Awarding the winners
On Friday evening at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the inaugural Ilse Schwepcke Prize for women’s travel writing was awarded, celebrating two outstanding voices in travel literature. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory dinner at Restaurant Herr Franz. The English-language award went to Ursula Martin for her book One Woman Walks Europe (Honno Welsh Women’s Press), who […]
On Friday evening at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the inaugural Ilse Schwepcke Prize for women’s travel writing was awarded, celebrating two outstanding voices in travel literature. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory dinner at Restaurant Herr Franz.
The English-language award went to Ursula Martin for her book One Woman Walks Europe (Honno Welsh Women’s Press), who received £5,000. The German-language prize awarded €6.000 to Millay Hyatt for her book Nachtzugtage (Friedenauer Presse).
In addition to the prize money, both winners received a sundial and moondial respectively, gifted by Prize co-founder Barbara Schwepcke, whose father owned a cherished collection of these timepieces.
Helena Attlee, juror for the English award, praised Ursula’s book, saying: ‘All three judges agreed that her account of walking from Ukraine to Wales was a true travel adventure worthy of taking its place in that long tradition. With her sharp eye and gift for lyrical writing, Martin pins the essence of places, people and countries to the page. Her bravery, independence and brute determination in the face of extraordinary challenges will delight readers of all sexes, but it is women who will be especially inspired by the story she tells. Alongside a travelogue rich with detail about the practicalities of everyday life en route, she tackles difficult and utterly contemporary subjects in ways that add depth to this captivating story.‘
The German jury said that Millay Hyatt ‘writes about the special feeling that comes with travelling by train. She writes about the dynamics and unpredictability of travel, about missed connections and unexpected encounters. Her book is both a user’s manual and a declaration of love for the railways. As a philosopher, she also thinks about many things while travelling and writing that give us food for thought. For example, how much more open and permeable Europe used to be. Millay Hyatt’s narrative is as unpredictable and surprising as changing trains and connections: in wonderfully gripping, poetic and clear language, she combines personal observations and regional studies, city atmospheres and descriptions of nature, bringing encounters with a wide variety of people to life in vivid episodes.’
The shortlisted authors for the English prize included Viv Groskop (One Ukrainian Summer, Ithaka Press) and Victoria Whitworth (Dust and Pomegranates, Apollo). The German shortlist featured Birgit Lutz (Mein Spitzbergen, Mareverlag), Maike Albath (Bitteres Blau, Berenberg Verlag) and Regina Hillber (Am Rande, Theodor Kramer Gesellschaft).
Submissions for the 2026 Ilse Schwepcke Prize will open in January, inviting even more inspiring women’s travel writing from around the world.
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