Richmond Library DL10 4AE | 2:00pm | Free event but booking essential | Disabled access.

This event is suitable for 8 to 11 year-olds who bring their own grown-up.

Local author, Gabriella Gordon, brings her latest children’s detective novel to life through a series of crime-busting activities for 8 to 11 year-olds. Sweet Crime, Sweet Justice is a mystery full of crazy plans and Fab ice lollies! The first of a series, set in North Yorkshire, in which two best friends build a secret headquarters and create ingenious traps to catch all the bad people in the world. Bring a magnifying glass if you have one!

Sponsored by: Catterick, Richmond and Colburn Community Libraries (CRACCL)

Catterick Library, 1 Gough Rd, Catterick Garrison DL9 3EL | 2:00pm | Free event but booking essential | Disabled access.

Suitable for 7-11 year-olds who bring their own grown-up

The hilarious minds behind the award- winning A Day in the Life of a Poo, A Gnu and You and its sequel A Day in the Life of a Caveman, a Queen and Everything In Between have teamed up to take you on a colourful and comical tour through our galaxy and beyond.

Discover the poisonous clouds of Venus, the rings of Saturn and the raging storm on Jupiter. Venture inside nebulae, black holes, supernovas and far-flung galaxies. Find out about the historic figures who pioneered space travel, the animals who ventured to the stars so humans could follow and the ground-breaking technology that took them there.

Mike Barfield has been wild about science and animals from an early age. After a career in comedy writing, he turned to creating non-fiction for children built on his love of finding things out. He is the winner of the Blue Peter Children’s Book Award 2021 and has been nominated for several other prestigious prizes.

Sponsored by: Catterick, Richmond and Colburn Community Libraries (CRACCL)

Richmond Town Hall, DL10 4QL | 7:30pm | £10 | Refreshments, bookstall, disabled access.

Sally Coulthard is a bestselling author and columnist for Country Living magazine.

She has spent the last two decades writing about nature, history and craft.  Many of her books delve into the traditions of rural life – the people, plants and creatures that make the countryside tick.   Sally’s work often weaves together different disciplines, pulling threads from social history, anthropology, archaeology and nature writing to bring her diverse subjects to life.  Her book The Barn uncovers the fascinating history of a barn on her North Yorkshire smallholding. Waterstones has called it ‘a masterwork of research and non-fiction storytelling'. 

Sally will be in conversation with Chris Lloyd, Chief Feature Writer for The Northern Echo and The Darlington and Stockton Times and a former North East Journalist of the Year.

Leave Station car park 9.00am. Start at pull in parking near the phone box in High Grantley (Probably Grantley on Sat Navs) (GR: SE 232 699, What3Words: ///terminology.foresight.cleans) at 10.00am. 9 Miles. Moderate. £7

A varied walk in an area we think few people will have visited. From High Grantley we walk through fields and woodland to Lumley Moor Reservoir where we follow a path around the water’s edge before heading across an area of moor to join the Ripon Rowell Walk. Passing through the picturesque woodland and lake at Eavestone, we follow field paths towards Grantley Hall, before making our way back to our starting point.  This walk has no significant climbs but may be muddy in places.

Meet at Altberg Factory shop on Gallowfields Trading Estate DL10 4TG at 10.00am. 6.5 Miles. Moderate. £7  

Our traditional “Start of Festival” event is always popular. Altberg is the last remaining boot manufacturer in England, and we will start the day at the factory to see how the boots are designed and made - for walking, the army and biking. There’s time for a cup of tea and a look round the excellent factory shop before a walk along Whitcliffe Scar, with great views over lower Swaledale, to hear about the famous but gruesome legend of Willance’s Leap.

Sponsored by: Altberg

Leave Station car park 10.00am. 7.5 Miles. Moderate. £7

Jack Cornish is Head of Paths at Ramblers and will be talking about his new book “The Lost Paths” at the Saturday evening book event (E4). We have invited him to lead a walk to Whitcliffe Scar iron age fort taking in a lost path and returning via the banks of the River Swale. There will be lots of interesting history and also discussions on how we record (and protect/preserve) access to the land in the present day. This walk will put in context just how special these forgotten rights of way are and how embedded each path is in the history of our country and our way of life in previous generations.

Richmond Town Hall, DL10 4QL | 7:30pm | £10 | Refreshments, bookstall, disabled access.

Hundreds of thousands of miles of paths reach into, and connect, communities across England and Wales. But by 2026, 10,000 miles of undiscovered footpaths around Britain stand to be lost.

Jack Cornish has dedicated the last five years of his life to walking these forgotten routes. Now, in The Lost Paths, he will show you just how special these forgotten rights of way are, and how embedded each path is in the history of Britain.

Footpaths, tracks, country lanes and urban streets illuminate how our ancestors interacted with and shaped their landscapes in the pursuit of commerce, salvation, escape, war, and leisure. Paths are an often-overlooked part of our everyday life and our country's history, crucial to understanding the cultural and environmental history of us, as a nation, in our landscape.

