Arvon

[lizwilliams]

I have been up in Hebden Bridge ("Valley of the rosehips") over the last day or so, giving a reading to a young writers' group. Arrived late on Wednesday afternoon, which was very clear and cold, and took a taxi up to Hepstonstall, one of those Yorkshire mill villages that is a scatter of cobbled streets and low black houses. The Arvon centre itself, Lumb Bank, is just over the brow of a hill and down a steep rutted track. Beech woods and running streams, and a lovely snowdrop edged terrace looking out over the town and the old mill chimneys. It's a low, rambling building, probably dating back to the early 1800s but possibly earlier: stone floors and exposed beams. In the night, there were owls.

Details are here: http://www.arvonfoundation.org/pages/about_arvon/arvon_centres.asp?PageID=7

- if anyone is interested in undertaking an Arvon foundation writing course. It's one of the most prestigious writing programmes in this country and has now been running for 40 years, under the aegis of poet Ted Hughes and others. Hughes had a great deal to do with Arvon (a name chosen at random from the Mabinogion) and with Lumb Bank itself. When he died, a black cat appeared and was promptly named after him, although she is a female. This led to some odd conversations ("I think Ted Hughes wants to go out"). Still, less tactless than calling her Sylvia, I suppose.

The group I spoke to ranged from about 13 - 18 and they were delightful. They asked intelligent, penetrating questions and spent the rest of the evening playing poker, downloading bits of the Goon Show, and writing. They've restored my faith in teenagers and I bet we'll be hearing from some of them in the future.

Next morning, I got down to the station to find about 100 disconsolate commuters and a broken rail on the Manchester line. However, after some scrambling, the right train did finally leave and I got down to London by lunchtime, to meet T and subsequently the folks from Macmillan for lunch, which was lovely as always. Also saw saxonb, which is always a pleasure, too. I hope we didn't distract you for too long! Then T and I wandered into Soho for cake at Valerie's and dinner in a Chinese place, thence home.

Comments

[greeneyedkzin.livejournal.com]

That's got to be karma, Ted Hughes returning in the body of a black female cat.

Has she been spayed?

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think she has. V wise.

[greeneyedkzin.livejournal.com]

Appropriate.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^>

[yvonneh.livejournal.com]

I did the Arvon SF writing course at the end of August last year with Adam Roberts and Justina Robson, and it was terrific. Just to have a week in the middle of nowhere, in spectacular walking country, with the time to concentrate on writing and talking about writing, was magic. We had meals communally and took turns cooking dinner, and it all worked very well. I think Nick Wood is doing a piece on our course for the next issue of the BSFA mag, Focus.

Ted was an essential part of the week. She came and sat on the three cat lovers' laps during the morning teaching sessions, and joined us in the evenings for the post dinner bottle(s) of wine. Until we caught on to what she was up to, she contrived to have three breakfasts - I'd feed her when I went down to the kitchen for a cup of tea around 7.00, Nick would be met by a starving cat at 7.15 when he went down, and Kari would find a beseeching creature at 7.30. So Sid and his six dinners came as no surprise.

Best of all was the encouragement and incentive the week gave us all to write. I'm glad you're teaching a week in June; I only wish I could take it, but I'm trying to finish the book I started at Arvon.

Yvonne

[(Anonymous)]

Arr, I did the SF course at Lumb Bank many a year ago, Iain Banks and Lisa Tuttle were the tutors and M John Harrison turned up midweek.And the story I wrote during the week was my first 'proper' sale.

[(Anonymous)]

More sidelights on Lumb Bank: Ted Hughes bought the house after Sylvia Plath died. She was buried in the graveyard at Heptonstall, and her grave has become a place of pilgrimage.

I'm not a big fan of her poetry, or his for that matter, but I thought I should make the effort to go and say hello. That was easier said than done. Heptonstall has two churches - one a picturesque ruin with the newer church built beside it - and the main churchyard is jammed to bursting and positively Gothic.

I found the grave eventually, in the rather austere overflow graveyard. It has a simple grave in a row of other simple graves. Tributes had been left: the modest grey stone was draped with a leopard print chiffon scarf and a very long string of fake pearls. At the base someone had thoughtfully left a pencil. It was quite touching.

[yvonneh.livejournal.com]

Sorry! Finger troubles. I didn't mean to be anonymous!

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Liz, Morgana West here (Heather). Came across your journal and couldn't resist having a peak and I'm rather quite blown away to realise you'd been up to Hebden. I was born and raised in Hebden Bridge :) For the last ten years before moving to Glastonbury - I lived in Heptonstall. (Don't suppose you managed to pay a visit to Sylvia Plath's grave in the church yard?)

They do some excellent work at Lumb Bank so Im glad you were able to go experience it. Kids went to school in Heptonstall. Small world isnt it? Next time we're in the pub, you'll have to tell me all about it!
Morgy xxx