Hampshire’s chalk streams are some of its most precious wild places - home to iconic species like the otter, water vole, brown trout, and kingfisher. With their serene beauty and vibrant wildlife, it’s no surprise that they have inspired authors like Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Richard Adams (Watership Down), and Charles Kingsley (The Water Babies).
This year, there are two exciting new ways to discover these globally rare habitats. The Watercress and Winterbournes scheme is teaming up with Hampshire Library Service to continue a literary tradition that spans centuries. We’ll be sharing our favourite river-focused books, and celebrating creativity through a poetry competition and literature festival.
The Tales from the Riverbank Poetry Competition, which is free to enter, asks 7-18 year olds to write a short poem inspired by the wonderful world of chalk streams. Winners will receive National Book Tokens worth up to £75, and have their poems published in a special poetry booklet. For the competition rules, and details of how to enter, visit the link below.
Then, this summer, both children and adults can also enjoy the Tales from the Riverbank Literature Festival. Attendees can hear talks by prominent nature writers like Amy-Jane Beer and Tom Moorhouse, and explore their own creativity with chalk stream-themed writing workshops. The events will be held this June in Andover, Whitchurch, Overton, and Alresford.