Summer festivals - 2022

 The last couple of days have turned warm and sunny, a(nother) heatwave is forecast for the coming week, summer is here. And that means festival time! I suppose it really kicked off at Hay with the Book Festival and How The Light Gets In taking place at the end of May/first week of June, but now I'm seeing setlists and ticket warnings popping up everywhere over social media - and I'm beginning to think I've dithered too long trying to decide where to go. Should it be somewhere familiar, or break out and go for somewhere new? Just one event, or as many as I have the energy for?

You'll notice that there's a similarity to the festivals I've chosen to talk about. Not Glastonbury or Download. There are obviously plenty of music festivals around to choose from but I'm looking for something a little different.- something that's like a microcosm of how I feel life should be. There should be talks and discussions to stretch the mind and inspire me, music or drama to entertain (comedy if you must, although it's not really my thing), good food, and something to perhaps help me step out of my comfort zone - the mere thought of camping was challenging enough at first, but I survived; now I'm thinking of wild swimming or fire walking.

First chronologically comes a new festival - Kite, at Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire which I've discovered too late as it's on this weekend. One to note for next year, it promises a mix of music and ideas, so seems like my kind of event.

 

At the beginning of July, it's time for Timber Festival to return to Feanedock in the National Forest. promising three days of  'music, forests. art, ideas', a chance to unplug and recharge among the tree. This is a special place of regenerated woodland on old industrial sites, and the area just goes to show what can be achieved when nature's allowed to flourish. I've attended on two occasions (before the pandemic) and enjoyed it immensely; so much that when 2020's event was cancelled, I watched on line and took part at a distance.  

The smaller Eerie stage, hidden among the trees

At its heart, Timber holds the belief that we should all slow down and pay attention to the natural world around us - for our own good, and for that of the planet - and the acts and activities reflect this. 

There are two music stages, with The Orielles, Holy Moly and the Crackers, and Penguin Cafe headlining,  and one given over more to discussions. 

 Oral historians, organic food growers, environmentalists and poets will be talking about the importance for them of working with rather than against nature. There's a special feature on slow food, 'clean, and fair for both people and planet' which is something which interests me greatly, from my standpoint of back-garden vegetable grower. throughout the three days there'll be wellbeing walks, a light trail inspired by nature, yoga and tai chi sessions, opportunities to try your hand at woodwork, forest bathing or circus skills - whatever takes your fancy.

 

Having been I can say it's definitely a family-friendly festival with activities and entertainment aimed for both young and old (although I have joined in some of the 'young' activities too) Oh, and, yes, there's firewalking. It's said to be empowering, but to me just seems terrifying. I'd probably miss that.  

The following weekend, 8- 10 July, it's the turn of ALSO festival, held in 50 acres of lakeside parkland at Compton Verney in Warwick. 'Where ideas run wild' is its motto, so you can see why it appeals to me. 

To get your mind unfurling psychologists and authors discuss what makes you 'you', unveil gendered emotions, the hidden culture of bi-sexuality or the universe around you. Sort of like TED talks in a field, that might leave you with your opinions changed or at least challenged.

It's not all sitting around listening though. There are plenty of practical things to occupy you for much longer than three days - cookery and craft workshops, a foraging walk, double dutch skipping or dance as new exercise routines, and guided wild swims.  

 

 And, of course, there's music - it wouldn't be a festival without it - and with everything from DJ sets to a Gospel Choir via rock n roll and folk there's surely something for everyone.

 Camp Good Life in September (16th-18th) promises 'bonfires, harvest. mellow mist, apples, lingering wood smoke, foraging, strong booze and giant feasts'. Honestly what could be a better way to round off summer? Held in the shadow of two castles at Hawarden in North Wales, it's obviously about the things in life which make us feel good.

There's a music tent, another for speakers with talks that cover anything and everything - the history of Wales from the 60s, confessions of a whale scavenger, rockclimbing, and the birth of pop'. A marquee adjacent to the bar provides a space for evening DJs. There are craft areas, campfire cooking sessions,  and this year weekend campers are being offered a free meal each day. You can go wild swimming or paddle boarding in the lake, or take your canine friend along for the dog diving competition - because this is a family festival that believes dogs are an integral part of the family.

