Blythe Spirit: The Remarkable Life of Ronald Blythe

Ronald Blythe, one of Britain’s foremost rural writers, passed away in January 2023 at 100. The Blythe gift was to marvel in the everyday. His intimate, meditative and often wryly humorous writing, invited readers to share his enchanting perspective. Leaving school at 14, he educated himself in libraries, churches, and East Anglian walks. He never spoke of early poverty, wartime trauma, or his private sexuality. Drawing on letters, notebooks, drafts, and conversations from decades of friendship, Ian Collins tells Blythe’s full story and, at Buxton, speaks with Blythe’s friend, naturalist Mark Cocker.

Dates

24 Jul 2025

4pm - 5pm

Price

£14

Concessions: £5 tickets are available for under 35 year olds who are part of the Friends of BIF's Next Gen Scheme.

Venue

Pavilion Arts Centre

Booking Details Useful Tips for booking

Friends get priority booking on a staggered basis from 18 March
Public booking opens 15 April
More info | Become a Friend

Dates, times & booking

  • Thu 24 Jul 2025 4.00pm - 5.00pm Book
Friends get priority booking on a staggered basis from 18 March
About Friends Priority Booking

Public booking opens 15 April

Useful Tips for booking

Priority Booking
for BIF Friends

To book seats early, join the Friends of Buxton International Festival and become part of our ‘Festival Family.’

Directors’ Circle, Benefactor, Gold Patron Tuesday, 18 March

Patron Tuesday, 25 March

Gold Friend Tuesday, 1 April

Friend and Joint Friend Tuesday, 8 April

Become a friend

Joining our community and becoming a BIF Friend unlocks a whole host of benefits, including priority booking for the festival.

From just £36 per year, become part of the festival you love all year-round.

  • Priority booking for all festival events
  • Six tiers of membership starting from just £36
  • Regular newsletters during the year – via email/post
  • Be the first to hear exclusive festival news & announcements
  • Special friends events throughout the year: meals, dinners, recitals and more
  • Support from friends members have enabled us to grow into one of the UK’s leading opera festivals
  • Recognition of your support in the Festival Souvenir Programme Book

If you are under 35 you can join the Next Gen Friends for free, and access £5 tickets to book events and £10 tickets to all other events.

Find out more