FINAL preparations are underway for the first ever Dartmoor Tors Festival, which is taking place on the late May bank holiday weekend.
The two headline music events, Martha Tilston and Seth Lakeman, have already sold out, but there are lots of other events including talks, discussions, and a range of walks led by artists, archaeologists and storytellers.
Co-organiser Sophie Pierce says events about Dartmoor’s archaeology are proving very popular.
She said: ‘Lots of people have already bought tickets for a talk by Dartmoor National Park archaeologists Lee Bray and Andy Crabb, who will be revealing the long-awaited results of an exciting Bronze Age discovery at Cut Hill last year.
‘And a walk from Belstone, led by archaeologist Alan Endacott, to a recently discovered stone circle and dolmen, has nearly sold out.’
The idea of the festival is to celebrate Dartmoor’s culture, history and people.
On Saturday May 24 there will be a day of talks and conversations at Ashburton Arts Centre, with sessions including a discussion about access rights on Dartmoor, which will feature author Guy Shrubsole and national activist Kate Ashbrook from the Open Spaces Society.
A panel of artists including fine art photographer Garry Fabian Miller, who lives on Dartmoor, will discuss how visual artists have portrayed Dartmoor over the years, while poet Sean Borodale and novelist Fiona Williams, whose work has strong connections with wild landscapes, will be giving readings and discussing the role of place in human stories with local author Caspar Walsh.
On Sunday May 25, there will be walks all over the moor, including a sunrise walk in the company of archaeoastronomer Carolyn Kennett who specialises in the relationship of ancient monuments to the land, sky and sun, and to Hound Tor with storytellers Lisa Schneidau and Sara Hurley.
The festival has been organised by writer Sophie Pierce and artist Alex Murdin, in partnership with Field System gallery in Ashburton, and Ashburton Arts Centre.
To find out more and book tickets, visit www.dartmoortorsfestival.co.uk