Volunteers to make Ulverston's Candlelit walk a multi-sensory experience (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Volunteers to make Ulverston's Candlelit walk a multi-sensory experience

10:16am Friday 19th October 2012 in News

VOLUNTEERS have made more than 500 scented candles to help create a multi-sensory experience for those taking part in Ulverston’s fourth Candlelit Walk.

This year a group from Barrow's sound art scene - The Octopus Collective - have also joined in, picking-apart electronics to make homemade, light-sensitive theramins (an electronic musical instrument).

"Candlelight is hard to beat for atmospherics," said organiser Jennie Dennett, "Now it's going to be creating sound too as the flickering light sets off eerie noises in the trees along with the movement of the theramin DJs themselves.

"We've also got the Dorothy & Winifred Choir singing acapella songs inspired by the moon, the South Lakes Ukele Orchestra and some sweet harp music from the Furness Tradition Cardboard Harp Group so twinkly sounds to match the lights. It's going to be truly magical."

Children and passing shoppers rolled-up their sleeves at an event at Ulverston's Market Hall to make new pottery candle-holders to sit atop the railings lining the town’s beck. In all there will be100 spike-lights casting shifting shadows from the shapes cut into them, including fiery dragons, flapping bats and autumn leaves.

Ulverston Lantern Festival volunteers have also got stuck-in, making lanterns to hang in the trees. New flares have been made too, constructed from industial paper-towel rolls filled with scented wax donated by Wax LyrIcal of Lindal-in-Furness.

"We've had a lot of fun squidging clay about and slopping around the wax," said Ms Dennett who along with fellow volunteer John McArthur is leading this year's event . "The candles can withstand a fair amount of wind and drizzle so as long as it's not torrential on the night, The Gill will come alight.

"Lighting-up the woods seems like an odd thing to do really but there's something pleasingly primal about it. It's just another kooky thing happening in Ulverston and what could be more normal than that."

The walk starts at 6.30pm on Wednesday (October 31), in The Gill at the start of The Cumbria Way. The candles will be lit until 8.30pm.

The kissing gate will be removed to allow access for prams and wheelchairs. The event is free but there'll be buckets for donations and all the details about the event can be found on Facebook at Ulverston's Candlelit Walk.