They claim to have the best festival loos, incredible showers and the best on site farm shop (possibly the only one)

It sounds like a celebration of the best things of life - food, music, family; quality not quantity. With this in mind numbers are limited, and possibly even sold out by now. But, all is not lost, as the Good Life team are also putting together a series of Summer Camps in July. Described as micro-festivals they'll have speakers, workshops and good food. And during August you can stay at the small campsite, join guided wild swims in the lake, a tour of the older castle dating back to the 12th century, or time your camping trip to coincide with an evening of music or an all-day feast (some of these things are just at planning stage, and whie I've seen mention of them in e-mails, I can't find details on the Good Life Society website but I'm sure they'll be there soon)

I realised putting this post together that these festivals are broadly similar. They all have beautiful locations where you could just relax and take in the peace and quiet .You could try a new craft or activity. You could listen to speakers challenge and inspire you, then dance all night. Inspiring. Relaxing. Joyous.A wonderful way to spend a weekend.

photo accreditation; Timber - Andrew Allcock,   Also - Diccon Towns, Good Life - Department Two

Missing Out - on festivals

 Today is the first day of Timber Festival and I'm a bit downhearted that I didn't feel confident enough to go in some capacity - either volunteer or general public.

I've been twice before as a 'pioneer' - in 2018 and 2019 - blogging about the festival before and after, and tweeting during it - and absolutely loved the experience. Last year I'd intended volunteering (after all seems only fair that having had two free years I should give something back) but I hadn't got that far before Covid stepped in and cancelled everything. Last year though, everyone was missing out so there seemed a certain solidarity about not being able to go. Some of the events went online, and I had a private mini-festival at home.

This year, feels different. The festival is going ahead - and is even sold out - but I didn't dare think of going. I'm not young anymore (over 60) and, although I'm now double vaccinated, after over a year hardly going anywhere to go somewhere with people around feels risky and incredibly strange. I need more time to acclimatise to the 'new normal'.

I do wish I'd been brave enough to go though.

It's made me realise how quickly I've come to love festivals of this nature - not a young person's music festival, but one for all ages which seeks to educate and enlighten as well as entertain. Curious Arts Festival in 2016 my was first experience - a mix of bookish chat during the daytime, and comedy and music at night, held in the grounds of Pylewell Park in Hampshire. And after Timber, I'd discovered others. Also festival in Warwickshire which describes itself as an 'ideas' festival but which also has a range of experiences from yoga to wild swimming you can join in with, and The Good Life Experience in North Wales (another one which I joined online last year) are at the top of my festival 'bucket list', but although both are going ahead this year in one form or another, I've decided to sit things out for a while. 

I miss the excitement. I miss waking to the dawn chorus and sun shining through the tent. I miss festival food, and listening to, or trying, new things that I wouldn't bother with at home. I almost even miss rolling out of bed because the pitch wasn't quite as level as I thought, or overhearing late night conversations from the next-door tent. 

Hopefully next year will be easier for planning ahead because I have so much more I want to do before I get too old!

2020 - an undeniably odd year

 Well, 2020 isn't a year I'd want to repeat. I normally do a round up of highlights but when I first thought about it I couldn't think of what to include ... then I had a little think.

First of all, the year didn't start dreadfully. January, February, and the beginning of March were filled with lots of new and exciting things. At Nottingham Playhouse I saw Gecko Theatre and their particular brand of physical theatre,  

Ira Wolf

At the end of January my daughter was back here for a gig  in Nottingham with singer/songwriter Ira Wolf who'd come all the way from Nashville! 

Hopton snowdrops

February was about snowdrop hunting - at Kedleston, Hopton  and Walsingham - 

Salford Quays

on an overnight visit to my daughter in Manchester I visited Salford Quays,  Hall, and Lyme Park., and at the end of the month we all went to Norfolk for a weekend break (staying in a converted chapel). March brought daffodils at Shipley, a surprise trip to Nottingham Playhouse to see Moonlight and Magnolias, a last minute trip to Manchester, and, yes, lockdown.

The mere possibility of doing anything, let alone something new, seemed to go out the window, but even so I found unexpected things to do.

Streamed theatre on tv really impressed me. I never imagined this would replace real theatre but I'd definitely recommend it, and having one day a week with something 'special' happening took some of the tedium out of the first lockdown.

