| Lakeland Songlines |  I first got the idea of singing walks while hiking in Corsica. I'd been following the watershed along some pretty impressive mountains and was coming down to lower ground to find somewhere to put my tent. The moon had risen over the peaks and the sky had turned this extraordinary turquoise colour. Thinking it couldn't get any more beautiful I heard a sound which completely stopped me in my tracks - Italian arias being sung by a choir who were staying in a mountain refuge and were outside on this summer's night singing to the moon - and to me.
And so once I was back in Cumbria it seemed only natural to lead a few tours of choirs through the mountains. Our first trip involved about 20 of us walking through the Langdale valley singing at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel before going over Scafell to do a concert in St Olaf's church. It's probably the first time Nkosi Sikelel 'iAfrica has been sung on Scafell - though our audience at the tiny St Olaf's (reputed to be England's smallest church) might well have preferred us not to tarry on our way to sing to them as we were about an hour late.
We had a wild camp that night and the following day walked over the Black Sail pass to Buttermere for another concert. On the way we came across the mountain rescue helping a man who had broken his leg in a fall. ‘ Stand to one side,’ one of the singers said. ‘We're harmony singers’ - and we launched into the Georgian folk song Batonebo, reputed to have healing properties.
After Buttermere we did an evening concert in Borrowdale before collapsing exhausted in our tents. Waking in the night everything under the full moon was glorious and ethereal white - including the frost covering the tents.
One advantage of being in a walking group is that the first to arrive at a rest spot can learn one of the harmony parts, and those who arrive later can learn the others. A real economy of time. So it was as we passed over Greenup Edge and came bowling down to the vegetarian hotel at Lancrigg where about 80 people had gathered on the lawn to hear us. They didn't mind that we were a bit late as it gave them time for second helpings of afternoon tea.
 Since then we've walked the Dales way singing by waterfalls and on the fells, sung Folk carols in the candlelit Rydal caves, taken a west gallery choir to sing songs found in the attics of Martindale residents, sung on the Ullswater steamer, in Cathedral Cavern, on the Coniston Gondola steam yacht with the Slovenia flag flying for the Slovenian male voice choir singing in the cabin.
It's more than just a gimmick - the fresh air and exercise gets everyone's spirits up so they enjoy singing more - and feel energised to walk further. The harmony of nature inspires them to do the same with their singing. And the camaraderie of a long walk helps make a tighter sound when it comes to performing as an ensemble.
It's no wonder the Guides have been doing it for years!
- David Burbidge
David Burbidge is a natural voice tutor and founder of Lakeland Voice
Links
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