A week at Hay Festival Digital

I'd been hoping that this year, after a long break, I could visit Hay Festival again. I've been several times before; generally stopping off for a day on the way to or from a half-term holiday in Pembrokeshire, and had vaguely being thinking about going this year, staying in the tent, taking a bit more time to explore the town and surrounding countryside as well as catch some book events.

All year round this small English/Welsh border town is home to dozens of bookshops, but for a week or two at the end of May it plays host to a huge literary gathering. It's what I call a 'proper' book festival - lots of variously-sized tents/marquees for events, shops, food and drink, all gathered in one area. There's no need to buy a ticket - entry to this tented village is free, so you can wonder in and browse the stalls, grab a deckchair and try to spot the celebrities, but obviously going along to hear your favourite author talk about their latest book is the real draw. There's something for everyone from (almost) the smallest toddler to their great great grandma, from comedy to serious thought provoking discussions on the world's and humankind's problems; there are artists and musicians; and everywhere you'll find books. 

My plans came to nothing though, with Hay and similar events having to be cancelled due to corona virus. Fortunately Hay's organisers decided to try this as an opportunity, rather than a disaster, and made the decision to go digital. It's been nothing like the size and scope the actual event would have been, but every day has been filled with interesting talks and discussions. 

I've listened to Maggie O'Farrell talking about Shakespeare, plague and grief with relation to her latest novel Hamnet; watched Jackie Morris, illustrator of The Lost Words, paint and gild a picture of a hare from her studio in Pembrokeshire; increased my knowledge of Chinese history and culture with Michael Wood; revisited the Tudor world with Hilary Mantel, this time from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell and the politics of Henry VIII's court; discovered The Art of Rest with Claudia Hammond; and taken a trip to a taverna on the Greek island of Hydra for music, poetry and to hear about Polly Samson's novel based round the lives of a writers' colony there in the early 60s.

It's been a busy sort of time. I've definitely seen more than if I'd actually been to Hay, though I didn't get to wander down by the river or up in the surrounding mountains.

Skerryvore at the Bodega, Nottingham

I haven't been getting out to a gigs these past few moths; in fact, since July when I saw Deaf Havana at Derby's The Venue

I've been wanting to see Skerryvore properly for a while though, and missed them last time they were in Nottingham, so a couple of weeks ago I was off out to the Bodega.






I first saw them back in 2013 at a Free Fringe Music event at the National Museum of Scotland, and loved their mix of traditional Scottish bagpipe and fiddle music with modern rock and electric guitars. I'm just sorry it's taken me so long to go along to one of their proper gigs.










The music this time seemed louder and 'rockier' than I remember, with a lot more hand-clapping and foot-stomping from the audience, but I still loved it.
If you think you know what bagpipes sound like, think again :)

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens

 As we were heading somewhere new on an adventure last weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to break the journey somewhere new on the way - Fountains Abbey and the adjoining water gardens of Studley Royal.

My intention had been to just stop briefly, have lunch and a half hour's walk around - but it proved too interesting, so we stayed much longer, though still without exploring everywhere

The abbey ruins sit in a valley, and approaching from the visitor reception area you first see what appears to be the normal-sized tower of a church. It's only as you drop down into the valley that the real height of the tower becomes apparent.

As we were limited for time, we didn't stay to investigate the ruins (something for another trip) but moved on to the water gardens which looked beautiful and serene on this sunny, chilly day.

A straight 'canal' leads to the circular Moon pond, flanked by crescent ponds, and overlooked by the Temple of Piety.

The waterside path then leads on to Studley Lake where manicured grounds give way to a more natural park. Having already spent more time here than we'd intended, we crossed the bridge and returned on the opposite side of the valley, leaving the deer park to be explored another time.

There's so much to be seen that I could easily spend a whole day wandering around. Maybe a plan for next spring ...

A Trip to the Moon

Museum of the Moon had been at Derby Cathedral for the past month or so, but we left it till almost the last minute to visit.

In case you haven't heard of it, it's a huge art installation by Luke Jerram - a 7 metre diameter inflatable replica of the moon. Its surface is actually smooth but from a short distance, and certainly in photographs, the detail in the image gives the impression of a 3D surface. Also, you get to see the elusive far side which never faces Earth.

Maybe because we caught one of the last days and a lot of other folks had the same idea, maybe because the acoustics of the cathedral created echoes, and certainly because a sound check for Derby Folk Weekend was taking place at the time of our visit, there was a lot of noise which I found a bit off-putting.

