Arthur Ransome on Nancy Blackett.

A marathon reading of Arthur Ransome’s classic story “Swallows and Amazons” will be happening in Coniston this Sunday (3rd September), to mark the end of a summer-long series of celebrations commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his death.

The free event will take place on the shore of Coniston just north of the Coniston Boating Centre and the Bluebird Café. It has been organised by Dr Chris Routledge, Head of Continuing Education, English Language and Literature, at Liverpool University, in association with the Lake District National Park Authority and the Arthur Ransome Trust.

A number of celebrities and fans of Arthur Ransome are lined up to take turns to each read a chapter of “Swallows and Amazons”. The celebrities include the author Christina Hardyment (“Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint’s Trunk” and “The World of Arthur Ransome”) and actresses Hannah Jayne Thorp (“Swallows and Amazons” (2016)) and Sophie Neville (“Swallows and Amazons” (1974)). Christina Hardyment is also an executor of the Arthur Ransome Literary Estate, while Sophie Neville is President of the Arthur Ransome Society.

Later this year the Nancy Blackett Trust will be hosting its own marathon reading of “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea” at Pin Mill, on 21st October, which will also mark the eightieth anniversary of its publication, and include readings by Griff Rhys Jones, Libby Purves, Julia Jones (with Francis Wheen), Christina Hardyment and Sophie Neville. You can sign up to read a chapter here.

Header photo: Swallow and Sophie Neville at Coniston, April 2011 / Dan Ford.