Inauguration of the Poetry Stones on the Ullswater Way

The stones have been inscribed with lines from the poems of Kathleen Raine, who once lived in Martindale.

The Cumbrian artist Pip Hall who carved the stones will be present at the Hallinhag Wood event which starts at 4pm.

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The Chairman of the FOUW, Miles MacInnes will open the event. It will start with an account of  Kathleen Raine's life and poetry and her connection with Martindale and will be followed with some words from Pip Hall. There will then be readings of the two poems from which the poetry stone verses are taken: 'On Leaving Ullswater', read by Nic Tweddell who formerly lived in the valley, and ‘Night in Martindale’ read by local resident Jane Macauliffe.

Miles MacInnes said: "I’m delighted that the FOUW has been able to honour one of Ullswater’s finest poets, Kathleen Raine, who lived in Martindale and was inspired by its natural beauty to write some of her most intensely felt poetry.

"Pip Hall’s beautiful carvings will bring pleasure to the many walkers who will pause to reflect on them, beginning with the line on the first stone: ‘the human word, carved by our whispers in the passing air’.

"I’d like to give a special ‘thank you’ to the Lake District Communities Fund, the Hadfield Trust, and Dalemain Estates, all of whom contributed to this project."

This inauguration is the sixth in a series of art installations supported by FOUW on the Ullswater Way Heritage Trail (the first, the Roman Seat on Barton Fell, in June 2016, the second, the Dorothy Gate at Aira Force in April 2017, the third, the Thomas Clarkson plaque at Eusmere, Pooley Bridge, in May, and the fourth and fifth, the Wainwright memorial plaque and Sitting Stone, on June 1.

Full details on the work of FOUW can be found on their website http://www.ullswaterway.co.uk. 

Further information on the Poetry Stone inauguration is available from Jane Penman , jane@hallinbank.co.uk. The location of the stones is: NY427200