Sonnets for Marie: Poetry Walk & Workshop

Numbers Limited - book to ensure your spot!

Note: suitable for ages 16+ only.

Poet Rebecca Sharp will lead a Poetry Walk around Balmerino, paying particular attention to someone who used to live there: Marie Scott, whose headstone in the Old Churchyard intriguingly reads ‘Spinster, Loom Cottage’. Surely there was more to Marie than this brief epitaph suggests? Of course, there was – and we’ll be joined by artist, Balmerino native and member of Balmerino History Group, Gillian McFarland (also of ArtMovesFife) to hear more about Marie, and other features of local history and environment.

The focus of our thoughts will be people, place, and local stories: especially those that often go untold, past or present. You don’t have to write about Marie or Balmerino (although you may) – this is just our entry point for thinking about the themes – please do bring your own subjects to have in mind on the day. What thoughts are unlocked by walking? What do we notice, or remember, when invited to linger? What do we want to celebrate or commemorate? What of ourselves do we bring to this place?

Rebecca’s container of choice for this workshop is the sonnet – for reasons she’ll explain, as she guides us through some invigorating ways of working with this historical form (no experience necessary). You may of course write in any form you choose, including prose. 

The walk will last about two hours, with longer stops at Balmerino Abbey and the Old Churchyard. We’ll also have a halfway pit-stop visit to the Old Inn – dating to 1711, now an artist-run space for creative projects, INN. Our hosts will have some further archive materials on display, and you can find out about their plans and projects. Refreshments available here, please bring cash for donations. Note your dietary requirements when booking your ticket(s).

The route will include some muddy / forest tracks and uneven ground, so please bring suitable footwear and dress for colder (and possibly wet) weather. If the weather is especially bad, we’ll curtail sections of the walk and head straight to the key locations – though the aim will be to proceed as planned if we can.

An accessible route is available, meeting at the Inn and then the Old Churchyard – please enquire if you would like these instructions. The Abbey includes stairs and uneven ground. 

We’ll all meet at Balmerino Church Hall, Bottomcraig at 10.30am, ready to start the day with introductions from Rebecca and Gillian. Following the walk, we’ll return to the Church Hall for lunch, and the indoor portion of the workshop. Please bring your own lunch; tea and coffee provided.

ABOUT REBECCA:

Rebecca Sharp is a Fife-based writer whose work spans poetry, performance, and interdisciplinary practice. Recent poetry collections include Rough Currency (Tapsalteerie 2021), which received a Literature Matters Award from the Royal Society of Literature, and Long Field Loop (Tapsalteerie 2024), which was longlisted for Scottish Poetry Book of the Year. She recently directed her poetry-play Maiden Mother Mage (Matecznik Press 2025) for performance at Culross Abbey, Glasgow Cathedral and St Mary’s Kirk, Haddington. She teaches a regular writing group at Off the Rails Arthouse in Ladybank, and is currently working on a new poetry collection for publication in 2027, supported by Creative Scotland. www.rebeccajoysharp.com

Location (start & finish): Balmerino Church Hall, Bottomcraig, Balmerino, Fife, DD6 8RN

Parking: car-share is strongly encouraged due to limited parking at the Hall and other locations. Suggested pick-up hubs could be at Fluthers free carpark in Cupar for example, or free street parking in the Gauldry. We can connect people, once we know who is coming.

Checklist - what to bring:

• Sturdy outdoor footwear, and possibly a change if the weather is wet
• Suitable clothing for cold and wet weather
• Rucksack for the walk
• A sit-mat or similar for outdoor stops
• Lunch, snacks, and water for the walk
• Cash for donations to INN for refreshments
• Writing materials! For outdoor and indoor working