May 23 2021 37 mins 5
Melissa Harrison is an award-winning novelist and nature writer, contributor to the monthly Nature Notebook in The Times and writer for the FT Weekend, the Guardian and the New Statesman. In 2020 Melissa began her podcast 'The Stubborn Light of Things' based on her daily walks near her home in rural Suffolk.
In this episode of the Suffolk Walking Festival Podcast we go for a walk with Melissa and her dog Scout around National Trust Sutton Hoo. During our walk we talk about the state of nature in the UK, we exchange tips on bird identification sounds, discuss the changing seasons and our 'firsts' and 'lasts', and we learn what inspires Melissa's passion for the countryside, nature and writing.
National Trust Sutton Hoo is an awe-inspiring Anglo-Saxon Royal Burial Ground. Burial mounds were unearthed here in 1939 revealing the imprint of a ship and exposing treasures, including an iconic helmet, that are today displayed in the British Museum. Those excavations were the subject of the recent film 'The Dig'. There are various walking trails around NT Sutton Hoo, an excellent exhibition hall, guided tours of the burial site, and a cafe and gift shop. Visit NT Sutton Hoo website for the latest visitor information.
The Suffolk Walking Festival is one of the country's largest and longest running walking events. The festival takes place every May with over 100 walks and countryside events across the county.
Thank you to David Stainer and Scott Dolling of the Suffolk duo Silbury Hill for the use of their music in these podcasts.
