To celebrate World Book Day today, Great Western Railway (GWR) has announced a campaign to secure traditional regional folklore, partnering with one of the nation’s greatest storytellers, Sir Michael Morpurgo, to bring the myths and legends of the South West and Wales to a new audience.
100 years since its iconic Legend Land series was completed, GWR is reissuing a new version featuring 11 myths. The collection is led by a personal introduction from the former Children’s Laureate, who has also penned his own original legend for the volume – The Miracle Dolphin of Mevagissey.
Set in a Cornish harbour, this moving tale explores the life-saving bond between a fisherman’s son and a dolphin, adding a fresh tail for the new generation of readers.
The beautifully-illustrated collection brings to life classic legends from the South West and Wales, reshaped from stories that have been whispered and shared across these landscapes for centuries.
Readers will journey from the mountains of Snowdonia, where the young wizard Merlin reveals two battling dragons hidden beneath a crumbling fortress, to the epic rivalry of the giant brothers Goram and Vincent, whose ferocious battle carved the very cliffs of the Bristol and Avon Valley landscape. Each story was retold for a modern audience by Gloucestershire-based writer Brad Brookes, who lives among these age-old tales.
To celebrate the book’s arrival, GWR is bringing these stories to life through five statues of some of the featured legends, inviting travellers to step out of the station and into a world of castles and mystical beasts.
Ranging from 5ft to 8ft tall, these statues – including the Red Dragon of Cardiff, the Giants of Avon Gorge, and the Faeries of Pennard Castle – have been installed at London Paddington before travelling to Bristol Temple Meads, Cardiff Central, Swansea, Castle Cary, and St Ives, forming a physical Legend Trail across the network.
Alongside the new Line to Legend Land book, GWR is also sharing an online travel guide, featuring details for traveling to each location, so families can embark on their own legendary adventures.
From soaking in the very hot springs Prince Bladud discovered in Bath, to climbing the ancient ramparts of King Arthur’s Camelot in the heart of Somerset, scanning a QR code in the book will take you to a roadmap for travellers to experience the spirit of these stories in the very landscapes where they first took root.
Sir Michael Morpurgo said:”Folklore is the lifeblood of our landscape; it’s how we connect the earth beneath our feet to the imagination in our heads. Living in Devon, I have always felt a profound connection to the stories that haunt these hills and coasts.
“A century ago, the original Legend Land series invited families to find magic in their journeys, and I am thrilled to help GWR revive that spirit. By retelling these ancient stories – including the addition of my own, The Miracle Dolphin of Mevagissey – we aren’t just looking back at the past; we are ensuring that the giants, dragons, and mermaids of our heritage continue to live on in the hearts of children today.”
GWR Sales and Marketing Director, Amanda Burns, said: “We want to encourage families to set off on their own adventures to discover the spirit of stories that have wandered across our hills, rivers, and valleys for centuries, ensuring they are cherished by generations to come.”
What’s more, GWR has donated copies of the Line to Legend Land book to 500 primary schools across its rail network, to ensure the stories that surround the lands they live in are kept alive for years to come.