20-22 March 2026
READING THE LAND
The theme 'Reading the Land' is an invitation to share in the passion, experience and insight of our authors as we explore the best of nature writing.
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The Shaftesbury Book Festival returns with Reading the Land, a weekend‑long celebration of writers whose work places the natural world at the heart of story, science, and social change. Held in the historic Grosvenor Arms in the heart of Shaftesbury, the festival brings together authors, activists, and earth scientists to explore how landscapes, animals, and ancient wisdom shape who we are and how we live.
Over three days, audiences will encounter birds hidden in place‑names, rocks that carry deep‑time stories, and oceans that still hold hope amid crisis, as well as urgent conversations about land justice, nature’s rights, and how we face a changing world. Whether you’re drawn to folklore, environmental law, or lyrical nature writing, Reading the Land offers a space to listen, question, and connect with the living world through thoughtful conversation.
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"We hope to stimulate positive ways of living with nature, and encourage the audience to share our passion for the landscapes, coasts, and flora and fauna”
Our patron: Richard Mabey
Richard’s first book Food for Free came out in 1972 and since then he has impressed all who love nature with his thoughtful and challenging writing in over 30 books, many television films, radio, writings and talks.
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The Unofficial Countryside (1973) and Weeds (2010) explore the bits and pieces of land and the plants that purists failed to ’see’. His biography of Gilbert White (1986) won the Whitbread Biography Prize while Flora Britannica (1996) celebrated plants in popular culture.
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From Nature Cure (2005) and Beechcombings (2007) to The Cabaret of Plants (2016) his reading of the land has always opened our eyes to new ways of looking and caring about our surroundings. His 2024 book,The Accidental Garden, as shortlisted for the 2025 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing.
