The history of the Covenanters is embedded in the landscape of Galloway, from Dalry to Carsphairn, Balmaclellan to Kirkcudbright, and beyond. Who were these individuals and what was the cause for which they were willing to risk financial ruin, deportation, and even execution?
This Sunday, at 11am, you can join a guided tour of some of the most evocative Covenanter sites, with storyteller, Dougie Strang, and musician, Wendy Stewart. They’ll be sharing tales and tunes from the Covenanting times, and an exploration of the ways that these stories help us to connect more deeply with place and with history.
The tour starts outside Dalry Parish Church, from there using a minibus to explore some important Covenanter sites in the vicinity of Dalry. There will be walking and talking, music and stories, and a chance to share our own experiences of place. The group then returns to Dalry Town Hall for tea and scones, with the aim of finishing around 3.30pm.
If you would like to join the tour, visit here to book your ticket: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/catstrand/tales-of-the-covenanters-a-day-walk-in-the-galloway-glens-with-music-and-stories/e-pyddzg.
Please bring a packed lunch and wear stout shoes or walking boots, and appropriate clothing for the season. The terrain is uneven and challenging in places, so this day out requires a reasonable level of mobility and fitness.
Event format: In person event, walking, storytelling, music with minibus transportation between sites.
This is a Glenkens Community & Arts Trust event, one in a series of activities in partnership with the Galloway Glens Scheme. Jan Hogarth, Galloway Glens Education and Community Engagement Officer, said:
“Galloway Glens and Catstrand are excited to be working with artists with such a passion for performing and storytelling within our rural Galloway landscape. As part of the ‘Tales of the Covenanters’ event, Dougie Strang and Wendy Stewart will be taking us to some beautiful and poignant locations where the stories took place where Wendy will helping transport us back in time through her music and songs and Dougie will help us imagine how it might have been during those turbulent times when their way of worshipping was outlawed by the powers that be.”
Internationally renowned Harpist, Wendy Stewart, added:
“I`ve long been interested in this aspect of Galloway history and its wonderful to be able to share aspects of the music of the time in the landscape where the events actually happened.”
Dougie Strang, performer and storyteller, said:
“I’m very much looking forward to digging in to the rich seam of stories that relate to the Covenanters, and to visiting some of the places where events from that dramatic period in the history of the Glenkens unfolded.”
Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT) was set up in 2001 to advance wellbeing and sustainability through arts, culture and community engagement through fostering connections and encouraging innovation and creative opportunity for all. CatStrand, the HQ of GCAT, is the physical cultural hub of Glenkens and the surrounding area. It is a vibrant centre for the presentation of high quality, accessible arts and creative learning opportunities. For more information see www.gcat.scot
The Galloway Glens is a 5-year project funded by a range of partners including Drax, the owners of the Galloway Hydro Scheme, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, based in the Stewartry region of Dumfries and Galloway. Its remit is to connect people to their heritage and to support modern rural communities. www.gallowayglens.org
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