A new art exhibition is being launched at Castle Cornet and the National Trust of Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum this October through to the end of December. A walking tour around the Island, suitable for the whole family, has been created to accompany this exhibition, giving you the chance to visit the locations associated with the stories and images from the exhibition.
The exhibition is based on a new children's illustrated book, a retold collection of ancient Guernsey folklore tales transporting you to the enchanted and magical side of The Islands of Guernsey, while also uncovering the historical and cultural traditions behind the origins of each tale.
The original artwork has been created by local artist Penny Dawes for her new Children’s Illustration book, ‘Once Upon an Island’. The project features 20 original tales, chosen by Penny, from Sir Edgar MacCulloch’s ‘Guernsey Folklore’, published in 1903. Originally written in Guernsey French, the tales have been translated by Guernsey Museums so that they can be enjoyed by a whole new generation.
Exhibitions
There will be exhibitions of the artwork so the public can see it up close and in detail at both Castle Cornet and The National Trust of Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum. The art exhibition at Castle Cornet will run for just one week, from the 22nd - 30th October. The exhibition will then be moved to the National Trust of Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum and be available to view from November 11th - December 21st. The exhibition will also feature a children's corner, where children can sit and draw their favourite characters from the book or artwork on display. There will also be QR codes incorporated into the exhibition to give visitors access to excerpts from the book via audiobook alongside the displays.
Children's Book
The children’s illustration book, which will be launched alongside a private viewing of the exhibition on the 21st October, with all of the stories and illustrations by Penny, is available to buy here, or from the National Trust of Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum.
The Walking Tour
Each of the illustrations has been researched and matched with a location on Guernsey that has a strong connection to one of the tales to create a signposted, family friendly walking route with 20 locations to discover, enabling you to visit the important sites in the stories.
The eight routes on the walking tour, taking you through multiple parishes on Guernsey, cover a range of difficulties and distances, from shorter, simple routes, to long, difficult treks. There is something to suit everyone, from families with younger children to routes for experienced hikers. The eight routes consist of:
The Vale Route - An easy walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 3KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The St Peters and St Saviours Route - An easy walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 4KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The Castel Route - A moderate walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 4KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The Forest Route - A moderate walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 4KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The St Peter Port Route - A moderate walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 5KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The St Martins Route - A moderate walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 5KM with 3 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The Torteval and St Peters Route - A moderate walk taking roughly 1.5 hours, covering a distance of 9KM with 2 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The Three Parishes Route - A hard walk taking more than 2.5 hours, covering a distance of 13KM across the parishes of Totival, St Pierre du Bois and St Saviours with 5 Points of Interest from the children’s illustration book from the children’s illustration book along the way.
The walking trail, displaying the artwork by Penny, will be available to follow from October 22nd 2022 - October 2023, and can be accessed here. This trail is the perfect way for individuals and families to explore Guernsey.
