Folk singer and nature lover Sam Lee invites you on a three-night Pilgrimage to ‘re-wild’ one of Britain’s ancient traditional songs back to the very birds that inspired the folk song.
This event has finished. Find our upcoming Nature Pilgrimages here.
Tracing the songlines of Sussex, seekers of the old ways are invited to share this path connecting the ancient traditional song ‘Turtle Dove’, collected in 1903 by Vaughan Williams, and carry it from its source to one of the last remaining populations of Turtle Doves in the UK.
Sam will lead guests on a unique and intimate passage along the sacred ways of Sussex to the Knepp Estate, the most ambitious rewilding oasis in the UK.
When does a song need to be rewilded? What does the rare and almost-disappeared Turtle Dove have to do with British folk song tradition? These are questions we will be exploring as we chart the song-line connecting the Turtle Dove’s song source to Sussex’ last colony of this species. This journey will explore the relationship our disappearing ancient songs have with the rapid ecological decline happening right now in the UK.
We will walk amongst herds of deer, longhorn cattle and many rare species that have found sanctuary in this land that time forgot, eventually meeting the small colony of Turtle Doves purring their mystical song in the old oak trees.
We will carry most of our own gear, camp on the land and spend our nights round the fire singing and telling stories.
This journey includes wild-swimming, foraging, drinking spring water, local history, nature connection activities, tree climbing, and singing this stunning song, sharing it with those we encounter on our journey.
We will be carrying and cooking (over a fire) all of our own food.
Your place includes all food and drink (from Friday morning onwards) and two or three nights of camping in a mixture of churches (Thursday) and tents (Friday & Saturday).
This 20+ mile journey will be on foot and is for competent walkers only but for singers of any ability.
Mercury Prize-nominated folk singer, conservationist, song collector, award-winning promoter, broadcaster and activist.
Learn MoreSussex
The Plough & Attic Rooms, High Street, Rusper, RH12 4PX
We will meet on Thursday evening 9th June informally at the very pub where it all began, The Plough in Rusper, with last arrivals joining us at St Mary Magdalene, Rusper to depart on Friday 10th June at 10am.
We will complete our journey on the Sunday morning at Knepp Castle Estate, with a minibus taking us back to St Mary’s in Rusper.
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