Welcome to Queer Quest. This geocaching trail re-imagines the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight through a queer lens, immersed in the very landscape which inspired the legend. As you follow the route, each cache marks a moment in Gawain’s legendary journey—challenges, temptations, and revelations—while also sharing local LGBTQ+ histories and folklore from the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Just like Gawain’s quest to test courage and honesty, this trail invites you to explore the countryside and uncover stories often hidden or overlooked. Inside each cache you’ll find a small piece of artwork and a short tale that links the epic myth to real queer lives and landscapes.
You are also invited to share your own reflections and post your response to be included in our archive.
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The Gawain poem begins in Arthur's court. Bustling and bright, the court represents a 'known' world of rigid order, reputation, and expected roles – often defining masculinity and desire in narrow ways.
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Artist statement: Drawing on a story of lived-experience, this piece considers the
fragmented and fractured self, where we are forced to live lives that fail to be authentic or
true to oneself.
A visitor to our stall at Moorlands Pride told us that Knypersley Pool is a place that he often walked to contemplate life, including when he was a younger person and was figuring out his identity. It's always felt, to him, a place to escape. We chose this location because it exists right on the edge of the urban environment, much like the beginning of Gawain's journey - he begins in Arthurs court, but feels this calling to rise to a challenge which requires self reflection. Knypersley pool, a natural spot on the edge of the ex-mining community of Biddulph and the industrial reaches of Stoke-on-Trent, is symbolic of this duality.
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Access Information:
Down a stony slope from the carpark, up a fairly steep bank. Have to clamber through tree roots. Not wheelchair accessible but you could get relatively close with a power scooter