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Shute Festival's Talking Walks are new to 2021. They are small group (maximum 20), led by wonderful individuals with real depth of knowledge and experience in their field, and will allow you to immerse yourself in the landscape at the same time as being able to ask all the questions you want, chat, meet new friends or simply walk in silence as you prefer. All walks are subject to Covid-19 restrictions (and hence we are only taking bookings for a month in advance in case circumstances change). You will be notified of booking opening for each walk via our mail outs and if you are not already on the mailing list please email shutefest@gmail.com to get yourself added. Walks may involve uneven ground, and require sturdy walking footwear or wellies if wet. Tickets for each walk cost £15 and can be purchased via the Tickets, Donate & Contact page. Our refund policy is also on that page.
Sunday 3 & 27 June
TALES OF SHUTE'S HISTORY led by writer and historian BIJAN OMRANI
Meet by Shute Gate House, Shute EX13 7PT
Dr Bijan Omrani is the author of a number of highly acclaimed books including Asia Overland and Caesar's Footprints. He has been researching the relatively unknown history of Shute - its buildings and people for many years and has discovered an extraordinary history of its changing landscape, fortunes and individuals. Bijan has previously given a number of sell-out talks on its history but he continues to discover new aspects. He will be walking and talking you around its most significant buildings and sights including Shute Barton, the Gate House, Shute House, St Michael's Church, the Shute Turkey Oak, the walled gardens and amusing you with tales from the past. The walk will involve some uneven ground and some ascent up unmetalled tracks.
Thursday 1 JULY
A TOUR OF MAPPERTON GARDENS AND GROUNDS led by Caroline Montagu, Countess of Sandwich
Meet outside Coachhouse Cafe, Mapperton House and Gardens, DT8 3NR
Caroline has worked as a consultant and writer on the Middle East for 40 years, specialising on Saudi Arabia, and has travelled overland to Iran and India. A gardener and environmentalist, she was chairman of the HH Garden & Parks Committee, on the HLF South West committee and the Dorset Gardens Trust council. The walk will take in the various levels of the Gardens including the the formal areas, the arboretum and the Spring garden. There will be some time at the end to stroll through the garden yourselves. The walk involves some uneven ground and some uphill walking.
A TOUR OF MAPPERTON GARDENS AND GROUNDS led by Caroline Montagu, Countess of Sandwich
Meet outside Coachhouse Cafe, Mapperton House and Gardens, DT8 3NR
Caroline has worked as a consultant and writer on the Middle East for 40 years, specialising on Saudi Arabia, and has travelled overland to Iran and India. A gardener and environmentalist, she was chairman of the HH Garden & Parks Committee, on the HLF South West committee and the Dorset Gardens Trust council. The walk will take in the various levels of the Gardens including the the formal areas, the arboretum and the Spring garden. There will be some time at the end to stroll through the garden yourselves. The walk involves some uneven ground and some uphill walking.
Wednesday 21 JULY
TRIP TO GOAT ISLAND AND THE JURASSIC COAST led by geologist RICHARD EDMONDS
Meet in layby below Axe Cliff Golf Club in Axmouth, EX13 4AB
Richard is a geologist whose life long interest was sparked by a walk on Charmouth beach as a boy many years ago. He has been immersed in rocks and fossils his entire life following a degree in Geology at the University of Hull. He has been warden of the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre; Jurassic Coast Project Officer with Dorset County Council; and Earth Science Manager with the dual task of monitoring, managing and protecting the core interests of the World Heritage Site along with inputting geological expertise. He is a now freelance with knowledge and insight into the jurassic coast second to none. On this walk we will be exploring and hearing about the Great Bindon landslide of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1839 which is one of the most famous and celebrated landslides in the world. 16 acres of land, 8 million tonnes of rock, slipped seaward, pushing up the sea bed into a massive, though not long lasting natural harbour. The Victorians wondered at the forces of nature and this provided a spectacular scene right here in Britain. The landslide was studied by William Conybeare who, along with William Buckland, Mary Buckland and the surveyor William Dawson, produced only the second ever scientific publication on a landslide, the '10 plates'. Since then many people have puzzled over just what happened, and now Richard thinks he has at least one possible answer. The walk is about 4 miles in total, mostly on the coast path but a reasonable degree of fitness and firmness of foot is required.
