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Writing the Reiver Trails
Writing the Reiver Trails The Reiver Trails is an ambitious new initiative bringing ten way-marked recreational routes to life, supporting local businesses and contributing to sustainable growth across rural Northumberland. The project is a collaboration led by Forestry England, Northumberland National Park Authority and Kielder Trust, with funding from Northumberland County Council. Check out the growing…
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Celebrating in style!
Celebrating in style The Association for Heritage Interpretation decamped for our annual conference in Cardiff this year. As mentioned in a previous post, this is a big year for the association, which has been joyously celebrating its 50th birthday. It was wonderful to be part of this event, reflecting on five decades of the organisation…
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Making our mark
Making our mark When historic St Michael’s Church in Alnwick discovered their belltower roof was leaking, they discovered over 250 years’ worth of graffiti carved into the old roofing lead. It seems to have been de rigeur to leave your mark if you were up there on church business! While this kind of graffiti isn’t…
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Around the Rhins
Around the Rhins The spectacular hidden gem that is the Rhins of Galloway, in the far south west of Scotland, featured in The Guardian this week. This far-flung corner of Scotland is one of my most favourite places, so it was a joy to join the Bright interpretive design team to prepare the interpretation and…
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Returning to my roots
Returning to my roots It has been a joy to return to some of my most favourite places this autumn, helping Cornwall Wildlife Trust prepare an interpretation plan for their NLHF-funded Tor to Shore project. I am proudly Cornish born and bred, but I don’t spend nearly enough time in my ‘motherland’. This project has…
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Making connections
Making Connections I spent yesterday exploring the hills and dales on the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park, mostly under bright blue skies. The highlight was the narrow winding road through tranquil Longsleddale, a spectacular riverside meander to a remarkably quiet corner of Cumbria. But what was I doing there on a sunny…
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Fabulous Fifty!
AHI is Fabulous at Fifty! The brilliant Association for Heritage Interpretation turns fifty this year. It has provided five decades of support, insight and inspiration for heritage interpreters and all those associated with our sector. It’s an honour to have co-written a piece for the decade-by-decade review of the Association’s history and impact in the…
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Telling the Tweed’s Tales
Telling the Tweed’s Tales It’s been a joy to work with the team at Destination Tweed once again this spring. Having prepared the Interpretation Strategy for the new River Tweed Trail back in 2022 with Bright, helping the project take another step towards delivering the interpretive experience is very satisfying. This time I worked with…
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Escape to Eden
Escape to Eden The lovely folk at Encounter Eden are planning a new visitor experience for the historic market town of Kirkby Stephen. The town, on the River Eden, is at the meeting point of some remarkable designated landscapes – Yorkshire Dales National Park, Lake District National Park and the North Pennines National Landscape –…
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When is an island not an island?
When is an island not an island? When it’s the spectacular tidal Holy Island on the Northumberland coast! I am currently working with travel and transport consultants Martin Higgitt Associates and PJA to develop a sustainable travel and transport strategy for the Island, commissioned by the Northumberland Coast National Landscape team. I’m looking specifically at…