River festival full of highlights

A week-long festival celebrating the River Annan returns for its second year this September.

Running from September 20-27, the ImMerse Festival offers residents and visitors the chance to explore the River Annan through science, storytelling, and hands-on discovery.

This year’s programme has been designed to be enjoyed as stand-alone events, or as a week long immersive experience. It includes expert-led sessions on citizen science, visits to historic estates, explorations of innovative hydroelectric schemes, and woodland walks, culminating in a hike to find the river’s source. All events are free of charge, but some require advance booking due to limited capacity.

Participants at this year’s festival can hear from Alexander Bell-Irving, whose family has lived alongside the River Annan since around 1200, offering insights into how land management practices have evolved and what sustainable stewardship might look like for future generations.

They can also meet David Johnstone of Annandale Estates to find out about Johnstonebridge’s innovative hydro scheme and the capacity of the river to generate power.

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IMMERSE . . . Shovi Anjum, project officer at Solway Firth Partnership, [/caption]

Shovi Anjum, project officer at Solway Firth Partnership, said:

“The River Annan constantly reshapes the Solway’s saltmarsh, eroding some areas while building up others.

“The ImMerse festival offers a wonderful way to experience these dynamic processes first hand, helping participants understand how their local environment responds to changing conditions while discovering ways they can contribute to ongoing monitoring and conservation efforts.”

Jenna Cairns, from D and G Climate Hub, added: “This year’s programme of events is designed as a complete journey of discovery, showing how interconnected our river systems are with the communities that depend on them. There are some inspiring speakers who will share rare insights into the river and its landscapes, as well as exciting opportunities to get directly involved in citizen science.”