What happens when you venture into the hills on a frosty, minus three degrees morning?
Do your toes turn purple and curl up in your ill-equipped trainers? Do your fingers go numb and turn into frankfurters when you try to take photos to document the trip? Are you spellbound by the beautiful scenery that surrounds you? The answer to all of the above is yes!
A few Mondays ago, a few of us at Breaking Barriers went for a walk around the breathtaking hills of Blackstone Edge. We brought with us two amazing spoken word artists, Nasima Bee and Kate Ireland, whom we tasked with writing a poem each in response to the environment. The idea was that we’d leave the poets to explore the landscape for a couple of hours, grab a cup of tea together, and then join the poets outside to share the poems they’d come up with. So, at 10.30 in the morning, layered in our thermals and winter coats, we took the winding road up to the car park and got going.
Bundling through the wooden gate, we were off. Jo, our brilliant sound designer, scaled down the rocks towards a small stream to capture a delicate trickling sound. There were six of us but seven heads – Jo had brought her binaural sound dummy along!
The colours atop Blackstone Edge were incredible. From the deep blue of the partially frozen reservoir to the mossy green of distant fields, we all agreed the hills felt alive and breathing. For two hours or so, we explored. From the well-trodden path, you could see as far as Rochdale, Oldham, and the Manchester city centre! Kate, Nasima, and Jo were doing their thing while Parvez, Jodie, and I tried to open a large flask of tea that Jodie had packed. After numerous failed attempts, we decided that we should all go and sit by the fire in The White House pub.
Tea and several bowls of soup later, it was time to hear what the poets had come up with. The two poems were so different! We heard them outside, and it was magical having each piece performed for us with the hills just behind. As Nasima and Kate spoke, I realised I’d spent the day walking through the Blackstone Edge and there was so much I had not seen. With their powerful words, they had captured the details of the hills and stretched them out for all of us to examine.
Inspired by their performances, my walk back to the car was filled with images of the landscape’s past, present, and future. I imagined the battles that could have taken place near the Roman-built road. I imagined the battles still taking place – small and large – between the tiny people in the distant metropolis. I imagined Blackstone Edge talking to me, pondering over what it would say.
It was the clearest day that the new year had so far brought. It was the perfect day to join the frost and see how art can be made on the magnificent mounds that overlook Rochdale.
Elevation will launch on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 and you can join every Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for 6 weeks! For more information please email: info@parvezqadir.co.uk