Hello

A couple of years ago I walked the Pennine Way as a wandering poet, giving poetry readings every night in return for bed, breakfast and a round of butties, and Walking Home - Travels with a Troubadour was the published record of that journey. This year I'm writing the follow up to that book, the imaginatively entitled Walking Away, a journey on foot from Minehead in Somerset along the north coast of the South West Coast Path to Land's End and beyond ...

Once again I'll be bartering my way from start to finish, giving readings and passing the hat around, inviting the audience to put in whatever they think I'm worth. I want to see if I can pay my way with poetry alone, but this time away from my home ground, and getting further distant every day, towards where the country narrows to a point and the Atlantic begins.

If you'd like me to give a reading in your local pub, village hall, theatre, school, gallery, church, barn, living room etc, can offer me food and shelter for the night and sherpa my unfashionable turquoise suitcase on to the next stop, please get in touch at the following address:

simonswcoastpath@gmail.com Here's my planned itinerary for 2013:

Thursday 29th August
Minehead to Porlock Weir

Friday 30th August
Porlock Weir to Lynmouth

Saturday 31st August
Lynmouth to Combe Martin

Sunday 1st September
Combe Martin to Woolacombe

Monday 2nd September
Woolacombe to Braunton

Tuesday 3rd September
Braunton to Instow

Wednesday 4th September
Instow to Westward Ho!

Thursday 5th September
Westward Ho! to Clovelly

Friday 6th September
Clovelly to Hartland Quay

Saturday 7th September
Hartland Quay to Morwenstow

Sunday 8th September
Morwenstow to Bude

Monday 9th September
Bude to Boscastle

Tuesday 10th September
Boscastle to Port Isaac

Wednesday 11th September
Port Isaac to Padstow

Thursday 12th September
Padstow to Constantine Bay

Friday 13th September
Constantine Bay to Newquay

Saturday 14th September
Newquay to Perranporth

Sunday 15th September
Perrranporth to Gwithian

Monday 16th September
Gwithian to Zennor

Tuesday 17th September
Zennor to Land's End

Wednesday 18th September
Land's End to St Mary's or Tresco (Isles of Scilly)

Thursday 19th September
Tresco to Bryher to Samsom (by foot!)

Or if you want to walk with me, just turn up on the day and say hello. I'm fairly approachable, though by the end I might look a little bedraggled, especially if I misread the tide-table between those final islands ...

Simon Armitage