OVER the past few years, a collective appreciation for the great outdoors has grown.

During the pandemic, we got to slow down and appreciate the green spaces down our street and on our door step. Connecting with nature has never seemed more important. That’s why this year at the Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing we’re celebrating the contemporary female voices who draw inspiration from the landscape.

The Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing champions female creativity and celebrates the legacy of the UK’s most famous literary sisters - the Brontës.

Every year in Haworth, the Brontë Parsonage Museum, former home of the Bronte family, hosts a weekend of events, talks and workshops that seek to inspire, entertain and intrigue visitors from across the world.

This year, we’re championing ‘Women of the Wild’, where visitors will have the chance to hear from some of the leading female voices in nature writing today.

There is a rich programme on offer, highlighting important themes of wellbeing, creativity and sustainability in new and exciting ways.

Take to the stars with NASA scientist Libby Jackson and astrophysicist Emma Chapman and discuss writing about space whilst stargazing on the moors.

Swap days in the office for walks in the wood with Emma Mitchell as we discuss the inspiration behind her richly illustrated nature diary The Wild Remedy, as seen on BBC’s Springwatch.

Embed local dialect and different languages into poetry inspired by place and belonging, with Bradford-based poet Nabeela Ahmed.

Discover how to cook affordable, easy and tasty plant-based food with bestselling author Katy Beskow, and maybe even try some samples too! This is just a flavour of the fantastic events on offer.

Not only do we champion female voices in our programme, but the festival is run by women too, with a commitment to supporting local female-led businesses.

We are excited to welcome a cohort of enthusiastic and driven female Event Volunteers who will be on hand to help our visitors during the weekend. Festival partners Cobbles and Clay, run by fantastic Haworth business owner Jill Ross, will be offering 10per cent off all takeaway food and drink for Weekend Pass holders.

Into the Wild, another independent female-owned Yorkshire business, will be supplying a glorious Bell Tent to serve as our Festival Hub for the weekend; a space where you can chill out, read, and try your hand a creative pop-up workshop.

Sustainability is at the heart of the festival.

The landscape was vital to the Bronte family; they walked the moors and used their surroundings as inspiration for poetry and prose. What would Wuthering Heights be without the iconic Yorkshire moorlands?

We know how important it is to look after the natural world, and have embedded this ethos throughout the festival weekend. Join Jess Kidd’s Green Corner in our Festival Hub for a workshop that explores the sustainability by using ancient drawing materials to create art.

Artist Rebecca Chesney will be closing the festival weekend by reflecting on the weather in the Brontes’ work and in Haworth over the years, looking at what it can tell us about changing climate and affected landscape.

Moreover, this year we’ve introduced a special Green Pass weekend ticket, which gets you into all events at an immensely discounted rate if you travel to Haworth by train, bus, or bike!

The cherry on the top is our range of Bronte Festival of Women’s Writing merchandise that is 100per cent sustainable - from plantable bookmarks to recycled cotton tote bags.

Set in the beautiful village of Haworth against the backdrop of the Brontës’ inspirational former home, the Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing promises to be an inspiring and empowering weekend for everyone in our community.

Whether you’re a crafter, reader, baker, or simply curious about creativity, there’s guaranteed to be something for you. This year, the festival also includes a free strand of activities for families, with activities themed around exploring words and shared storytelling, so there will be something for the whole family to enjoy!

See you on the cobbles?

* The Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing runs from Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24.

Event tickets from £6. Weekend passes from £60. Online ticketing options also available

* The Brontë Free Festival - Words on the Street offers free fun for families on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24.

* Find out more about both events at bronte.org.uk/whats-on