Jack Cornish is head of paths at the Ramblers, Britain's largest walking charity, and is in conversation with Tim Frenneaux, the founder and curator of Adventurous Ink, an online book club for travel, adventure and nature writing.

Sponsored by: Adventurous Ink

Leave Station car park at 9.00am. Start at Birkdale – roadside parking at B6270 junction to Ravenseat (GR: NY 858 016, What3Words: ///models.rested.rehearsed ) at 10.15am. 13.5 Miles. Hard. £7

Last year we were not able to complete our Monday walks programme due to the Queen’s funeral.  To complete our coverage of the watershed of the River Swale, our walk takes us up Little Sleddale on rough tracks to ascend Hugh Seat at the southern end of Mallerstang Edge. Here we can enjoy stunning views east and west. High Seat at 709m provides the summit for the Edge. After reaching High Pike we descend through grouse moor before joining the Coast-to-Coast route to Ravenseat, the hill farm featured on so many TV programmes with Amanda and Clive Owen. Please note that parts of this walk are over rough ground and will be boggy in places.

Leave Station car park 9.00am. Start at Lofthouse car park (GR: SE 101 735, What3Words: ///forever.sleeps.blunders) at 10.00am. 10 Miles. Moderate. £7

We follow a loop of the Nidderdale Way and visit a reservoir which provide water to West Yorkshire and Ripon.  From Lofthouse we take the road past the picturesque How Stean Gorge before climbing field paths to Middlesmoor.  We climb steadily on a moorland track before descending to the impressive Scar House reservoir.   After crossing the dam wall, we climb a little, continuing on the Nidderdale Way, and enjoy beautiful views as we walk above the river back to Lofthouse.

Leave Station car park 9.15am. Start Jervaulx Abbey car park (GR: SE 169 857, What3Words: ///brink.nowadays.station) at 10.00am. 10 Miles. Easy. £7

Our walk takes us through the parkland of Jervaulx Hall. Wide views of Wensleydale open up before us, including iconic Penhill. Thornton Steward is an attractive Yorkshire village with many interesting buildings. Passing isolated St. Oswald’s Church we emerge into the park of the imposing Danby Hall. After a short walk alongside the lovely River Cover we crest a rise for a spectacular view of Middleham Castle, the boyhood home of Richard III. Our return takes us back to Cover Bridge and an afternoon stroll along the banks of the Rivers Cover and Ure back to the ruins of 12^th century Jervaulx Abbey in time for a visit to the abbey itself. Entrance here is by a suggested donation of £5 in the honesty box. Please note that whilst a walk of 10 miles this is a very easy “pastoral” walk with no significant ascents or descents.

Meet outside the Town Hall at 2.15pm. Free but donations to Richmondshire Museum most welcome.

This walk explores Richmond’s Wynds and Lanes offering big views, intriguing nooks, secret places and a chance to hear of the people who lived in them. The walk is mostly on pavements but also has some steep slopes and steps.

Richmond Town Hall, DL10 4QL | 7:30pm | £10 | Refreshments, bookstall, disabled access.

Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose family roots are in Yorkshire, became a national icon after venturing on four epic voyages of discovery to the Antarctic a century ago, including the famous Endurance expedition. Polar historian Michael Smith tells the compelling story of a complex and charismatic man who touched greatness on the ice but struggled to come to terms with a messy personal life.

The recent discovery of Endurance after 100 years beneath the ice adds new urgency to a powerful story of ambition, courage and survival. Michael’s book, Shackleton – By Endurance We Conquer, is the first major biography of Shackleton for 30 years and has received strong critical acclaim. 

Michael Smith is an authority on Polar exploration whose books have sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. He has appeared in TV and radio documentaries and lectured at many prestigious venues. Michael is a former award-winning journalist with The Guardian and The Observer.

Sponsored by: Millgate House

Leave Station car park at 9.00am. Start at Dufton Car Park (GR: NY 690 250, What3Words: ///terminal.relaxing.cashiers ) at 10.15am. 10 Miles. Hard. £7

Our walk takes us to one of the icons of the North Pennines, and one no serious walker should miss. From Dufton village we climb steadily to over 600m through disused mine workings on very good tracks. Once the climbing is complete, we traverse Blackstone Edge past the remote Great Rundale Tarn. Please note this section of the route is over rough ground which will be boggy in places. There are spectacular views in every direction. Approaching High Cup Nick from the west provides a ‘wow’ moment. We follow this ravine, using the Pennine Way, to descend back to Dufton.

