A Worthwhile Weekend

A weekend trip up to North East Wales to walk in the Clwydian Hills provided interest on several fronts. Firstly, the area well deserves its designation as one of Outstanding Natural Beauty - from Moel Fanau on Saturday afternoon the views extended to Snowdonia in the west, the Irish Sea to the north and across to Liverpool and Chester to the east. Apparently it is sometimes possible to spot Blackpool Tower but I can't say I picked that out this time!

Our couple of days also enabled me to fulfill two long held ambitions - to visit Gladstone's Library in Hawarden and to meet the poet Wendy Cope. Founded by the prime minister William Gladstone, the library is residential and home to courses and study days on topics as varied as creative writing, film and theology, Latin in a week. Architecturally the building is fascinating, the grounds are lovely and the facilities excellent. A bistro looks out across the lawns and provides really great food.

A guest lounge, relaxing and inspiring ...

The brochure for Gladstone's Library states that "Our aim is that everyone will leave having encountered something new or unexpected". Wendy Cope's workshop ensured that for me. I have been an admirer of her poetry for many years. She is currently the Writer in Residence at the library and sixteen of us had a hugely enjoyable few hours with her looking at poetic form. Usually I come away from workshops with lots of ideas but little writing actually achieved; on Sunday I came away with concrete first drafts of two poems that I shall certainly pursue further.   

Wendy Cope