Great North Bog Day: Celebrating People, Power and Peat

Every year on the fourth Sunday in July, people from across the world come together to celebrate International Bog Day – a chance to raise awareness about peatlands, the benefits they provide, threats they face, and what we can do to protect them.

To kickstart this year’s celebrations, on 19th July 2025, the Northumberland Peat Partnership and Wilder Northumberland collaborated once again to host Great North Bog Day at Moss Peteral Farm – a day dedicated to the wonders, mysteries and challenges of peatlands in the region.

Around 40 peatland enthusiasts – from artists and land managers to conservationists and curious locals – gathered for a fun-filled and interactive day all about peatlands. Moss Peteral provided the perfect backdrop, not only a working upland farm but a live peatland restoration site. And as if to set the mood, the rainy weather brought just the right amount of boggy authenticity and atmosphere!

Films, Farming and Folklore

The day began with a screening of Rose Ferraby’s films which explored what lies beneath the surface of the peat - not just physically, but emotionally and historically. Her work perfectly echoed the day’s themes, highlighting ecological importance and cultural richness of peatlands, and the stories long buried in the moss.

Afterwards, participants joined one of three simultaneous workshops:

Sue, Moss Peteral’s landowner, led a guided walk through the farm, sharing its unique history, features and the balancing act between farming and conservation.
Ella, Peatland Project Officer, guided attendees through the restoration work that began earlier this year – showcasing peat dams, purple-moor grass mulching and all the behind the scenes work it takes to bring a bog back to life.
Alex, Peatland Engagement Officer, delved into bog mythology and folklore, exploring spirits lie Will-o'-the-Wisp, Simonside Duergar's, the tales of bog bodies such as Tollund Man and fascinating bog artefacts like the Deskford Carnyx. Participants even created their own bog spirits, giving them names, powers and backstories.

Poetry, Monitoring and more Restoration

After a break for a delicious and locally sourced lunch provided by Moss Peteral farm, the second round of workshops commenced.

Nicola, Peatland Programme Manager, ran a peatland monitoring session, highlighting the equipment installed onsite and the importance of tracking restoration progress over time.
Ella repeated the restoration walk for new attendees
And poet Linda France hosted a reflective poetry workshop, inviting participants to connect more personally with the bog, using the senses to inspire a series of peatland riddles.

The day ended on a high, with the unveiling of a striking new sculpture, commissioned as part of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s Eyes on the Bog initiative. Created by local blacksmiths J.S. Lunn and Sons, the totemic marker features curlews, cotton grass, a common lizard and dragonfly – symbolic of the life that thrives in intact peatlands. Aptly titled ‘Bog to the Future’ the sculpture reflects the crucial role peatlands play in protecting our planet's future.

Learn more about the project here: https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/eyes-bog,Eyes on the Bog

Thank you to all of those who joined us for another fantastic Great North Bog Day – including our workshop hosts, partners, stall holders and guests. A huge thanks to the team at Moss Peteral for their generosity and ongoing support.

We’re already looking forward to the next one!