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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

📖 ALWAYS HOME, ALWAYS HOMESICK by Hannah Kent (@picadorbooks.bsky.social) 📖 GREYHOUND by Joanna Pocock (@fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social) 📖 SHIFTING SANDS by Judith Scheele (@profilebooks.bsky.social)

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist of the 2026 #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for women’s travel writing. Congratulations to our shortlisted authors! Read more about the shortlist here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/2026-shortli...

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

📅 SAVE THE DATE #TheIlseSchwepckePrize 2026 shortlist will be announced on 3 September. We’re so excited to celebrate the women defining travel writing.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

To see the full eligibility critera, and to apply, visit the link in our bio. Who will win the next The Ilse Schwepcke Prize?📚🌍

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

It’s only five days to go until submissions for the Ilse Schwepcke Prize close on 31 March. The prize is open to works of travel writing by a woman writing in English. Submissions are welcome from any country or place of residence. Translations are not eligible.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Submissions close on 31 March. To find out more about how to apply for the prize, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Her nonfiction titles include the @nytimes.com bestseller ‘RED: A History of the Redhead’ and most recently ‘Walking Pepys’s London’. Her new book ‘Thoughtlands: Walking in Writer’s Suffolk’ will be published in April.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Jacky Colliss Harvey studied English at Cambridge University and art history at the Courtauld Institute. She has worked as an editor and publisher in museum publishing, as a life model and as a film extra, and now writes full-time.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

On a day dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements around the world, we are especially proud to amplify the voices of women writers and their contributions to travel literature through the prize.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

📚MEET THE JUDGES This #InternationalWomensDay, we are excited to reveal that writer Jacky Colliss Harvey will be joining Fiammetta Rocco and Arabella von Friesen on the 2026 Ilse Schwepcke Prize jury.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Submissions close on 31 March. To find out more about how to apply for the prize, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Arabella studied archeology at SOAS and has worked as a translator, writer, researcher, editor, reviewer, artist, Gardner and cook. She has worked at John Sandoe Books in London since 2012.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Joining Fiammetta Rocco on the jury is continuity judge and John Sandoe Books bookseller Arabella von Friesen.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Her book, ‘The Miraculous Fever Tree’, about malaria and the discovery of quinine, was published in Britain and in America. She and her family live between London and Scotland. To find out more about how to apply, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Fiammetta has been the judge of numerous prizes for fiction and nonfiction. Her writing has won awards on both sides of the Atlantic. She is an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Fiammetta Rocco grew up in Kenya and read Arabic at Oxford. For 25 years she was the culture editor of the Economist, and is now a writer and critic based in London. She is the Emeritus Director of the International Booker Prize and an energetic advocate of reading and story-telling.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Introducing the first of our brilliant judges, we are so pleased that Fiammetta Rocco will Chair the jury for the 2026 #IlseSchwepckePrize

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

The prize is open to works of travel writing by a woman writing in English. Submissions are welcome from any country or place of residence. Translations are not eligible. To see the full eligibility criteria, and to apply, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Who will win the next #TheIlseSchwepckePrize?📚🌍 Submissions for the 2026 Ilse Schwepcke Prize for women’s travel writing are open.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Need a gift for your globetrotter this Christmas? We’ve got you covered!📚🎄🎁 Shop the 2025 Ilse Schwepcke Prize winner and shortlist on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social (link in our bio).

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Missed our prize ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair? Watch here as Ursula Martin and Millay Hyatt are awarded the inaugural Ilse Schwepcke Prize: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI13...

youtube.com

Verleihung der Ilse-Schwepcke-Preise für Reiseschriftstellerinnen

YouTube video by Kurt Wolff Stiftung

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

✍️ NEW BLOG POST We had the pleasure awarding inaugural Prize winners Ursula Martin and Millay Hyatt at the @buchmesse.de. Read more about the ceremony here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/awardin...

ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk

Awarding the winners – The Ilse Schwepcke Prize

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Reposted by The Ilse Schwepcke Prize

Turnaround Books @turnarounduk.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

A MASSIVE congratulations to Ursula Martin! One Woman Walks Europe has won the Ilse Schwepcke Prize for Women's Travel Writing 2025! An exhilarating journey into the wild nature of land and her own spirit. One Woman Walks Europe is out now by @honnopress.bsky.social

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

A huge congratulations to Ursula, and to our shortlisted authors.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE is Ursula’s 5,500 mile trek across Europe – a raw and inspiring journey of wild camping, resilience, and self-discovery. Battling fear and isolation she finds strength in solitude, connection in nature, and a deeper understanding of home and belonging.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Ursula will be awarded tonight at the @buchmesse.de along side the winner of the German prize, Der Ilse Schwepcke Preis, Millay Hyatt.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

