Big Walk to Little Schools

“It was an absolute pleasure to welcome you to our school. The children were fully engaged and left buzzing with enthusiasm and curiosity after your sessions. Your passion for our planet and the stories you tell truly left a lasting impact.”
— Emma Askham, Assistant Head of School, Bude Primary Academy, Cornwall
“We were delighted to welcome Catherine and Steve to our school, bringing a wave of creativity and inspiration to our students.”
— Five Islands Academy, Isles of Scilly

So far I have walked: From Land’s End in Cornwall to Barnstable in Devon

See my blog for a photo gallery

Next up: Barnstable to Bridgewater in July

In March 2025 I began an adventure – walking from Cornwall to Scotland to share my stories about nature and the environment in schools and libraries along the way – over time. I am absolutely thrilled to be supported by Arts Council National Lottery Grant Funding for Phase 1 Cornwall to Hay-on-Wye by June 2026, which means I can offer FREE author events along the way. Steve Williams, co-author of The Story of series joined me for the first week of this leg – celebrating 10 years of our book series.

I hope this adventure sparks curiosity, conversations, classroom activities, reading and action to care for our plane. I love the collaborative journey of working with scientists, communities, illustrators and publishers to create the books that have inspired this project. This Big Walk means I will spend more time this year outside experiencing nature rather than inside in front of a computer screen.

I am looking forward to learning, celebrating and sharing these experiences. I know I will discover new things, new places and meet new people. I am also pretty sure I will get lost and and get wet and I embrace all of that too.

With the support of my publishers offering gift books, I have launched a nature writing competition My Little Walk in Nature to primary aged children in participating schools*.

I also providing schools with a template encouraging children to decorate bunting with illustrations of Nature I Love to celebrate local nature with school-picked winners up for prize books kindly donated by my publishers.

Please keep in touch - I welcome your feedback and ideas.

  • Please note that I am working with library services to invite local schools to library-based author events. I am booked for Cornwall and currently planning Devon, North Somerset…

 To follow my journey…  

@catherinebarrbooks on Instagram 

 

Setting off with co-author of our Story of series… Steve Williams, who joined me on Leg 1

Thanks Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) for this lovely map - new venues will be added.

A HUGE THANK YOU…

I am so grateful for the support and free school books by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and fabulous logo by Story of book series illustrator Amy Husband. This lovely map and prize books are provided by Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) and free library books are offered by Otter-Barry Books to participating schools.

I am also grateful to Cornwall County Libraries for so enthusiastically organising events and Heather@ReadingRocks and local bookshops for supplying books.

Participating schools and libraries (to-date)

Sandy Hill Academy, St Austell (School site visit)

Mount Charles School, St Austell (School site visit)

Carclaze Community Primary, St Austell (School site visit)

Five Islands Academy, Isles of Scilly (School site visit)

St Mary’s Library, Isles of Scilly (open)

St Mary’s CofE School, Penzance (Hosted by Penzance Library)

Pensans CP School, Penzance (Hosted by Penzance Library)

St Buryan Academy Primary School, St Bryan (Hosted by Penzance Library)

St Ives Junior School (School site visit)

St Uny C of E Academy, St Ives (School site visit)

Bodriggy Academy, Hayle (School site visit)

Hayle Library (open)

Lanner School, (Hosted by Redruth Library)

Trewirgie Junior School (Hosted by Redruth Library)

The Bishops’ CofE Learning Academy (Hosted by Newquay Library)

St Breock Primary School (Two events hosted by Wadebridge Library)

St Minver School (School site visit)

Bude Primary Academy - Juniors (Two events hosted by Bude Library + school site visit)

Eat-The-Water Primary School, Bideford Library

Pilton Bluecoat Academy, Barnstable Library