Festival of Arts, Ideas and Books 2026
Light Over Water: A Journey of Discovery
Main festival weekend - Friday 27 February to Sunday 1st March 2026
Tickets: Day ticket - £15/day, individual sessions - £5/session. Available from the museum tel. 01900 816168 or email senhousemuseum@aol.com
Friday 27 February, 7pm (doors open 7:30pm)
Author, photographer and fundraiser Steve Watts MBE will launch the festival and talk about his book 'A Year Like No Other'.
Saturday 28 February
10:00am: John Little, The Light Over the Solway.
Workington in 1915 and a family caught up in the First World War. Dr John Little was born in Whitehaven and has always been interested in the history of the area. After almost forty years of teaching, he retired to Cumberland, and is now intent on bringing some of its history back to life through novels.
11:30am: Angela Locke, Finding Myrddin: The River Holds a Tragic Secret.
A young farmer on his Cumbrian farm, and a setting for mystery and tragedy.
12:30pm: Lunch break - The Brendan Voyage
Take a break and watch the film of Tim Severin's 'Brendan Voyage', celebrating the 50th anniversary of his epic voyage across the Atlantic in a leather boat. Bring your own picnic or packed lunch.
1:30pm: Gerald Bonington, Twisted Vistas.
A fascinating biography of Gerald’s father Charles Bonington.
3:00pm: John Porter, A Path of Shadows.
Writer and mountaineer John Porter’s first poetry collection. John’s poetry explores the natural world, family ties and physical science as well his climbing life.
4:30pm: Richard Valentine, A Greek Odyssey: A Journey of Myth, Medicine and Psychology.
The voyage of Greek hero Odysseus, his manifestations in literature and his psychological relevance for our models of intelligence, gender, culture and the metaphor of the soul’s journey.
Sunday 1 March
10:00: David Ashworth, Stepping Westward - Journeys of Discovery
Using live music and projected images, David Ashworth reflects on a lifetime of musical exploration. This evocative journey explores how the movement and exchange of cultures across oceans and borders have shaped the music we hear today. Beginning with a defining musical encounter in Allonby in 1965, the story unfolds into a rich tapestry of sound, memory and discovery.
11:30am: Robert Farrah, From the Lighthouse: A Lighthouse Keeper’s Memoir.
Guiding lights for centuries, lighthouses have helped mariners avoid danger and bring them to safe harbours. They are beacons of hope and the men who risked their lives to save others are recognised as heroes. Robert recounts his time as a lighthouse keeper in wild places.
12:30: Lunch break
Bring your own packed lunch or picnic
1:30pm: Katie Hale, The Edge of Solitude.
A lone ship journeys south, heading for the furthest reaches of Antarctica. Exhilarating, terrifying and thought-provoking at once, This is a story of climate emergency and human fallibility, of the clash of ambition and principle, and of the choices we make when we know that time is running out.
3:00pm: John Mather, Challenging Waters.
To celebrate his 60th birthday, John thought it would be a good idea to swim the length of all seventeen lakes in the Lake District. This proved to be quite an undertaking, requiring a much greater deal of time, effort and planning than he had anticipated!
4:30pm: Rosie de Mello, Explore!
Conservation for young people on the Solway Coast National Landscape. Cumberland Coastal School promotes our local beaches to people of all ages. Rosie will be joined by Joe Harper, Engagement Officer for the Highly Protected Marine Area, Allonby Bay.
To download further information about the-is year's speakers -
LitFest 2026 Author handout.pdf
Creative Writing workshops
Tuesday 17 March, 11am - 2pm
Tuesday 24 March, 11am - 2pm
Tuesday 31 March, 11am - 2pm
Led by writer-in-residence Angela Locke the workshops are inspired by the 2026 LitFest theme Light Over Water. Places are limited and must be booked (£10/workshop or book all three for £25), contact the museum on 01900 816168 to book a place.
Appearing at this year's Festival
