Footnotes: Walking and Writing Workshop (Rural) – With Alinah Azadeh

Part of New Writing South’s Summer of Writing.

Join Seven Sisters Country Park writer-in-residence Alinah Azadeh for a walking and creative writing workshop through the Cuckmere Valley. Experience the changing biodiversity of Seven Sisters Country Park and be inspired, through readings and writing prompts from Alinah, to weave your walking journey and the memories and reflections it evokes into a new piece of prose or poetry.

Please bring with you a notebook, a pen and any other preferred writing tools. For those travelling by bus, a writing prompt will be sent out in advance for your journey to the site.

Accessibility and Information about the Route

The terrain can in parts be a little steep and uneven, so the walk itself is not fully accessible to those with limited mobility. We will however have use of an indoor space near the Visitor Centre at the start and during the workshop time, for those with access needs on the day or in the case of very poor weather.

Writers walking with us will need to wear sturdy shoes or boots suitable for walking, along with water, hat, sunscreen and a raincoat as fine weather cannot be guaranteed. If you wish, please also bring a sitting mat or small blanket as the ground may be damp.

Water is available on-site so please being a water bottle for free refills. No plastic water bottles are sold. There is a Grab-and-go for refreshments on site and a small Café. Some refreshments will be supplied by New Writing South at the beginning and end of the walk.

About the tutor

Alinah Azadeh is a writer, artist, performer and cultural activist of British Iranian heritage. She uses text, audio, and live practices to create poetic narratives that activate spaces, amplifying untold or overlooked stories. As well as commissions for major museums and galleries over the last 30 years, Azadeh has had stories, poetry and articles published, most recently in Glimpse, the first anthology of speculative fiction by Black British writers, published by Peepal Tree Press, edited by Leone Ross. She is inaugural writer-in-residence at Seven Sisters Country Park / Sussex Heritage Coast, commissioned by the South Downs National Park Authority, and led the We See You Now (2019–22), a decolonial landscape and literature programme which has produced We Hear You Now, a new body of work for audio tour across the landscape, avaiilable from June 2023–2028. Both are funded by Arts Council England. Alinah also presents for broadcast, and has a podcast, The Colour of Chalk. She is writing her artist memoir, which was longlisted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2020. Azadeh is a Changing Chalk Associate Artist for Writing Our Legacy/The National Trust and an alumni of Julie’s Bicycle’s Climate, Culture, Action programme, Colour Green. www.alinahazadeh.com

About Seven Sisters Country Park

Seven Sisters Country Park is owned and managed by the South Downs National Park Authority. A gateway to the National Park at its eastern end, it comprises 280 hectares of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland. The country park is home to grazing livestock, rare flora and fauna and is a corridor for a large number of migrating birds. The National Park Authority has invested almost £2m over the past two years to improve the visitor facilities and create a world-class experience that connects people with nature, landscape and history. www.sevensisters.org.uk

Getting there

The Park is well served by buses from Brighton/Seaford/Eastbourne, and from further along the coast. All buses stop at the Park entrance. There are regular rail services from London to Brighton, Seaford and Eastbourne. View the timetable for the Coaster 12, 12A and 12X services. There are two pay and display car parks. It is possible to get a train to Seaford and take a taxi from there.

Bursary places

We believe the price of our courses should never be a barrier to your learning. We offer a no-questions-asked half price ticket to anyone who is unable to pay full price for this course (£15 rather than £30). If price remains a barrier, please contact us to  apply for a bursary place.