Dad and son write song for Pennine Way anniversary

A father and son have recorded a song to mark the 60th anniversary of the opening of England's first national trail.

The 268 mile (431km) Pennine Way runs from the Peak District, across the Yorkshire Dales, and ends in the Scottish borders.

Singer-songwriter Ben Avison and his father Jon, who both live in the Yorkshire Dales, said their song, Making Memories on the Pennine Way, was all about their personal history and connection to the trail.

Jon Avison, a former ranger and deputy chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, said the song reminds him of the "passion" he has for the area.

"The Dales is home for me, it's where I come from, I'm rooted here," he said.

Ben is a musician and songwriter whose music, a blend of folk and alternative styles, aims to capture the connection between people and landscapes.

"I grew up in Kirkby Malham, on possibly the most celebrated section of the Pennine Way," he said.

"My earliest memories are of the towering cliffs of Malham Cove and Gordale Scar, and the bleak expanse of Malham Moor.

"The landscapes you grow up in shape who you are."

The original idea for a national trail came from Tom Stephenson, a British journalist and keen walker, who wrote an article in 1935 asking for a long distance walk in England - a long green trail, partially inspired by similar routes in the United States.

It was 30 years before his idea became a reality when Mr Stephenson, by then secretary of the Ramblers' Association, attended the official opening of the Pennine Way at Malham Moor on 24 April 1965.

The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park, before reaching its end at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border.

Ben said the trail was a "pilgrimage for so many".

"It's a journey that offers both challenges and rewards, much like life itself."

He said the song had been inspired by the landscape and his relationship with his father.

It aimed to "honour" the experiences of walkers and the trail's "enduring beauty," he said.

"It celebrates the Pennine Way as a place of reflection, inspiration, and connection, whether you're local or a visitor."

Jon's former band, The Moonbeams, also released three albums of songs celebrating the Yorkshire Dales and he said creating the song had been a bonding moment with his son.

"I have spent most of my working life caring for and encouraging others to care for the beautiful Yorkshire Dales," he said.

"This song and video reminds me of the passion I have for the Dales and brings back wonderful memories of sharing that passion with Ben."

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