Scotland's first seaweed festival to be held in Wester Ross in September
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
WESTER Ross will be hosting Scotland's first seaweed festival from September 6 to 12.
Scientists, artists, writers, chefs and historians will be gathering to share their passion for seaweed, described by organisers as the overlooked wonder of our marine environment, at the Isle Martin Seaweed Festival.
The event, which includes an online element, will be taking place on and around the community-owned Isle Martin near Ullapool, as part of the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 celebrations.
The event is already creating a buzz and attracting local and national media attention, including featuring in BBC Countryfile going out on Sunday September 5.
Festival visitors will be treated to presentations, workshops, and tastings by national and international guests. After five days of identification walks and creative activities nearby on the mainland, the action moves to Isle Martin itself on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th.
Headlining on both days will be Professor Juliet Brodie from the Natural
History Museum, who will present the film A Window into the World of Seaweed.
Other highlights include a presentation by Miek Zwamborn, Dutch artist, poet and author of The Seaweed Collector’s Handbook. Miek, who lives on the Isle of Mull, will be sharing her seaweed discoveries, its history, culture and use.
Award-winning author and historian David Gange, will be kayaking over to Isle Martin to present his talk Seaweed at the Centre of the World. David’s book, The Frayed Atlantic Edge follows his year-long journey from Shetland to Cornwall by kayak and was the winner of the Highland Book Award in 2019.
Another speaker who is no stranger to shoreline study will be forager and chef Jayson Byles. New Zealand born and now living in Fife, Jayson has a particular interest in the coast and seaweed and will be sharing his knowledge and cooking up some tasty seaweed treats over the festival campfire.
Back on the mainland, there is a seaweed-themed film night featuring a collection of short films being shown at Ullapool’s Ferry Terminal. These include Flowers of the Sea Forest, a beautiful documentary shot on Scotland's West Coast by the Citizen Science seabed survey 2018, a film from the Natural History Museum about the making of a Museum Seaweed Window Display, plus Women Seaweed Farmers of Tanzania, artists in North Ronaldsay talking about its kelp industry, making glass from kelp in Cornwall and the culinary uses of seaweed.
Festival curator and artist Julia Barton says: “We have a wonderful mix of art, science and ecological themed events taking place throughout the week, highlighting the many different and fascinating aspects to seaweed. I know even those of us who know quite a bit about it are looking forward to learning something new.
“I urge anyone who is considering attending to go onto the Seaweed Festival website and book tickets asap as places are limited. This is especially important if you want to go to any of the island events over the weekend. Tickets to the festival are free but the ferry crossing needs to be booked in advance as places are limited.”
