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John Jones of
folk rock legends
Oysterband has announced a May walking tour with his band The Reluctant
Ramblers. The tour,
in which the group
will be walking to all of the gigs
en route, will focus on the Spine of England:
the breath-taking area of natural beauty encircling
the Pennines, and
taking in parts of the Peak District and Yorkshire.
Walking tours
unite John’s greatest
passions: the English countryside, music and rambling. It’s an idea he
dreamed
up two years ago, and walking from gig to gig gives him a fantastic
opportunity
to connect with the places and the people along the route. Previous
tours have
seen him walk from the Welsh Borders to Leicester in 2009, and through
the
Hardy-esque Dorset countryside in 2010. Turning his attention to the
north of
the country will be like a homecoming, as John was raised in Meltham in
Yorkshire. The route will take in some of the most iconic walking
destinations
in the country, such as Derbyshire’s Kinder Scout, the Hope Valley, and
Saddleworth Moor. The route is significant because anyone inspired by
the idea
can join in for all or part of the 127-mile,
10-day walk. Previous walking tours have seen fans travelling from as
far as
Germany to take part.
The unique idea
has captured many
imaginations, including the folks at Ordnance Survey, who heard about
John’s
first two walks and wanted to get involved. The result is a series of bespoke page on
their maps portal, which allows anyone who wants to walk with John to
access
all or part of the route and download it free of charge. Potential Reluctant
Ramblers can also get
more information about the route, including elevations. Additional
features,
including enlarged maps, are also available for a small charge.
John has
carefully constructed the
route not only to include the region’s most spectacular sights, but
also to
offer shorter walks of just a couple of hours or a half-day so that as
many
people as possible can take part. “The idea is to get people out there
walking
with us, even if it’s just for a few miles,” John explains. “The beauty
of
these tours for me is that the music and the walking go hand in hand.
My music
is totally inspired by the landscape, and I want as many people as
possible to
share in the whole experience of a good day’s walking, followed by
music in
beautiful surroundings with great company.”
Of course, the
tour isn’t just about
walking. The gigs are the highlight, with each one a different
experience
depending on that day’s assembly of Reluctant Ramblers – a changing
company of
well-known folk musicians and friends who accompany John on each leg of
the
tour, and play with him on that night’s gig. This tour will have an
added
dimension, as John is keen to highlight a range of excellent young folk
and
acoustic musicians who are local to the places where he’s playing. “The
folk
world is very lucky at the moment to have so many great young talents
about,
and the area around South Yorkshire and Derbyshire is particularly
thriving,”
John says. “This tour will give me the chance to play, and walk,
alongside some
of them, and to bring their music to new audiences.”
John will be
singing selections from
his recent solo album Rising Road,
plus some newer songs. “The previous two walks were very inspiring,
John says.
“I got ideas for songs which I’ll be singing live for the first time on
this
tour.” For those who can’t be there in the flesh, John maintains a
regular walking
blog while he’s touring, so that anyone can follow the adventure
on-line. John
will also be blogging on Facebook in the coming weeks as preparations
for the
tour take shape.
The
tour is funded
by Arts Council England and is produced by Twisted Folk. For
walking routes (as prepared by Ordnance Survey) and
information on shows,
including tickets: www.twistedfolk.com
John
Jones Walks the
Spine of England - Gig Dates
Tuesday 17 May Rushton Spencer, Pool Hall,
£12 adv www.heatonhousefarm.co.uk
/ www.twistedfolk.com
Wednesday 18 May, Buxworth, The Navigation Inn,
£2 on the door, www.navigationinn.co.uk
Friday 20 May, Saddleworth, The Dobcross Band
Social Club, £8 adv, www.dobcross.f2s.com/bandclub/index.html
Saturday 21 May, Shepley, Shepley Spring Festival
, £30 day ticket, www.shepleyspringfestival.com/
Sunday
22 May, Lower Bradfield, Village Hall (Support to Phil Beer),
£12, www.bvh.org.uk
Tuesday 24 May, Hathersage, Milestone Inn,
Free Entry, www.millstoneinn.co.uk
Wednesday 25 May, Bakewell, The Rutland Arms,
£8
adv, www.rutlandarmsbakewell.co.uk
/ www.twistedfolk.com
Thursday 26 May, Matlock Bath, The Fishpond,
£8
adv, www.fishpondmusic.co.uk
/ www.twistedfolk.com
Walking will start 9.00am each
morning. Doors for shows will be 7.30pm
(except for Shepley, which is an afternoon show). There will be a “Maps
and
other information” meeting 4.00pm to 5.00pm at Rushton Spencer 17th
May.
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