Celebrating Our Senses - Walk 3 - Listen

For our third walk we revisted 

the Kelmarsh Tunnel on 

the Brampton Valley Way

where we were once again joined

 by the wonderful storyteller Allan Davies 

who told tales at various points in the walk. 

Our Mindfulness meditation - Listen - was lead by Carolyn Bantin in the picnic area in the car park before the walk commenced to center our thoughts sharpen our ears and regulate our breathing.

In the clearing of ash trees and picnic tables Allan told us the story of a bucket with a hole and Carole Miles showed the group how to make a wind chime with spoons. 

All the wind chimes were hung together 

and sang out whilst we had our lunch.

Then those who dared walked into the dark of 

the tunnel towards the air vent. 

Standing in a pool of light and 

droplets of water Allan told 

a wintery tale with an 

excellent ending.

We walked in twos and threes, back along the Brampton Valley Way listening to the birds, watching a rainbow and noticing the glorious colours of autumn.

You can see the complete photo set here

Walk distance 3.5 miles.

Part of a series of Mindfulness and Wellbeing "Celebrating Our Senses" walks made possible with a Grant awarded from Margaret Giffen Community Fund and Northamptonshire Community Foundation and with support from NStep.

Kelmarsh Tales of Terror

It may have taken a while but finally 

we were able to take our seats 

in amongst the trees with that master of tales

Allan Davies

Occasionally leaves twirled down from branches

landing on the picnic table and forest floor whilst Allan drew us into his world of stories both ancient and strange.

After an alfresco lunch we walked back from the New Covert, and steeling our nerves we ventured into the open side of Kelmarsh Tunnel 

with only the light of glow sticks and the 

eerily beautiful flute playing of our Pied Piper to guide us. 

You can see / hear part of the story here, even in the dark, damp tunnel, we were captivated and on the way back out, buoyed up by the experience we tested out or skills as ghosts and ghouls, making as much noise as we could!

We noticed that the trees and bushes were heavy with berries, more red than green, a sign of the winter to come.

This was our final event on the Brampton Valley Way as part of our On the Right Track project. It's been a walk through the seasons that has brought pleasure and new experiences for all who took part. 

Back to Books would like to thank Awards For All, Canada Council For the Arts, the Northampton and Lamport Railway, Northamptonshire County Council, Word in Edgeways, Kathy Page, Ros Stoddart, Carole Miles, Andrew Rushton and all our walkers, cyclers, readers, makers and writers for making this such a special project.

We are, however, not quite ready to leave the Valley Way behind us, we have a new project planned and funding secured from Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Midlands Co-operative Society Making a Difference Fund, for the creation of a series of mosaic Way Markers to be sited along the route!