Wild Singing Weekend

With the Borrowdale Institute in the heart of the valley for our base, we will have two days of morning singing workshops led by Dave, Helen and Roxane, followed by some low-level wild singing around the valley (or in / near the institute if wet!) each afternoon.

Our collective approach to singing is very inclusive, with a shared belief in singing as a birth-right, whatever your previous experience might happen to be. We’ll mainly teach songs by ear, so no need to be able to read music, although scores may be available for some things if you find them helpful. The focus of the weekend will be about using our voices to HAVE FUN in nature! We want everyone who shows up to feel part of a strong (albeit temporary) singing community, and to use the experience of singing together in nature as a resource to sustain and nurture us in the busy-ness of our everday lives.

The weekend is non-residential in the sense of sorting yourself out with somewhere to stay. Borrowdale has lots of lovely campsites, two youth hostels, plenty of BnBs and some majestic hotels - choose your own level of comfort! Hot drinks and snacks will be provided, but make your own arrangements for meals, or bring food to share with others, Jacob’s Join style.

Dave Camlin is a singer / composer / educator / researcher who leads community choirs in west Cumbria including Sing Owt!, Wild Chorus and the Sing for Fun Recovery Choir. He leads lots of outdoor singing events and projects, including the award-winning Fellowship of Hill and Wind and Sunshine project (2018), Communitas (2021) and Earthsong (2022). He's a native west Cumbrian who loves introducing people to songs from the local area and which celebrate our relationship to the natural world.

Helen Chadwick has run community choirs and singing workshops all her adult life. "I love the Lake District, so to combine these passions with two friends and colleagues is a joy. I’m a songwriter who creates song-theatre shows. I’ve toured internationally and composed shows for the Royal Opera House (Dave was in one!) and created a site-specific choral work for Salisbury Cathedral. I started the London Georgian choir and co-founded Sing for Water (thank you Roxane for now being its Queen!). I also love recording albums."

Roxane Smith runs community choirs on the Welsh borders (Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Welshpool). She has a fun and upbeat teaching style and everything will be learnt by ear, so no need to read music. She is co-musical director of Sing for Water London (which raises money for Water Aid through singing), and Chair of the Natural Voice Network. She is passionate about singing, and believes that singing in harmony creates friendship, community and can make the world a better place.

Where to Stay?

The Borrowdale valley is full of lovely places to stay. Our favourite campsite is nearby Stonethwaite, which is basic, doesn’t do advance bookings and usually has spaces. There are other nearby campsite including Chapel House Farm, as well as hotels in Rosthwaite, Seatoller, and of course in Keswick, which is about 6 miles away.

What to Bring?

• your voice in whatever state you find it
• sense of fun
• waterproofs and suitable footwear (we won’t be going anywhere particulalrly high, but it can still get soggy in the valley…)
• camping seat
• water bottle
• personal snacks
• packed lunches or food to share

How much walking is involved?

We’re not planning any strenuous summit hikes, but the afternoon wild singing walks are likely to be between 3 and 6 miles with some ascents, so you need to be reasonably fit. We'll travel like a wolf pack, with our strongest walkers leading from the back, so no-one gets left behind! We’re spoilt for choice in terms of places we can go for a wild sing in the afternoons, including:

• Rivers Langstrath and / or Derwent (on the doorstep)
• Johnny Wood / Peace How / The Bowder Stone (an hour's gentle hike)
• Millican Dalton’s Cave (a mile away, with some ascent)
• The ancient Borrowdale Yews near Seathwaite (an hour’s hike)
• Watendlath Tarn (two hour’s hike, but also accessible by road)
• Surprise View (two hour’s hike, or by road)