I think it actually looks and feels stranger and more surreal in the photos than it did in the 'flesh'.

There are several 'Museums of the Moon' touring the world so it's quite likely to visit a place near you. I've seen it before at Timber Festival in 2018, when it was installed outside in a clearing between trees, and illuminated at night It's a very different experience to see it outside, and I think my preferred way.

Proper holidays - well, nearly

I'm back home after a whole SIX DAYS away. I know it's not long really, but for me it felt like an age. So many people have said to me 'you need a break', but it's hard to get back into the habit of taking holidays of any length when for so long it's been necessary to stay close to home.
It's only now I can take holidays again that I've considered how long ago my last proper holiday was. There've been short breaks - a couple of nights at Curious Arts Festival, another two in Edinburgh with my daughter - but 2015 is the most recent that I've been away for longer (three nights in Edinburgh, and four nights near St Davids in Pembrokeshire). As my parents' health deteriorated it just wasn't possible to leave home.

Free Fringe on the Royal Mile

Now I'm free to go away where and when I choose - and it's strange. Amongst other concerns, I find there are so many places I want to re-visit, and so many new ones to discover, that I don't know where to begin. We spent two nights at Timber festival in July, tested the whole 'going away' idea at the beginning of this month with two nights in Norfolk and now we've taken a whole five nights away from home!

Portobello beach

Loch Crinan - somewhere in the distance Iain Banks
 situated the fictional town of Gallanach

This time we headed North, first spending two nights just outside Edinburgh, hoping to see some of the Fringe festival and a bit of the coast. Then, while so many visitors to Scotland are heading off to the North Coast 500 route, we went west to Argyll, the setting for Iain Banks' novel, The Crow Road. (I took so many photos I had to split this section into two posts - Loch Fyne and Crinan; part one ; part two )I think folk are definitely missing out by dashing straight up north, but it keeps this lesser known area free of the tourist bustle.

Loch Sween

Both are places we know well, and have visited several times. Unfortunately it meant we knew of so many things to do, and places to visit, that attempting them all was impossible in the short time we had. Edinburgh was fun though, but Argyll was better, especially with our daughter along and persuading me to go swimming one evening in a sea loch. There'll be more photos to follow - but none of the swimming :)

Three Days Away - an almost holiday

I've been on holiday! 

Not a longhaul flight to somewhere exotic, not even a month in the country, but three days in Norfolk. To you it may not sound exciting but, apart from overnight stays to visit my youngest daughter, and trips to Curious Arts and Timber festivals, this is the nearest I've had to a proper holiday in years.

We were extremely lucky with the weather, considering the rain and floods elsewhere. Sometimes we carried coats 'in case' but once we reached Norfolk the skies were blue and sunny.

























We visited stately homes and gardens, wandered round the seaside towns of  Norfolk's north coast, ate in beachside cafes and sitting on harbour walls, popped into Norwich one evening for a book launch at the Bicycle Shop (which doesn't sell bikes), walked along the edge of salt marshes and beaches, and even went paddling.

I have lots and lots of photos which no doubt I'll end up sharing here in various different posts, but for now here's a taster ... Belton and Peckover on the way there, Cromer for fish and chips in the evening, Felbrigg, cromer again (and paddling!) Mundesley, Norwich at night, Blickling, Wells-next-the-Sea, Burnham Deepdale, and Hunstanton on the way home. A busy three days.

There was just one downside - that it was hard to be away from home without remembering why it was even possible. There has to be a first time though and, in that respect, I'm glad it's over.

I've now planned a longer break (though still not a week) to Scotland later this month, and I'm starting to think about autumn adventures.

At Carsington - Dreaming of the seaside on a sunny day

I live too far from the sea.
 In fact it's hard (though just about possible) to get further from the sea in Britain than where I live.

For the past few years when I couldn't take holidays, Carsington Water acted as a substitute.
It has water - either blue and serene, or grey and choppy - yachts that make that jangling harbour-side noise when moored, and windsurfers.

Walk along the dam or out to Stones Island, and you can pretend you're walking along a seaside prom.

It's the next best thing to real sea.
It just doesn't have sand, or a spot where I can paddle.

Although I had a real actual seaside break planned for later in the week, I couldn't resist the chance for a few minutes at Carsington last Monday