We are delighted to reveal that Ursula Martin is the winner of the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for her book, ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE (@honnopress.bsky.social). This is what she said about winning the Prize ⬇️

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Arabella Friesen said: ‘A long look over her shoulder at her younger self in the early post-Soviet years: Groskop’s voice is wonderfully wry and funny, her memoir of her student days in Russia and Ukraine fresh and zestful...’ Read more about the 2025 shortlist in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Helena Attlee said: ‘Funny, compelling and clever, this beautifully written book found its way onto the shortlist for capturing the atmosphere and practical realities of everyday life in the ex-Soviet Union just after the fall of the Berlin Wall...’

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

🌟SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Our final shortlist spotlight is ONE UKRAINIAN SUMMER, Viv Groskop‘s enthralling memoir of her time spent in post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Stephanie Yeboah said: ‘...The author takes readers on a journey not just across landscapes but into the heart of perseverance and self-discovery, with warmth and honesty shining through every page.’ Read more about the 2025 shortlist through the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Arabella Friesen said: ‘Martin’s five and a half thousand mile walk across Europe is a feat by any measure: for sheer guts, determination, courage both physical and mental, dauntlessness and good humour. She is a marvel … The world seems wider after reading this book.’

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

🌟 SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Next on our shortlist spotlight is ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE – Ursula Martin’s extraordinary, captivating story of walking 5500 miles from Eastern to Western Europe.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Stephanie Yeboah said: ‘This is a beautifully written memoir that captures the magic of place and the power of transformation…’ Read more about the 2025 shortlist through the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Helena Attlee said: ‘The beautifully told story of a long, slow relationship with Greece and its culture. We shortlisted it for its vivid evocation of travelling as a young woman abroad, with all the excitement and technicolour observations of everyday life in Greece…’

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

🌟SHORTLIST SPOTLIGHT Victoria Whitworth’s moving and courageous memoir, DUST AND POMEGRANATES, entwines recollections from her youth with explorations of Greek myth and legend.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

✍️ NEW BLOG POST We had a wonderful evening celebrating the announcement of the English and German shortlists at John Sandoe Books on Saturday. Read more about it here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/celebra...

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Reposted by The Ilse Schwepcke Prize

The Society of Authors @societyofauthors.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

The shortlist for the Ilse Schwepcke Prize has now been announced. Congratulations to Kapka Kassabova, Ursula Martin, Viv Groskop (@vivgroskop) and Victoria Whitworth, It is an annual award, administered by the SoA, for women’s travel writing in the English language.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

The winner will be announced on 17 October and awarded at @buchmesse.de. If you’re at the fair, please join us in celebrating the winners at the Reading Island for Independent Publishers in Hall 3.1 (C105).

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Our jurors said: ‘…Taken together, the books had much to teach us about courage, resilience and determination. They captured the many and varied creative responses of women to the world. … It was a struggle to draw up a shortlist from this rich mix.’

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

📖 ANIMA by Kapka Kassabova @vintagebooks.bsky.social 📖 ONE UKRAINIAN SUMMER by Viv Groskop @ithakapress.bsky.social 📖 DUST AND POMEGRANATES by Victoria Whitworth @headofzeus.bsky.social 📖 ONE WOMANS WALKS EUROPE by @onewomanwalks.bsky.social @honnopress.bsky.social

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist of the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize for women’s travel writing. Congratulations to our shortlisted authors! Read more about the shortlist here: ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/2025-shortlist/

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

A reminder that submissions for the inaugural #TheIlseSchwepckePrize will close on Monday 31 March. To see the full eligibility criteria, and to apply, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

✍️ NEW BLOG POST In this post, we highlight some of our favourite women travellers and explorers to celebrate Women's History Month. Read here: www.ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk/news/womens-...

ilseschwepckeprize.co.uk

Women’s History Month – The Ilse Schwepcke Prize

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including British Vogue, Elle, Sylist, Grazia, Refinery29 and more. To find out more about how to apply for the #IlseSchwepckePrize, visit the link in our bio.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Stephanie is the author of ‘Fattily Ever After: A Black Fat Girl’s Guide to Living Life Unapologetically’, a critically acclaimed book that explores the intersections of race, body image and mental health. She is also author of the upcoming romantic comedy novel, ‘Chaotic Energy’, out in April 2025.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Stephanie Yeboah is a freelance writer, author, content creator and body image advocate based in London.

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The Ilse Schwepcke Prize @theisprize.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

📚 MEET THE JUDGES Our third and final Juror is Stephanie Yeboah [📸: Kaye Ford]

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