheme being organised by Cumbria Tourism and Penrith-based training company CycleActive is aiming to bring free cycling activities to venues across the Lake District this summer.
The scheme is part of the Passport 2 Pedalling idea and is designed to allow local people and those staying in English Lake District to have access to 30-minute mountain bike taster sessions or join organised rides throughout the region.
“Cycling is a great source of exercise and it’s easier on your joints than running or other high-impact aerobic activities.” said Dr Rebecca Wagstaff, director of public health at NHS Cumbria.
The Lake District is already popular with cyclists including over 1000 riders taking part in the 112-mile Fred Whitton Challenge which climbs some of the Lake District’s toughest peaks.
Useful links for taking part:
Hotels in Ambleside
Hotels in Windermere
Hotels in Grasmere
Visitor Attractions in Cumbria & the Lake District
Posted by admin on July 10, 2010 – 11:43 am
They’re as much a part of our family British Summer as seaside holidays and camping, so now the Coventry Transport Museum has unveiled a project showcasing the humble ice cream van.
Dating from the 1920’s, the vans often played the traditional Greensleaves tune although modern examples often vary, but one thing never fades – the rush of children and often adults to savour this most British of traditions, especially of course the famous 99.
The exact dates of the exhibition are still to be announced, but more details will be updated on the museum web site.
Posted by admin on July 9, 2010 – 12:52 pm
Many will remember the classic cinematic moment when Bobbie (Jenny Agutter) shouted “Daddy, my daddy!” as her father emerged on the platform from the steam train after being falsely imprisoned and eventually released thanks in part to the ‘old gentleman’.
Now the 40th anniversary 1970 film adaptation of the Edith Nesbit’s book is being celebrated with various events in the village of Haworth in West Yorkshire where most of the filming took place. This includes a Railway Children Walk which takes in many of the famous locations including Three Chimneys where the family moved to, and Oakworth Station where Mr Perks’s was stationmaster and the above scene took place.
During selected days in September the public can even take on Mr Perks’s role operating the signals and greeting the steam trains which run along the the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
Outside of the film, the village still holds many appeals with it’s cobbled streets and olde worlde look right in the heart of Bronte country.
Useful links:
Hotel accommodation in Keithley (near Haworth).
Haworth visitor attractions
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Posted by admin on July 8, 2010 – 3:34 pm
If putting your kids in front of the TV sounds like a bit of a cop-out, but they really want to watch movies, then why not pop over to the Screenfields family film festivals in Manchester.
Unlike many festivals, Screenfields is showing the kinds of films both kids and adults will want to watch including Hannah Montana: The Movie on 24 July, Up on 31 July, Madagascar on 14 August, High School Musical on 21 August and Fantastic Mr Fox on 28 August.
Screenfields runs every Saturday throughout the school holidays at 11am from Deansgate in central Manchester. So why not take the day out with the family and enjoy a good film. Booking not needed.
More information, see the Screenfields web site.
