Will the ArtTrain have storywalks on the rails? of course they will! On May the 19th Somerset Steam Railway
will be having an ArtTrain travelling from Bishops Lydeard to
Minehead, artisits and performers will litter the stations selling their wares and workshops left right and centre! But one thing will be free, my storywalks, and the
Dunster tale The Winding Charm is just the ticket. And it's not just a single train but half a dozen of them, all day long so folk can come to Dunster, walk up into the village, storywalk themselves into the ground, then back down the hill for a train home.
So far there seems to be lots going on (as far as I can tell) with each station themed subtly though I suppose my storywalks would be better linked to Stogumber (but that's a long walk to Dunster village!)
Dunster – Wood
Blue Anchor – Driftwood
Washford – Metalwork (blacksmiths and jewellery makers)
Watchet – Boats and the sea
Williton – Sculpture
Stogumber – Performance
Crowcombe – Glass and ceramics
Bishops Lydeard – Textiles
So for anyone who isn't familiar with the process this is what you need to do, and best do it even before you leave home as you don't want to fiddle in the field!
It is important to put the walk and app in your device, and more importantly my walk (the file ending .gwc) needs to be inside the app. For apple this is simple, you just drag and drop it on to the app icon and you're away. For other platforms you need to dig through a few folders till you find the app you are looking for and then put the file there. Start it straight away and you will see the walk to be opened, it will welcome you and then navigate to the start point. Pretty nifty ay!
The picture above is of Dunster Dove Cote with some willing walkers during Somerset Art Week in September gone. Below are some of the Charms made on their journey around the village, I seem to remember quite a wet day but that put a little more humph into the river (part of the story) so cup half full in my mind.
Anyway will keep you posted about the Art Train as things progress, and perhaps a blog from the day itself.
