In the summer of 2009, Slowcoast was a journey around the coast of Britain and Ireland, stopping to record the stories of makers, artists and craftspeople along the way.
In an idle moment, on a cycling holiday in Cornwall, Nick wondered how far it would be before you got back to the same point, if you just carried on cycling along the coast.
The thing about an idea is that once you’ve told two or three people you kind of feel like you have to do it. So, a year later, he found himself setting off from his home in Bristol on a 4541-mile journey around the British coastline in a clockwise direction. Clockwise, because he liked the idea of being a little nearer the sea. That was the summer of 2009 and to complete the journey he set off again in 2010 to Ireland, to follow the coast for 1783-miles from Belfast to Belfast. Nick was attracted to the simplicity of the journey and — as a friend said — there was little chance of getting lost if I kept the sea on my left and just kept going.
Along the journey, Nick recorded conversations with over 100 artists and craftspeople. The audio and images were edited to create short photofilms of each artist. Often this process was completed on the same day from inside the tent with Nick uploading the films as he made them.
Through the generosity of supporters, the Slowcoast project raised over £10,000 for Parkinson’s.
This photograph is of Nick and his big brother Bob who died in 2016. It was taken in 1971 leaning on Bob’s immaculate Morris 1100 in Filton, Bristol where they grew up. This photograph was on the original Slowcoast website. As Bob was diagnosed with young-onset Parksinson’s just a few years before the project, Nick set out to use the project to raise money for Parkinson’s UK and the local Bristol Parkinson’s group.
6,324 Miles
141 Days
103 Films
These maps were interactive on the original Slowcoast website and tracked the journey as well as the locations where a photofilm was made and published.
This is the list of stuff for the journey, from the original Slowcoast website.
This is the full list of people interviewed during the journey.
103 photofilms were edited and uploaded from the road.
Merlin Crossingham, Aardman Animations
Marcus Beck and Simon Macro, Freshwest
Clare Hieatt, Director Howies
Peter Segger, Organic Farmer
John Parry, Dyfi Osprey Project Volunteer
Chris Morton, Centre for Alternative Technology
Allan Moller, Musician and Reed Maker
Bea Williams, Soap Maker
Visitors to Anthony Gormley’s Another Place
Visitors to Eric Morecambe’s memorial
Harold Cunningham, Red Squirrel Feeder
Alan Walker, Rabbit Catcher
Graham King, Around Britain Kayaker
Joanna and Donald Gisbey, Artist and Musician
Stephanie Diver and Midge McKeachie, Cyclists
Ronnie Bowie, Bike Shop Owner
John McKenna, Sculptor
Hans, Cyclist
James MacTaggart, Master Distiller
Alan McDougall, Smoker
Jo McLean, Cove Park
Sheena Devitt, Stone Letter Carver
Louise Oppenheimer, Weaver
Mary McAlister Hall, Tanner
Pip Weaser, Basket Maker
John MacPherson, Weaver
Paul from Chesterfield, Cyclist
Julian Pearce, Shorehouse Restaurant
Lotte Glob, Ceramic Artist
Jenna Hume, Knitted Textile Designer
Fraser Anderson, Strawback Chair Maker
Jackie Miller, Strawback Chair Maker
Joanne B Kaar, Paper Maker and Artist
Sue Jane Taylor, Visual Artist
Tilda Swinton and Mark Cousins, A Pilgrimage
Avalon dos Santos, Findhorn Foundation
Bill Spink, Fish Merchant
Kay Anderson, Spinner
James Yorkston and Kenny Anderson, The Fence Collective
Douglas Grierson, Master Weaver
Howie R Nicholsby, Kilt Designer
Joanne Mitchell, Glass Maker
Chris and Neil Cobbett, Coast to Coast Riders
Keith Hannah Trailways Cycle Hire
David Cooper, Master Blacksmith
Bill Bontoft, Stickmaker
Mr Aylesbury, Auction on the Green
David Hewitt, Boat Builder
Paul Smith, Designer
Will Brown, Outfitter
David Morris, Photographer
Gunhild Espelage, Christiane Guenther,
Quay Proctor-Mears, Rosalind Redfern,
Nicole Schumacher, Ceramicists and Goldsmith
Cally, Cycle Collector
Brian Alabaster, Sculptor
Laurence Edwards, Sculptor
Sarah Green, Organic Farmer
Suki Hays-Watkins, Printmaker
Dawn and Erin Hackutt, The Cheese Box
Zoe Murphy, Hand Printed Furniture and Textile Designer
Martina Gavan, Stained Glass Designer
Paul Topham, Specialbike
Ruth and Annette, Cyclists
Keira Rathbone, Typewriter Artist
Billy Bragg, Singer Songwriter
Hugh Dunford Wood, Artist Designer
Hilary Burns, Basket Maker and Weaver
Jeremy Barker, Ecologist
Mervyn Bennallack, Michaelmas Daisy Grower
Keith Harrison, Ceramicist and Performance Artist
Nicola Bradley, The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Louis Hunkin, Boat Builder
Mark Roberts, Wooden Surfboard Maker
Nigel Legge, Fisherman, Artist and Lobster Pot Maker
Claire Francis, Hat Maker
Salt Cellar Hats
Fiona Kelly, Dressmaker
Elsie Pinniger, Wetsuit and Clothing Designer
Sam Lindo, Wine Maker
Neil and Gill Faiers, Organic Farmers and B&B owners
Billy Hawkins, Potter
Mikey Corker, Loose-fit
John Halls, Tea Taster
Austin Brown, Bicycle Mechanic
Martin Carter, Artist in Found Objects
Jackson Conn, Merle Osbourne and Diane Shaw,
Blacksmith, Spinner and Weaver
John J Savage, Storyteller
Karl Harron, Glass Artist
The Glass Studio
Clive Lyttle, Basket Maker and Countryside Skills Practitioner
Mike Miall, Windsor Chair Maker
Darren Cunningham, Oyster Farmer
Karen Hay-Edie, Weaver
Luke Van Doorslaer, The National Ecology Centre
Darren Matthews, Chef
Fearghal O’Nuallain, Round the World Cyclist
Rory O’Connell, Chef and Teacher
Pat Tanner, Boat Builder
Pádraig Ó Duinnín (Gaelic version), Boat Builder
Tom Ferguson, Cheese Maker
Matt Padwick, Dzogchen Beara Tibetan Buddhist Retreat
Paul F Kelly, Gold and Silversmith
Helen Moriarty, Teddy O’Sullivan’s
Angela and Carl Daly, Kenmare Bay Seafoods
Dominique Lieb, Letterpress Printer
Chiara Shokite, Fixed Wheel Tourer
Martin Doyle, Flute Maker
Graham Roberts, Smoker
Brian O’Grady, Skipper
Beth Moran, Weaver
John Hogan, Artist Blacksmith
John Joseph Hanna, Hat Maker
Ailbhe Dunne, Aideen Fitzpatrick, Ruth McCartney, Carbon Footprint Project
John Wilkinson, Canoe Builde