TRIP TO GOAT ISLAND AND THE JURASSIC COAST led by geologist RICHARD EDMONDS
Meet in layby below Axe Cliff Golf Club in Axmouth, EX13 4AB
Richard is a geologist whose life long interest was sparked by a walk on Charmouth beach as a boy many years ago. He has been immersed in rocks and fossils his entire life following a degree in Geology at the University of Hull. He has been warden of the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre; Jurassic Coast Project Officer with Dorset County Council; and Earth Science Manager with the dual task of monitoring, managing and protecting the core interests of the World Heritage Site along with inputting geological expertise. He is a now freelance with knowledge and insight into the jurassic coast second to none. On this walk we will be exploring and hearing about the Great Bindon landslide of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1839 which is one of the most famous and celebrated landslides in the world. 16 acres of land, 8 million tonnes of rock, slipped seaward, pushing up the sea bed into a massive, though not long lasting natural harbour. The Victorians wondered at the forces of nature and this provided a spectacular scene right here in Britain. The landslide was studied by William Conybeare who, along with William Buckland, Mary Buckland and the surveyor William Dawson, produced only the second ever scientific publication on a landslide, the '10 plates'. Since then many people have puzzled over just what happened, and now Richard thinks he has at least one possible answer. The walk is about 4 miles in total, mostly on the coast path but a reasonable degree of fitness and firmness of foot is required.
Sunday 12 September 10-12:30 pm
A ROAM ACROSS STOCKLAND'S TURBARIES led by DR DAVID ALLEN
Meet on the lane near Sandpits: Grid Reference ST251028
Dr David Allen is a third generation resident of Stockland. After more than 20 years as an agricultural botanist in Africa, David returned to his native parish where he took on the management of the Stockland Turbaries on behalf of the Parish Council. Turbaries date from Medieval times when land, too poor to be considered Commons, was known as Manorial Wate on which parishioners had the right to dig peat. They were fuel allotments. Among the parishes within the Blackdown Hills that possess turbaries, Stockland is fortunate to have 165 acres, in seven blocks. They have been managed for wildlife over the past 25 years and are extremely important as carbon stores and thus an important part of the plan to manage climate change. We will be visiting two of the important sites which are very different: Horner Hill and Bucehayes Common. The walk will involve some uneven ground and uphill walking.
A ROAM ACROSS STOCKLAND'S TURBARIES led by DR DAVID ALLEN
Meet on the lane near Sandpits: Grid Reference ST251028
Dr David Allen is a third generation resident of Stockland. After more than 20 years as an agricultural botanist in Africa, David returned to his native parish where he took on the management of the Stockland Turbaries on behalf of the Parish Council. Turbaries date from Medieval times when land, too poor to be considered Commons, was known as Manorial Wate on which parishioners had the right to dig peat. They were fuel allotments. Among the parishes within the Blackdown Hills that possess turbaries, Stockland is fortunate to have 165 acres, in seven blocks. They have been managed for wildlife over the past 25 years and are extremely important as carbon stores and thus an important part of the plan to manage climate change. We will be visiting two of the important sites which are very different: Horner Hill and Bucehayes Common. The walk will involve some uneven ground and uphill walking.
Saturday 18 SEPTEMBER 2-4 pm
A QUANTOCK ADVENTURE BASED ON THE LAST BROOMSQUIRE led by MARTIN HESP
Meet at Dead Woman's Ditch Car Park: Grid reference: ST161381; nearest postcode TA5 1HW.
Martin is a writer and journalist based in Somerset. For decades he was Editor at Large of the Western Morning News and his knowledge of the South West is legendary. Martin's tale The Last Broomsquire is increasingly referred to as the Quantock novel and has an evocative sense of place. You can watch Martin talking about the novel at Shute Festival earlier this year via our Programme page. The story, which takes places as the 18th century becomes the 19th, could only have happened in the Quantock Hills. The tale is intrinsically woven into the deep coombes and lofty ridges of what is now an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All the locations described actually do exist and won’t have changed much in the intervening 200 years. Martin will be leading us on a unique walk in the central Quantock area which will take us to some of the main locations in the novel. The walk will involve some uneven ground and uphill walking.
A QUANTOCK ADVENTURE BASED ON THE LAST BROOMSQUIRE led by MARTIN HESP
Meet at Dead Woman's Ditch Car Park: Grid reference: ST161381; nearest postcode TA5 1HW.
Martin is a writer and journalist based in Somerset. For decades he was Editor at Large of the Western Morning News and his knowledge of the South West is legendary. Martin's tale The Last Broomsquire is increasingly referred to as the Quantock novel and has an evocative sense of place. You can watch Martin talking about the novel at Shute Festival earlier this year via our Programme page. The story, which takes places as the 18th century becomes the 19th, could only have happened in the Quantock Hills. The tale is intrinsically woven into the deep coombes and lofty ridges of what is now an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All the locations described actually do exist and won’t have changed much in the intervening 200 years. Martin will be leading us on a unique walk in the central Quantock area which will take us to some of the main locations in the novel. The walk will involve some uneven ground and uphill walking.