Three new audio chapters of Voices from the Peak and a tour

This October, Derbyshire poet Mark Gwynne Jones is releasing three new audio chapters of his popular series Voices from the Peak, and performing his award-winning one-man show Voices from the Peak – Live!.

Described by The Times as 'a fascinating quest… An audio odyssey… and some marvellous Derbyshire reflections…’, Voices from the Peak is a journey through the Peak District in word, film and sound, incorporating the unique qualities of people and place.

The three new audios, titled Nine Ladies, The Blessing of Water and Ravens Tor, present a creative exploration of the enduring popularity of stone circles, stories of water and well dressings, and the return of ravens to the Peak District.

One audio chapter a week is being released online on October 3rd, 10th and 17th.

The new audios will be available to listen to in full, free of charge, for a limited time viawww.markgwynnejones.com and www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/voicesfromthepeak.

Mark Gwynne Jones explains: “There is poetry in everyday speech, in spontaneous expressions about nature or places, and our connection to the land. The Peak District speaks though our stories and it has been fascinating working with the words, blending them with sounds and music to create works that take people on an audio odyssey. I hope these new chapters will continue to entertain, inform and inspire listeners.”

Extracts of the earlier audio chapters: Burning Drake, Snow! and Kinder Scout, launched in 2022, can also be heard online. These are available in full on a double cd to buy at Bakewell visitor centre, or direct from Mark’s website

To celebrate the new work, Mark is touring his award-winning show Voices from the Peak – Live! at venues in and around the Peak District, including Derby, Bakewell and Taddington.

Drawing on childhood experiences and encounters with poachers, shepherds, and mineral miners from a landscape rich with both beauty and danger, Mark’s funny and absorbing in-person presentation combines music, spoken word, film, and humour to rediscover the stories that connect us to the land.

Voices from the Peak – Live! can be seen this autumn on:

· Saturday 14 October, show 7.30pm, at the Medway Centre, Bakewell, DE45 1DY. Tickets £12, from Bakewell visitor centre, or from the Medway Centre 01629 813638.

· Sunday 15 October, show 2.30pm, at Repton School, Repton Festival. Tickets £12,www.reptonfestival.co.uk to book.

· Friday 1 December, show 7.30pm, at Taddington village hall, Taddington, SK17 9TU. Tickets £12, from 07929 151 688 or 01298 85384.

Voices from the Peak is funded by Arts Council England and supported by the Peak District National Park Authority and Derbyshire County Council.