After our recent Wild Words magazine project was picked up and championed by Exeter City of Literature, it was wonderful to be invited along to have a presence at their yearly Book Market. This event has run since 2021 and it brings together independent bookshops from across Devon to offer Exeter an exciting afternoon of bookish activities, including storytelling, author talks and charity engagement. After previously being held at Powderham Castle, Positive Light Projects and Exeter Cathedral, the Book Fair was held on Exeter Quay for 2026.
We were delighted to launch the printed version of our Wild Words magazine at the event, which felt like a powerful way to share the current and varied ways in which people are connecting creatively with Dartmoor. Wild Words began as a callout to local writers, essayists, diarists, poets and lyricists and quickly became a wonderfully eclectic selection of pieces written on, featuring or prompted by the moor. The vision of the DPA is that, through reading and sharing these stories, people will discover, or strengthen, their connection to Dartmoor. We believe that a strong connection to the landscape inspires activism, accountability, stewardship and a sense of responsibility.
The event itself was extremely well attended and we were pleased to chat with so many people. We covered our campaign with Campaign for National Parks for better Sunday bus services, land management, our Public Access Fund, Moor Boots, Girls Do Dartmoor, Youth Rangers, our conservation volunteer workdays and our hope for a healthier and more resilient future Dartmoor.
We were joined by author Sophie Pierce, whose writing is featured in our Wild Words magazine, to talk Dartmoor inspiration and landscape connection. The printed Wild Words magazine went down really well and people were delighted by the variety of writing it contained.
Exeter was awarded UNESCO City of Literature designation in 2019 in recognition of “outstanding contributions to culture and creativity” and the wealth of literary heritage in the city, thanks to a city-wide multi-partner bid. Exeter Cathedral houses the Exeter Book, a 10th-century anthology recognised by UNESCO as ‘’the foundation volume of English Literature” and ‘one of the world’s principal cultural artefacts’. In late 2021, Exeter City of Literature became an independent charity supported by Arts Council England. The charity is committed to supporting creativity and culture in Exeter and adjacent communities, whether that’s through creative projects, bringing authors and events to the region, or providing new forms of wellbeing support through literature.
The DPA would like to extend huge thanks to Exeter Unesco City of Literature for inviting us along and supporting even more people in connecting with Wild Words, and Dartmoor as a whole. With Exeter currently being the only City of Literature in the south of England, and one of only 63 globally, it’s important to collaborate on continuing to support emerging Devon writers, and writing as a whole. For thousands of years, the unique landscape of Dartmoor has inspired oral, and then written, stories and it’s important that this culturally embedded form of connection to place is nurtured and enabled to continue.
During a quick pause in chatting to the many visitors, we also encountered a 40 year old DPA publication for sale on one of the book stalls, which still contained a vintage DPA newsletter. The introduction was written by Sylvia Sayer, our fierce and inspirational Chairwoman between 1951 to 1973, referred to as the ‘Shield of the Moor.’ Sophie snapped it up as research for her next book. It’s a privilege to be able to look back on so many years of campaigning and see evidence of the past 143 years of DPA work still circulating and sparking interest. We will be issuing a callout for more Dartmoor inspired writing in 2027 for our next Wild Words magazine, and look forward to showcasing even more local writers and their favourite places.