May 24 - June 8 2025
Around Clun & the River
From small streams big rivers rise
History & culture, flora & fauna
Management: problems & solutions
A fortnight of events
walks and talks, music and art
River Clun
River Unk
Folly Brook
River Kemp
River Clun
WALKS up & down stream
TALKS ecology & ornithology
ART venues around town
MUSIC with a watery theme
River Redlake
River Teme
MUSIC
Clun Valley Music has been bringing world-class classical music to Clun and surroundings since 2018. This year's dazzling lineup of artists includes the Pelleas Ensemble and friends, award-winning baritone and piano duo Giacomo Schmidt and Jong Sun Woo and folk music legend John Kirkpatrick. They will give 4 concerts of water-themed music including an exciting new Septet from multiple international award winning composer Florence Anna Maunders.
For full information and tickets please visit www.clunvalleymusic.co.uk
29 May 7.30pm
Hightown Community Room, Clun
John Kirkpatrick returns to Clun Valley Music to kick off the festival with some gorgeous water-related folk music ______________________________________
30 May 7.30pm St Cuthbert's Church, Clungunford
Franz Schubert, Die schöne Müllerin
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31 May 7.30pm St George's Church, Clun
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Clarinet Quintet
Samuel Barber Dover Beach
———interval ———-
Florence Anna Maunders, New Commission world première
John Dowland In Darkness Let me Dwell
Ethel Smyth Variations on Bonny Sweet Robin
Maurice Ravel Introduction and Allegro
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1 June 3pm St Cuthbert's Church, Clungunford
Giaochino Rossini String Sonata No.6 "La Tempesta"
Maurice Ravel Jeux d'Eau
———interval ———-
Franz Schubert Piano Quintet in A Major D.667 The Trout ______________________________________
Saturday 7 June 6pm
——-FREE FINAL EVENT——
Postcard Café, Clun Bridge, SY7 8JW
Kate Green, singing with the water
Musical stories from source to sea
ART
Old Forge, 3 Bridge Street. Clun SY7 8JP
Festival information
Maps, photos, paintings, prints
Waterloo Gallery, Waterloo Lane SY7 8JF
Sculpture, paintings and film
The Barn, 9 Church Street.Clun SY7 8JW
Watermarks, paintings, prints and photos
TALKS
Thursday 29 May, 6.30pm
High Town Community Room, Clun SY7 8JG
Mike Kelly A Cultural History of Pearls
The Unique Life History of the River Clun Pearl Mussel
A journey along the River Clun to explore its aquatic environment and uncover the fascinating lifecycle of one of its most unique species, the freshwater pearl mussel. Discover how pearls from rivers such as the Clun were highly prized throughout human history and their purity and lustre depicted in art, literature and mythology.
Monday 26 May, 7pm
High Town Community Room, Clun SY7 8JG
Tom Wall
River birds and birders, with special reference to the Clun, Teme and OnnyBirds, yes. Birders too. Clun, Onny and Teme. With art and literature, rare characters and obsessional collectors, fleas, mandarins and egrets, with stop-offs in Speyside, Mongolia, Ethiopia and even Condover. An eclectic talk from Tom, a long-term Clun Valley resident, river birder and conservationist.
Saturday 7 June, 9.30 am
Leintwardine Anglican Church, Church St. SY7 0LB
Ellie Chowns, Green MP for North Herefordshire Parliamentary work on rivers,
A talk with a walk after towards Jay Bridge.
‘Cleaning up our rivers is a topic very close to my heart, and I’ve been very active on this in Parliament’.
North Herefordshire is home to some of the most beautiful rivers in the country, including the Wye and the Lugg.
These waterways are not just a source of natural beauty; they are vital to our local environment, wildlife, and communities.Yet as everyone locally knows, our rivers face significant challenges from pollution.
Tackling this issue is one of Ellie’s top priorities.
WALKS
Sturdy footwear and binoculars recommended
Saturday 24 May, 6pm
Middle Spoad, Newcastle SY7 8PB Wildflower meadow by the river Clun, with Fiona Gomersall
Fiona is a botanist and ecologist working in mid-Wales and the borders. The species rich wildflower meadow beside the River Clun has been here for the last 20 years. Approach from Clun, 3 miles away on the B4368. Parking available in the yard,or in the village of Newcastle
Tuesday 27 May, 7.30pm
Aston on Clun Village Hall SY7 8EH Meet in the car park
From Aston on Clun to the south. Riparian issues on the River Clun today with John Tucker
A lifelong birder, for 20 years Conservation Officer at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, a contributing co-author of The Birds of Shropshire - 2019. Now retired and living in Aston on Clun he walks the Clun locally almost every morning.
Two freshwater pearl mussels, a fresh water crayfish and a pearl on loan from Ludlow museum for the duration of the river festival.
Saturday 24 May - Saturday 7 June.
Regular opening times Saturdays 11-5pm & Tuesdays 2-5pm
There will be variable opening times between these dates, and by special request 07800 847625.