Kedleston 

As summer progressed I headed outdoors again, as safely as possible, mainly to places charging an entrance fee (the free-to-all beauty spots of the Peak District regularly made the news with photos of crowds). Even though I was limited to local places, I still found new areas to explore. At Calke I discovered the wider parkland, at Kedleston found walks beside the lakes, and through the Wilderness , and at Chatsworth gardeners were still working on a new area of planting, opening up an area which was previously just woodland and creating a series of flower-filled glades across the hillside. 

A particular delight was going back time after time (far more than in a 'normal' year) to these places and seeing the seasons change, from summer's heat to autumn's bright foliage, and rounding the year off with a trip to see Chatsworth's outdoor Christmas lights.

Online art at The Good Life
Experience

Over the months, as it become obvious that 'real life' events wouldn't be able to take place, a variety of festivals went digital. Yes, I sat and watched old footage from Glastonbury but I also called in at book festivals at Hay and Edinburgh, pretended I was in Fearnedock forest at Timber Fesitval, and (the big find of this year for me) joined in with art, cookery and inspiring talks at The Good Life Experience. This is a festival I have to go to one day. I don't feel quite comfortable yet about booking tickets for this year, but maybe another.

At home I've pottered round the garden, being more focused on growing vegetables than previous years. Rather oddly, as I haven't really being seeing anyone who might know me, I decided it was time to dump the dull black/navy clothes, pay a little bit more attention to what I wear and brighten my wardrobe. It's proved quite cheering picking out something red or purple to wear instead of sticking to the same old boring clothes. I've joined an online art group, but after being initially enthusiastic I rather let it drop in the run-up to Christmas (I'd better add 'make an effort' to my new year resolutions).

The best bits of this year have undoubtedly been the rare occasions it was possible to meet with family. It was easier to see my elder daughter, who lives relatively nearby, for a walk somewhere outside, but meeting up with the younger in Manchester was harder. In retrospect, I wish we'd been braver and arranged picnics somewhere in the countryside between here and there, but safe is better than sorry. 

It's definitely been an odd year, when time seems to have alternately stood still, and then galloped past. Here's hoping 2021 will  be better and brighter.

Six Months On ...

 Who would have thought back in March that we'd still be more or less under lockdown six months later? And, of course, now we seem to be moving back towards tighter restrictions rather than less.

Certainly there were hints about a second wave that would hit us in autumn but I'm not sure how many of us really paid attention to them. I feel if I'd really understood at the beginning how long this would go on for I would have panicked far more. It has definitely been the weirdest six months I've known - a bizarre mix of carrying on as normal and isolation.

 

 At the beginning of lockdown I thought I'd keep track of what I was doing week to week but as things returned to a sort of normal in June I let it slip. It didn't seem possible to let the six month mark pass without comment, though. Looking back on those early posts, I realise I was approaching things in a different manner then - treating the time a little bit like a holiday, but also obsessing over my storecupboard supplies.

Since then things have settled into a routine that honestly isn't far from how I'd normally spend my time. My garden has been brilliant for easing anxiety - whether sitting enjoying sun and flowers, or getting exercise digging and tending vegetables, there's a degree of mindfulness to gardening in whichever guise. My husband's spent a huge part of every day at the allotment, and the freezer is feeling the benefit with bags of tomatoes, cauliflower and beans. And at the same time, the various produce gluts have rekindled my interest in cooking - searching out or dreaming up ways to use an excess of cauliflower, cucumber or kale. 

I've discovered I like the quiet time this gives me. As I've always been a stay at home mum it's been rather like returning to earlier times when my husband was at work, and my daughters at school. I've pottered about, doing housework and gardening, tackled various sewing projects that had been abandoned, even started some new ones, and mostly used the peace and quiet for reflection and trying to work out what I'd like to do long-term in retirement (when restrictions ever lift).

