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Vin's Way

Vin Garbutt Production Stills 1.jpg

A curated walk inspired by the life and career of Vin Garbutt 

 

The path follows his journey from birthplace to resting place, from industrial roots blossoming into his artistic life and love of Teesside's countryside. 

Every point of interest is marked with specially selected songs as part of a bespoke playlist offering walkers a unique view through the music of Vin Garbutt. 

The walk is staged in two parts, the first relating to the early phase of Vin’s life, the second, the latter, hopefully demonstrating the natural interconnections of both.

The maps below detail the routes, each with annotated points of interest and accompanying songs. All who wish to do the walk are invited at their leisure (following social distancing guidelines). For those of you who can’t yet access the trails, there are short (below) or extended videos available, so that the experience can still be shared.      

Part One

Leaving Slaggy Island

The walk starts at the site of Vin’s birthplace, 18 Coral Street in South Bank (now demolished). It moves steadily upland, passing his schools, leaving South Bank to his later family home and locations of his early musical roots, climbing up Eston Hills, to the Nab.  

1. 18 Coral Street (Vin’s birthplace)

Slaggy Island Farewell (4:12)

The Young Tin Whistle Pest - 1975 
& The Songbook Album - 2003

2. St Peter Church

November Wedding (3:37)
 The By-Pass Syndrome - 1991

3. Bennett’s Corner South Bank

England My England (4:14)
 Bandalised - 1994 
& The Songbook Album - 2003

4. Golden Boy Green

 Wilfy Mannion's Jig (2:42)

Word of Mouth - 1999

5. St. Peter’s Senior School

The College (4:29)
 Synthetic Hues - 2014

Michelle Flynn’s Hornpipe (4:19)

Bandalised - 1994

6. Normanby Cemetery

When The Lark Salutes The Sky

[unreleased]

7. The Normanby

We May Or Might Never All Meet Here Again (3:17)

King Gooden - 1976

8. Normanby Top

They Don’t Write 'Em Like That Any More (4:00)
Tossin' a Wobbler - 1978

9. Cargo Fleet to Eston Railway Lines

Man Of The Earth (4:40)

Tossin' a Wobbler - 1978

& Plugged! - 1995

10. Ambrose Road (Vin's Parents’ House)

The Rose of Tralee (5:50)
Bandalised - 1994

 

Bold Robert Emmet

[unreleased]

11. Eston Square

The Ballad Of Cissy Leigh (3:45)

King Gooden 1976 

& The Songbook Album - 2003

12. Eston & California Club (album cover)

Hornpipes - The Belfast & The Japanese (4:15)
Eston California - 1977

13. Former Cleveland Bay Pub & Eston Folk Club

If (1:51)
Little Innocents - 1983

& Synthetic Hues - 2014

It Couldn’t Be Done (2:21)
Persona... Grata - 2005

14. Start of Eston Hills

When the Tide Turns (5:36)
When The Tide Turns Again - 1989

15. Eston Ironstone Mines

If I Had A Son (6:02)
The By-Pass Syndrome - 1991

16. Climbing up the hill

Photographic Memory (4:26)
Tossin’ a Wobbler - 1978


Reprise The Wilderness Road (1:24)
Bandalised - 1994

Howard Green (5:33)
The Young Tin Whistle Pest - 1975

& Plugged! - 1995

Away from the Pits (4:43)
Plugged! - 1995


17. Eston Nab

The Valley Of Tees (3:57)
The Valley Of Tees - 1972

& The Songbook Album - 2003

Part Two

When The Tide Turns

Part two begins in Saltburn. The route passes the East Cleveland pubs that hosted sessions, joins the Cleveland Way along the coast that he loved, walked and lived with his family - “the grass is greener at home”. End your journey at Vin’s local, The Station in Loftus.

 

1. Saltburn Theatre
The Royal Blackbird (3:00)
Little Innocents - 1983

 

3. The Ship Inn, Old Saltburn

John Doonan’s Hornpipe / Tinkers Alley Reel (4:14) 

Persona… Grata - 2005

 

4. Joining the Cleveland Way National Trail

Danny Danielle (2:53)
The Valley Of Tees - 1972 

& The Songbook Album - 2003

Waits And Weeps (3:29)

Word Of Mouth - 1999

 

5. The Pillar & Mining Train Line

Forty Thieves (3:20)

Word Of Mouth - 1999

 

6. Old Huntcliffe Gable Fan House

If I Had A Son (6:01)
The By-Pass Syndrome - 1991

Away From The Pits (4:41)
Plugged! - 1995

 

7. Skinningrove
Fell Off The Back Of A Boat (7:15)
Plugged! - 1995


Time And Tide (4:43)
Word Of Mouth - 1999

 

8. Hummersea (Vin’s Home)
When The Tide Turns (5:36)

When The Tide Turns Again - 1989

& The Songbook Album - 2003

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (11:02)
Plugged! - 1995

 

9. Clarks Hardware Store & Loftus Market Place
The Loftus Emigrant (6:20)
Persona... Grata - 2005

The Potash Song (2:15)
The By-Pass Syndrome - 1991

 

10. The Station Pub, Loftus

Parkin Raine (5:09)
King Gooden - 1976

Your Welcome Was So Warm (5:12)
Synthetic Hues - 2014


Other songs for the walk

The Wilderness Road (3:11) 

Bandalised - 1994

 

Howard Green (5:33)
The Young Tin Whistle Pest - 1975 & Plugged! - 1995

 

Wings (4:46)

Plugged! - 1995

 

When Oppressed Becomes Oppressor (5:34)

Plugged! - 1995

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