Leave Station car park 9.15am. Start Langthwaite car park (charges) (GR: NZ 005 023, What3Words: ///ticket.until.yummy) at 10.00am. 10.5 Miles. Moderate. £7

Once a very industrial lead mining area, Arkengarthdale is now a peaceful valley with hill sheep farming and grouse moor being the main land use.  We will see evidence of Arkengarthdale’s industrial past, remote farms at the top of the Dale and Langthwaite’s “Waterloo” church. Most of the walk is on good tracks and bridleways but there are some short sections across exposed, open moorland.  Our route takes us north to Little Windeg before crossing the Stang Road and heading to Kitley Hill and on to Dale Head.  We return along the valley bottom following the delightful Arkle Beck.

Leave Station car park 9.15am.  Start at Cordilleras Farm (GR: NZ 096 037, What3Words: ///fights.couches.nicknames) at 9.45am. 8.5 Miles. Moderate. £7

We have featured this walk for a number of years, with two parties going clockwise and anti-clockwise round the route and it continues to be very popular, so please book early. We have special access to the MOD Feldom Ranges land, rarely walked, a mixture of heather moorland, scattered woods and deep cut valleys. This is an Army training area, not otherwise known to the rambler, and rich in archaeological remains, including a fine Hill Fort with impressive views to the northern dales; and some of the best cup and ring stones in the area.

Start at Tennants Auctioneers Car Park Leyburn DL8 5SG (GR: SE 121 901 What3Words: ///siesta.cyclones.slumped) at 10.00am. 4.5 Miles. Easy. Free just turn up on the day.

This walk is part of the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks programme. It highlights some of the best views from Lower Wensleydale featuring Penhill, Coverdale, Bishopdale and the Yoredale Hills. Starting from Tennant's Car Park we walk along the scarp slope and then meander through Leyburn’s lanes & ginnels before emerging on the moor top. A quiet lane brings us back past the surprising deep quarry lake, and the hidden Harmby Waterfall itself.

Start at The Dales Bike Centre at Fremington Near Reeth DL11 6AW (GR: SE 046 988, What3Words: ///sloping.studs.already) at 10.00am. Around 5 miles. £10

We are partnering with well-known author and walking guide Mark Reid FRGS (The Inn Way books) to bring you a day where you can learn and practise the basics of navigation.  After a briefing at the Bike Centre, the day will include a walk of around 5 miles following paths, tracks and Rights of Way through Swaledale, with rough, rocky and wet terrain in places, stiles, roads, hills, fields, riverside, woodland and moorland. Please bring a packed lunch and drinks and come prepared in your usual walking gear. Under 18s must be accompanied by a parent. The day will end at around 3.30pm with a debriefing at the Bike Centre, in plenty of time to indulge in some of their excellent coffee and cake! Full joining instructions will be provided to those booking a place, including details of the equipment you will need to bring.

The Station, Richmond DL10 4LD | 11:00am to midday | £8 | Café/restaurant, bookstall, disabled access

In 1823 George Stephenson was building the first public railway authorised to use locomotives, the Stockton & Darlington Railway. He and Edward Pease, the principal promoter of the railway, were so convinced about the future of this mode of transport they founded the world’s first locomotive factory, at Newcastle upon Tyne.

Aged 19, Robert Stephenson, the son of George, was made the Managing Partner charged with setting up the factory, winning orders and improving locomotive design. The firm was named Robert Stephenson & Co. Under Robert’s direction the company transformed the cumbersome colliery locomotive of the early 1820’s to produce the celebrated Rocket. Their further developments set the principles for future locomotive design.

Hugh Fenwick ‘s book summarises the activities of Robert Stephenson & Co. and its successors during their existence from 1823 to 1964. It has been produced to coincide with and commemorate the bicentenary of the establishment of the firm.

Sponsored by: The Station

Start at The Station, Richmond DL10 4LD | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm | £7 not including refreshments |

Peter Robinson was the Festival’s patron for many years until his death in 2022. This event is a tribute to Peter. All proceeds from the event will go to the Peter Robinson Scholarship at the University of Leeds to provide financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have an interest in creative writing. This scholarship was established by Peter and his wife Sheila.

“Before the Poison” was the only one of Peter’s novels actually based in Richmond and tells the story of Grace Fox, hung in 1953 for poisoning her husband. In 2010 Hollywood composer Chris Lowndes returns to his Yorkshire birthplace and buys the house in Swaledale which once belonged to Grace. He becomes obsessed with finding out if Grace was guilty or innocent.

The group will meet at The Station for a coffee and then walk around Richmond visiting locations that appear in the book. We will return to the Station for afternoon tea and a discussion on “Before the Poison”.

Sponsored by Goosewing Gallery

Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond DL10 4DW | 7.30pm | £15 | tickets available from www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk  Bar, bookstall, disabled access

At the height of the Holocaust twenty-five young Jewish inmates of Auschwitz-Birkenau were selected to create beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women, in a dedicated salon established by the camp commandant’s wife. 

Join historian Lucy Adlington to find out more about their lives and fates as she discusses her bestselling book The Dressmakers of Auschwitz, a remarkable true story of resilience, cameraderie and quiet heroism in the most extreme circumstances.

Lucy will showcase garments from the era and will back up her talk with slides.