I thought I'd miss going out more than I have, but online streaming has brought music, festivals, and theatre to my living room. In the first few weeks I watched a lot of musicians' online shows, but after a while the novelty of them died. I loved the wide range of productions streamed by the National Theatre, BBC in quarantine, and Globe TV, and I hope they'll bring this back in some form or other over winter (pay to view would be fine as obviously theatres can't keep going forever with no income). I've also been to a variety of festivals on-line - Front Room Festival from Folk on Foot, Hay and Edinburgh book festivals, Timber Festival, The Good Life Experience, and even caught up with some old highlights from Glastonbury. Being fairly well entertained at home, I certainly haven't been tempted to go out to pubs, restaurants or music venues; I'll leave that to younger, fitter folk who are at less risk.

Turns out though that it's six months since I went into a shop! That's almost unbelievable. Grocery shopping is done through a click and collect service, so a brief 'hello' and 'thank you' is all the contact I have with staff. Clothes (yes, despite my resolution to stop buying, some sale items have found their way here), and various bits and pieces that can't be found in supermarkets are bought online, or through delivery services from local shops. I feel like I could easily slip into becoming a recluse who never leaves the house!

To counter that I've been taking as many opportunities as I can to go out walking. Living near to the Peak District, a lot of places I might have visited have been busy, but local National Trust properties and Chatsworth gardens, maybe because they've had a book-ahead system for tickets, have been quieter, and excellent places to go for an afternoon out. Going back several times to some of these places, it's been lovely to see the season change, summer advance and autumn arrive. 

We've been lucky in that as a couple we're retired, so there's no need to worry about work or income, and as a family we have no older generations to worry about. On the downside, I've only seen eight people (including my husband) during this whole time. There are the supermarket guys, and the people to whom I say hi while out walking (at a safe distance) but they hardly count as people I've held conversations with. 

I wish I'd been able to see both daughters more, and, although video calls and silly online quizzes helped fill the gap, looking back sometimes I think we may have been more cautious than necessary. Luckily we had a big family meet up planned for the day before the 'rule of six' came in; the weather was sunny, we had lunch delivered, and sat in the sun while my grandson ran round and round. Who knows when we'll be able to do that again, but I'd rather be certain we all made it through to the other side of this (there will be an end - all things pass) than took chances now.

Moving forward, another six months of semi-isolation, especially falling over winter, doesn't look appealing. Time to make the most of the sunshine, some quiet mindfulness, and finding something to keep me busy.

The Good Life Experience, at home

Over the weekend I was 'out' at another festival -The Good Life Experience.
In better times this would take place at Hawarden Castle in North Wales but this year the real life event has been postponed and re-formatted into a social-distancing-friendly online event beamed straight to festival-goers living rooms.

I first heard about it quite a few years ago, when, having dipped my toe in the festival scene at Curious Arts, I wanted to rush out and experience more. The Good Life Experience seemed a good fit for me - a celebration of all the things that aren't fast, commercial and 9-to-5, from crafts and cookery, to wild swimming and star-gazing.
Life got in the way back then but it's still on my 'festival bucket list', and if anything this year's at home taster session has deepened my desire to go.
For this year though, the Good Life Experience had to move online; free, but only for those who already have tickets for next year, or, like me, have our names down on the waiting list. In advance I received a package with info about events, vinyl to to take part in a creative workshop, recipes for the campfire cookery, and badges and stickers. Putting plans together it almost seemed like heading off to a real life festival.

I didn't try to do everything. I often arrive at festivals with plans to do and see a hundred things, but they never work out. I did have a busy, fun day though.

I started at 10 with a stretch and exercise class led by Leighton Sharpe.  It's not normally my kind of thing, and even less likely to be at a festival after a late night and erratic sleep in the tent, but sitting around with a cup of tea after breakfast I thought I'd look in via Zoom and discovered that the early part of the session looked do-able even for me, though I did drop out quite soon.
Later I caught a variety of Good Life Experience 'regulars' talking under the banner of Reimagine Your Life about how they'd coped through lockdown - the affect on their businesses and daily lives, what they'd learned, watched, listened to. It made me reflect on my year, what I've missed, and what I've oddly enjoyed about this time. Perhaps I'll stretch these thoughts into a post later.

Cerys Mathews read poetry.


Romy Gill demonstrated things to make on a campfire that were a far cry from toasted marshmallows and burnt (but still sadly uncooked) sausages.

