Arty Footsteps of Northumberland National Park

Join your guide Anthea Wood, a local artist and printmaker, to discover the artist in you! The Arty Footsteps Experience takes place in heart of the Ingram and Breamish Valley, Northumberland National Park. Our objective is to help you get creative on this National Park Experience so you can sketch and paint your own memories from what you see and experience along the way. Perfect for anyone wanting to explore their creativity in the great outdoors. Maybe you are a complete beginner, or perhaps you are seeking inspiration or encouragement to develop your drawing and painting skills? Then this is the Experience for you! Our base for the day is Bulby Wood, beside the River Breamish, from there, we will explore the beautiful valley and take time to immerse ourselves in our surroundings and explore the landscape through sketching and watercolour as the River Breamish flows by offering a relaxing backdrop to the experience. Arty Footstep Experiences run on weekdays throughout the Spring, Summer and Autumn with weekend bookings by appointment - just get in touch to enquire. 

Anthea is a local painter and printmaker, practiced at sketching and painting outdoors. Anthea is there to support, advise and help you get the most from your creative visit to the Breamish Valley. The valley has a wealth of features from the natural to the historical; river, trees and wildflowers are nestled into the valley between the hills atop which 4000 year old hill forts can be found. Among the wildlife found in the valley are oyster catchers, heron, curlews, hare, sheep (of course!) and deer. We are sure that you will find artistic inspiration from your visit to this attractive landscape. All materials for experimenting with pencil sketching, charcoal, pastel and watercolour will be provided. Anthea will tailor the session to suit you! There is the option to walk up to height to get views, but this is equally suitable for people with low mobility including wheelchair users. Whether you are interested in sketching close up and in detail, creating a watercolour landscape, or capturing the wildlife, we can experiment across a range of subjects, mediums and techniques with lots of practical tips to help you improve your sketching.

Sketching (whether in pencil or paint) is a fantastic way to journal a holiday or just daily adventures. We live in a time where it is easy to capture a moment on a smartphone, but there is something mindful about focussing on your surroundings and taking the time to capture the 'feeling' of the outdoors by your own hand. You will be more likely to look back at your sketches than a smartphone photo at the end of the day and you will find your mind will magically take you back to the moment in time when you had sketchbook in hand! 

Itinerary

Anthea will meet you in the Ingram Cafe car park, say hello and introduce herself, hand over your set of artist's materials and answer any questions you may have. There will be access to toilets and an opportunity to buy that all important picnic lunch in the Ingram Cafe, if you haven't brought your own. Once we are ready, we will set off to drive the 0.75 miles to Bulby Wood car park, our base for the day. Bulby Wood sits beside the busy River Breamish, it is nestled in the valley and has a wealth of features for you to discover and draw in your own unique way. Anthea will be there to guide your artistic hand and offer lots of advice and support as we explore the river bank and its many natural features. We will walk as much or little as you require, with plenty of opportunities for you to pause, reflect and create as you wander. The Experience is planned to last approximately 2.5 hours. At the end of the day, you can linger a little longer if you want to, retire to the Ingram Cafe for tea and cake, or head off home with your memories of a great Experience enjoyed in Northumberland National Park.

National Park Experiences is a curated collection that brings the stories of our National Parks to life. Each experience offers an authentic insight into the landscape and special qualities of a National Park. If you would like to find out more about Anthea, your guide for the day, please visit amwoodart.co.uk
 
Inclusions
What's Included
🧰 Equipment - A bagful of artist's materials including paper, watercolours and sketching materials
 
What you'll need
🧤 Warm Clothing - Please dress for the weather, a woolly hat is always handy on a cold day and a sun hat on a sunny day
☂️ Waterproofs - A waterproof coat and over trousers are useful items of clothing to have with you. An umbrella, just in case.
🍴 Food - Please bring a picnic lunch with you, or you can buy a picnic at the Ingram Cafe, next door to where we meet.
🥤 Drink - Please bring your own water, or a hot drink if you prefer
📋 Other - Something to sit on, simple, lightweight insulated mats are available at most outdoors equipment shops. Bring a sun cream of your choice for sunny days. Up to two camping chairs can be provided on request.