POET Simon Armitage is renowned for his verse which captures the environment.

And his latest piece of work is inscribed within the very environment it was inspired by.

He’s teamed up with the Ilkley Literature Festival to inscribe six poems at rural spots – the first at Pule Hill, Marsden.

Simon’s poem Snow, specially commissioned for the project, has been engraved into a stone at the National Trust beauty spot.

And Simon explained its inspiration. “I grew up under Pule Hill and used to go up there as a kid so I’m very familiar with Pule Hill,’’ he said.

“Snow was written from a memory I have of walking up there as a kid around Easter time and there was still snow which hadn’t thawed.

“One of the reasons we chose Pule Hill is because it doesn’t have a Hollywood view. It’s a well-established beauty spot which attracts people for moments of contemplation.”

Each of his six poems are inspired by water, the second on the trial is at Nab Hill at Oxenhope and is entitled Rain. Others to follow include Puddle, View and Beck before the Poetry Trail reaches Ilkley.

Simon has come in for a little criticism by druids at Ilkley.

He said: “I thought the issue might be environmental. As far as I can tell some of it has come from druids. I don’t know what modern day druids want and don’t want for the environment.

“I would never get involved in a project which is deductive or destructive to the environment . What I am doing is incredibly discreet and low impact.