In his Reasons To Be Cheerful event Mark Shayler introduced three people who via diverse paths have found their special 'thing' in life - for Kingsley Walters that was leatherwork, for Yvonne Telford, designing vibrant clothes to make women stand out, and for Amanjot Singh Johal it was running a specialist 'gin joint'. Mark's idea of 'have less, buy better' is something that I realise I've been practising for many years - buying individually produced craft pieces or clothes instead of high street mass production. I think my life is enriched by it, and anyway I like to have things which are a little bit unusual.

David Setter led a vinyl art workshop. It's a little like cutting out shapes of ready-gummed paper to create a collage - but trickier and demanding much more dexterity. David made it look so easy! I'm pleased with my finished kingfisher, adding some leftover scraps to make water, and might try to make another picture from the leftover snippets.

After demonstrations of campfire cooking and how to mix a perfect G+T, I decided to try both, bringing my day to a close cooking in the easier environment of my kitchen while the festival disco track played in the background. My attempt at roti flat bread wasn't a success (both burnt and undercooked like campfire sausages), but both courgette sabzi and the G+T were excellent.













All in all I had a really enjoyable day (although my daughter rather laughed at me attending an on-line festival). There were other activities I could have taken part in - joined a dance workshop, learned how to whittle a spoon, or watched a dog show held on Zoom (possibly the best use of that platform that I've heard of). One day I'll get along to Hawarden itself (perhaps next year with luck) but for now I have something to occupy me ...




Included with the information pack was The Good Life Handbook; fourteen activities for fourteen weekends - a preview of a book to be published later this year, full of challenging and engaging things to do. I firmly believe that despite my age there are new things to experience and discover (and, no, not a trip to Bali. That's never been my style), so I'll be trying some of these activities, and maybe adding some of my own.

Making plans for late summer/autumn - dog-friendly festivals (2018)

Dylan the dog at Curious Arts Festival

I've already written about local, day-out, festivals taking place in the coming month or so, but having come late in life to the excitement of a proper weekender festival - staying in the tent, being entertained all day and late into the evening, not having to cook for the whole weekend - I'm now eager to get 'out there' and discover more. For a weekend away though, I need to take Dylan the dog along. I wouldn't want to take him somewhere over-crowded where sheer numbers of people might upset him, but there are festivals out there that welcome dogs, and he's tested a couple. We've taken him to Curious Arts Festival twice, and I think he enjoyed it - mainly sleeping throughout the literary and comedy events, and 'watching' the music from the safety of the back of the marquee, but paying very little interest in the other dogs there. This summer we took him along to a local one-day festival, and he snoozed through most of that, so I think it's fair to say dogs and festivals can mix!

So with Dylan, and any other dogs who feel they'd like to try festivalling with their owners, in mind, I've been checking out where they could go this Autumn ... we may not get to any of them this year, but if not, we'll try next autumn.

First up - for the Bank Holiday, a real historical treat, England's Medieval Festival  held 24th-27th August at Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex. I'm a great fan of 'living history' events, and went to a lot when my children were young, but they were small affairs with maybe half a dozen 'knights' and their households. This event looks huge!






There'll be a siege camp (and daily siege), a living history village, falconry, jousting, archery, gunnery, and sword-fighting demonstrations, medieval minstrels shows with music and dance. There'll be medieval themed food (or something more familiar) The children's area, Kids Kingdom, will have activities specially for younger ones - jesters and wizards, have-a-go archery, and story-telling. For those staying on site overnight, entertainment continues with a torch lit parade, folk music, and a fire pit to gather round.







I think this looks fantastic - and of course, dogs are welcome, though there's a warning on the website about gunfire, and advising care near horses and birds of prey. I just wish it was better located from my point of view; north of London, rather than south.

photo credit -Nenad Obradovic

There's a complete change of pace for my next find. The Good Life Experience, taking place 14-16th September, at Hawarden, Flintshire, was set up by four friends - musician and broadcaster Cerys Matthews, record industry and arts consultant Steve Abbott, and Charlie and Caroline Gladstone, farmers, authors, and the folk behind 'Peddlars' brand - in search of something which epitomised their ideas of The Good Life, as a sort of antidote to fast-paced commercial consumerism.

