Nature literature festival set to take place in west Wales next week
A new literature festival showcasing the best of nature writing both in Wales and further afield will take place in west Wales next week.
On May 9th & 10th ‘Reading the Wild/ Darllen y Gwyllt’ will be held in the small rural town of Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, surrounded by hills, woodland and farmland.
The main venue will be the Castle Hotel in the centre of town – a very fitting spot for the festival as novelist, social historian and travel writer George Borrow stayed at the castle in 1854 when writing Wild Wales.
Climate change
The event has been organised by Mandy Thomas – owner of Books at The Dragon’s Garden in Llandovery.
The bookshop specialises in nature writing and environmental issues.
She said: “The literal festival will be a showcase for the best of nature writing both in Wales and further afield.
“As far as I’m aware this will be the first Literature Festival in Wales to concentrate entirely on nature and the issues facing the natural world particularly climate change.”
Authors
The event will feature authors who are leaders in the field of nature writing including Jackie Morris, ‘The Lost Words with Robert MacFarlane’, Tom Bullough ‘Sarn Helen’, Bethany Handley poet and disability activist ‘Clingfilm’ and Stephanie Hafferty – garden & food writer.
Dr Rob Thomas ‘The Storm Petrel’, Michael Malay ‘Late Light’ winner of the Wainwright Prize for nature writing 2024, Steven Lovatt ‘Birdsong in a time of Silence’ and ‘Enchanted Ground ‘, Dr Rhys Jones ‘Becoming, Dr Jones’, Julie Brominicks ‘The Edge of Cymru’, Carwyn Graves ‘Tir’, Nicola Davies award winning childrens author and acclaimed childrens authors Helen & Thomas Docherty will also take part.
The festival’s organisers have worked with local artist Amanda Rose to produce unique tickets for the event made from scrap materials.
They can will be a useable bookmark to take home after the festival to reduce festival goers carbon footprint.
The nature event will also have walks and storytelling.
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