Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is always delighted to take part in the annual Rye Arts Festival, and this year they are able to have a bigger presence on the reserve than usual as many events are being hosted at Sussex Wildlife Trust’s new discovery centre.
This year the festival is also hosting a poetry trail, showcasing work from members of a creative writing group set up in 2019 as part of a writer in residence project, “Voices of Rye Harbour”, led by award-winning writer Jane Lovell.
The poetry trail, available throughout the festival from Friday 10 – Sunday, 26 September, follows our two mile easy access route from the discovery centre. Past saltmarshes, birdwatching hides, along the beach and bringing you close alongside pools and scrapes where there should be many birds to see.
Along the route there are 12 poems, written by members of the poetry group including Reserve manager Barry Yates, also the CEO of Sussex Wildlife Trust, Tor Lawrence. The poems are displayed alongside beautiful artwork also inspired by the nature reserve’s landscape, and created by local artists including Robert Greenhalf and Annie Soudain.
The poems and artwork are taken from a new book, “New Ways of Looking at Rye Harbour”, also launching during the festival and available to purchase at the discovery centre for £15 from September 19.
Along the trail there are also some poetry boxes – little tins attached to benches at perfect locations to sit, contemplate and create. The tins house a pencil and notebook for you to jot down your own poem, or just read those that others have written.
A paper copy of the poetry trail can be picked up from the discovery centre daily between 10am and 4pm. This project has been made possible thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
If you would like to get involved in further creative writing projects, please contact ryeharbourlearning@sussexwt.org.uk.
Image Credits: Barry Yates .