Wild About Kinder - Newsletter August 2024
Interview with poet Yvonne Reddick, guided walks, and a postcard from the Dark Peak!
Postcard from Kinder Scout
August is a vibrant time of year for Kinder Scout and the Dark Peak area. The foothills and plateau come to life with a purple haze of heather and bilberries - a feast for your senses! It looks beautiful from afar and right among it too. A lovely walk to do this month would be The Lonely Trig Point from my book Mountain Walks Kinder Scout because it takes you across the eastern side of Kinder Scout which is particularly purple in this season.
“This is a place where we can be free and we can connect with nature and for me that is an incredibly powerful and precious thing.”
In this interview, writer Yvonne Reddick reads two of her poems, ‘To a Snow Hare’ and ‘Dear Tor’, while sitting among the boulders of the Woolpacks on Kinder Scout. She chose this setting because of the characterful rocks that resemble living creatures.
I asked her about her creative process, what she has learnt about protecting mountain hares, how poetry has become part of her life, and why Kinder Scout is a special place to her. I think you’ll really enjoy Yvonne’s eloquent storytelling, fun nature and stirring words.
Yvonne Reddick is a poet and researcher. She is the author of Ted Hughes: Environmentalist and ecopoet, 2017 and Burning Season, a collection of poems, 2023.
Guided walk to the highest point in the Peak District - this weekend!
We’ll spend the day up high visiting some of the best viewpoints on Kinder Scout including Grindslow Knoll, on to the highest point on the moorland plateau at 636 metres, and then to the trig point at Kinder Low.
The terrain will involve a mixture of flagstone paths, rocky paths, and boggy peaty sections. You’ll need to wear comfortable walking boots and walking clothes, and bring extra warm layers, waterproofs, 2 litres of water, and plenty of food/snacks.
See photos from the route here. There are 3 spaces left!
Author Andrew Terrill reviews Mountain Walks Kinder Scout - 5 stars!
“The author, Sarah Lister, is clearly a fan of this mountain. And an expert in it, given the knowledge she shares. Her love for Kinder shines from every page. As she writes in the intro: ‘Kinder Scout is a mountain to return to time and time again…’ and she’s dead right – this is a mountain that rewards repeat visits. In truth, it only grows more special each time back. The author is obviously someone who HAS returned time and time again and has fallen under Kinder’s spell. I’d bet she’s written this guide because of it. ‘Mountain Walks Kinder Scout’ is as much a love letter to Kinder as it is a guidebook.”
More events
07.09.24 Great Kinder Barrel Race - Team barrel race, individual race and kids race
14.09.24 Photography walk with James Grant
28.09.24 Edale Skyline challenge walk from dawn - watch the sunrise and spend the day up high walking along the Mam Tor Ridge, up Win Hill and along the southern edge of Kinder Scout.
Hope Station to Edale Station
In July I met up with Vicky from Vertebrate Publishing at Hope Station for a walk to Edale via Win Hill and Kinder Scout, ending up at the PennyPot Cafe before she headed home. She interviewed me and got some lovely video footage. Watch her reel here. The route is number 11 in my book.
“Everything about that walk was perfect…so uplifting!”
I spotted Mountain Walks Kinder Scout out in the wild at the beginning of August! Stuart and Liz were walking the Sunset on Rushup Edge route while I was running the route in reverse with my friend Ila.
Stuart said “It was a lovely bonus to meet you along the way, the cherry on top of an amazing experience. It’s a stunning walk from a great book!”
Thank you for reading my newsletter! If you’d like to write a blog post for my website or be interviewed about your connection with Kinder Scout, please get in touch: sarah@sarahventurer.com
I’m offering bespoke guided walks on Kinder Scout for individuals and small groups this autumn. Please let me know if you’d like to start designing your adventure with me.
Until next time, Happy Adventures!