Join us for Walking Through the Sands of Time, a series of artist-led walks exploring the everyday beauty of the Sefton Coast.
The walks will be led by visual artist Mike Collier, wildlife photographer Tim Collier, sound artist Rob Strachan, and a Natural History Guide from the Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership Scheme. Our expert guides will help you to make sensory connections to the coast, taking notes of sights, smells, sounds and textures. The walks will be filmed by Rob Strachan and the resulting film will be an important part of Sea Change, the next major exhibition at The Atkinson.(Please note anyone who wishes to take part in the walks but not wishing to be filmed should make this known at the time of booking.)
The video will consist of work made by Mike Collier, photographs by Tim Collier, sound and visual images by Rob Strachan and poetry by the writer. It will also include reflections noted by you and your fellow participants during and after the walk as well as your photographs and interviews about the unique qualities of the Sefton Coastline, its natural, cultural and social history.
The walks will take place as follows:
12 July: Walk one will start at Waterloo Station and end at Hightown Station – 4.8 miles
13 July: Walk two will start at Hightown Station and end at Freshfield Station – 5.6 miles
19 July: Walk three will start at Freshfield Station and finish at Ainsdale Station – 4.4 miles
20 July: Walk four will start at Ainsdale Station and finish at the RSPB Centre at Marshside, Southport – 4.7 miles (this section is longer than the other three, so we will walk to Weld Road car park at Birkdale where a mini bus will take participants from Birkdale to Marshside)
The walks are all of a moderate difficulty standard. The artists will lead the walks at a gentle pace to allow time for reflection. Each walk should take between 4 and 6 hours to complete, including a break for lunch (not provided). The walks will all start at 10.00 am and finish at approximately 4.00 pm. (Further details will be provided when you book a place)
The walks are completely free but booking is essential. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore your coast and contribute to a new art work rooted in Sefton.
To book a place on the walks or for more details please call The Atkinson Box Office on 01704 533333 or email marketing@theatkinson.co.uk
The walks are funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and are part of a wider project exploring the creative potential of the Sefton Coastal path. This project has been developed through a partnership between The Atkinson and the Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership Scheme (SCLPS).
The Walks have been timed to coincide with the showing of Walk On: From Richard Long to Janet Cardiff – Forty years of Art Walking at The Atkinson (from the 12 April to the 9 August 2014). The finished artwork will feature in Sea Change: The Art of England’s North West Coast (from 23 August to the 9 November 2014) alongside work by LS Lowry, Andy Goldsworthy and Antony Gormley.
