Festival walks in the footsteps of famous poets

Literary walks in the footsteps of famous Herefordshire and Worcestershire poets are running as part of a local poetry festival.

Ledbury Poetry Festival, which organisers say is the "joint oldest" in the UK, began on Friday and runs until 5 July.

University of Worcester Journalism lecturer Dan Johnson is leading the two walks, exploring the life and works of John Masefield on 30 June, and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning on 1 July.

He said: "It's really about bringing together my love of walking, storytelling and literature, and finding that other people enjoy experiencing it that way too."

Johnson, who regularly leads literary walks on the Malvern Hills, said: "With a guided walk, you're not just looking at a landscape, you're following in the footsteps of the poets and seeing how those places inspired their work.

"I want people to learn about these local heroes while enjoying a great walk. It's something that feels social, engaging, and a bit different to a traditional talk."

He described Barrett-Browning, who grew up within sight of the Malvern Hills and died in 1861, as a "trailblazer" for female poets.

Former poet laureate Masefield was born in Ledbury in 1878 and was once the "most well-known poet in the country", the lecturer said.

"He was so inspired by the landscape and wrote poems about places like Eastnor and Tewkesbury Road."

Johnson said being part of the festival line-up was "a real privilege".

"It's such an iconic event," he added.

Festival highlights include two events with poet laureate Simon Armitage and Desert Island Poems with BBC Radio 6 Music's Stuart Maconie.

There is also a popular poetry competition, with a first prize of £1,000.

Tickets are available from the event's website.

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