An award-winning independent bookshop owner, who grew up in Kendal, will return to her hometown this weekend for a special event.

Freya Blyth, who owns The Bookshop by the Sea in Aberystwyth, Wales, is ‘thrilled’ to be making an appearance at the upcoming Kendal Mountain Festival.

Earlier this year, Freya won the Rising Star Award from The Bookseller as well as the TikTok Book Award for Indie Bookshop of the Year.

She will be a part of Ness North, a one-off event featuring an acoustic performance, readings, and a Q&A session, alongside a pop-up bar from Gan Yam Brew Co. and a stunning fire in a cosy yurt.

Freya will host the evening as the talents of musician Hayden Thorpe, writer Robert Macfarlane and clarinettist-composer Jack McNeill unite.

The live performance of music and spoken-word focuses on Orford Ness – a unique Suffolk site steeped in military history and now cared for by the National Trust.

Kendal local, Freya is especially excited to return to her roots for this inspiring event, she said: "I’m honoured that The Bookshop by the Sea has given me so many opportunities this year to speak with incredible people and share their stories, and this is set to be one of the most inspiring yet."

Tickets are available now via Kendal Mountain Festival Website.