photo credit - Jonathan Cherry

So, expect music, books, talks, crafts, poetry, campfire cooking sessions, wild swimming, great food, yoga, tai chi, stargazing, a vintage fairground, an adventure playground (might just be for children that one ) and "axe throwing for everyone". 

photo credit - Rachel Kay

The whole vibe is one of family-friendly outdoorsy fun and relaxation.

photo credit - Jonathan Cherry

photo credit - Charlie Budd

Dogs are definitely welcome (apart from in the main music tent), after all part of the 'good life' concept is spending quality time with family and friends, and your dog definitely counts as one of them. There's even an opportunity for your best friend to learn a few new tricks with The Incredibly Clever Canine Circus. How cute is that? Dylan (and my husband) may think 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks', but I'm a firm believer in 'you're never too old to learn' so it's worth a try.










Next we're heading east, to the wide open skies and marches stretching as far as the eye can see of North Norfolk. Burnham Deepdale is a small place on the road between Brancaster and Wells next the Sea, which you could easily speed past, but don't, because it has lovely walks along the edge of the marshes, an interesting round towered church, and Deepdale Backpackers and Camping which is home to Deepdale Festival 







Taking place on 28- 30th September (and nearly sold out for on-site camping, though it is possible to buy a day-ticket and stay elsewhere) it has a little bit of everything for almost every musical taste - rock, blues, country, folk - spread over three stages.






In addition there'll be street performers, poets, star gazing, fire pits, drum workshops, street food, real ales and gins, the usual array of small shops of Burnham Market plus pop-up shops and stalls.
This caught my attention in the first place because it's a part of Norfolk that I love and I'd vaguely thought that Deepdale might be a place to experiment with taking our tent (so far it's only been to a couple of festivals). A festival just gives me another excuse to go :)

photo credit NT/Eric McDonald

Heading down to Devon now, for the National Trust's SouthWest Outdoor Festival . Taking place over 5-7th October near Salcombe, this is a rather more serious outdoors festival with canoeing, coasteering, stand-up-paddleboarding, trail running, and mountain bike challenges. Fortunately for lazier outdoors folk (me) there are also more sedate activities - including guided walks, yoga, foraging, bushcraft and star-gazing.

Conrad Humphreys
photo credit NT/Lloyd Russell

And if even that sounds energetic, there are lots of free talks so you can listen to others tell of their intrepid adventures. Conrad Humphreys's journey re-creating Cptn Bligh's open-boat voyage after the Mutiny on the Bounty sounds fascinating, but I wouldn't want to do it myself! There are activities specially for younger family members, including the National Trust's  '50 things before you're 11 ¾' challenge, and campfire story-telling in the evenings. Although not primarily a music festival, there will be live music ranging from folk to indie-rock via 'Americano didgry blues'. Well-behaved dogs are welcome (though I suspect that if you want to take part in some activities you're going to need a friend or partner to look after your dog)

If that sounds too strenuous, head further south and west, to Cornwall's rugged Atlantic coast for North Cornwall Book Festival , taking place on the same weekend, 4-7th October, at St Endellion, not far from Doc Martin's Port Isaac. This is a rarity in being a book festival that dogs can attend. I love Edinburgh and Hay book festivals, but only guide dogs are allowed in to the actual festival sites. Admittedly, even here, dogs aren't allowed into ALL events - as a rule of thumb, they're fine under canvas, but not in buildings - but there's more than enough where they could happily come along (just check which before driving to Cornwall)

Joanna Trollope

The emphasis is obviously on the written word, with both author events (Joanna Trollope, Patrick Gale, Wyl Menmuir, Jill Murphy, to just name a few) and writing workshops, but there's also an exhibition of lino prints and wood engravings, a bookbinding workshop, and music and 'unbridled cabaret' in the evenings. It all sounds rather fun!




Unlike the other festivals I've covered, this isn't an all-inclusive camping experience. It's held in and around St Endellion church and accommodation needs to be found elsewhere, but this is a popular tourist area, and October is a little out of season so there should be lots of choice if you're travelling from outside the area. Tickets are for individual events rather than for the whole festival, so I'd be tempted to add a little holiday as well - drop in on an author talk or two, join in with the evening fun, and take some time to re-visit the fishing villages and beaches of this part of Cornwall - and in early October it might just still be warm enough for swimming ...