OWPG celebrates 2018 Awards for Excellence

Published by OWPG Wordsmith on

Members of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild (OWPG) will gather at Simonsbath House in Exmoor over the weekend of 12th-14th October to celebrate the annual Awards for Excellence.

The Awards aim to recognise outstanding achievements in outdoor journalism across six categories: Outdoor Book, Guidebook, Outdoor/Travel Feature, Technical Feature, Digital and Photography. This year saw 66 entries submitted by 30 different members.

OWPG membership secretary and past award winner Ronald Turnbull says: “It’s a special thrill to gain such an honour from one’s fellow professionals, who really appreciate what’s what when it comes to writing walking guidebooks.”

As well as celebrating excellence within the Guild, the Awards weekend will honour outstanding contributions to the outdoors world with two prestigious external awards.

The Derryck Draper Award rewards outstanding innovation in outdoor equipment design. Commemorating one of the Guild’s founding members, it sees the most ground-breaking products on the market assessed by a panel of expert gear testers.

The Golden Eagle Award is given annually for distinguished service to the outdoors. Past winners have included Bill Bryson, Sir Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Sir David Attenborough and John Grimshaw. The winner receives an original watercolour painting by Guild member David Bellamy.

This year’s Awards will be held at Simonbath House Hotel in Exmoor. Members will enjoy a packed programme of events and activities, including workshops, film screenings, horse riding, gin tasting and archaeology walks.

Categories: OWPG Awards

OWPG Wordsmith

OWPG Wordsmith

Outdoor Focus Editor