21 April 2008
John Muir, His Life and Hikes
This week marks the 170th birthday of John Muir, the father of the national park movement. To celebrate, the Flora of the Fells Festival and John Muir Award, Cumbria, have joined forces to bring a tale of his life, hikes and favourite places to the Centre for Outdoor Management and Education Training at University of Cumbria, Newton Rigg Campus.
On 24th April, Ronald Turnbull will lead a multi-media trek through the life story of John Muir and along the celebrated 210-mile John Muir Trail in California's Sierra Nevada (with a brief diversion along the less-celebrated 45-mile John Muir Way of Scotland's North Sea coast). Ronald is the author of many books on wild places, including a history of Great Gable and is a regular contributor to Lakeland Walker.
For those inspired by wild places there will also be a short presentation from the Cumbria John Muir Award team about how events in the Flora of the Fells Festival can be used towards gaining the John Muir Award. The Award is designed to encourage people of all ages to discover, explore, conserve and share wild places, a theme adopted by many of the events in this year's festival.
Ruth Evans, Festival Officer said, 'What better way to celebrate one of the most influential wilderness activists than to join an award winning writer and adventurer on a virtual journey through the wilderness of America and the UK?'
The evening's event starts at 7.30pm and costs £3 including refreshments. For more details of this and other events taking place as part of the 2008 Flora of the Fells Festival, log onto www.floraofthefells.com or telephone 01539 733187 to request your free copy of the festival guide.
