Festival season; it's not all about Glastonbury

 Every year when Glastonbury weekend comes around my social media feeds are full of people talking about it - some watching it on TV, some reminiscing about the time they went, some lucky folks actually there. And, always one to not miss out on something, I think maybe I should try and go one year - after all I may be old but not as old as some of the performers.

Then I look at the crowds, think about standing for hours, walking between tent and stages, queuing for toilets, and acknowledge that it's not really for me (unless, you know, I could go along as a VIP or maybe a headliner's guest)

I've come to festivalling late in life, so maybe it's age, maybe it's just that I like things a little quieter but I prefer something smaller, more intimate, less hectic, more relaxing, with a mix of music, activities, and ideas.

One of my favourites is Timber Festival, almost on my doorstep in the National Forest, to which I've been several times as one of their 'pioneer' bloggers. Held this year on the 7-9th July, talks will be headlined by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path and Landlines, music by The Go! Team, Keston Cobblers Club, and Sister Wives. At the heart of the programming lies the forging and maintaining of our relationship with nature in general, and trees in particular.  Workshops range from guerrilla gardening to writing, foraging walks to yoga, printing with leaves to learning how to decoratively fix holes in clothes. I find there's always something new to discover.

A logical sort of progression from Timber is The Green Gathering, at Piercefield Park, near Chepstow, 3-6th August. It maybe has a 'hippie' sort of vibe but I think there's a lot that all of us could learn from it. As the 'original off-grid festival', the whole event is powered by renewable energy, and there are folks around to show you how it's done, and how you could do it too. At the speakers Forum you'll find experts discussing green issues such as climate change, building a greener Britain and Wales' Net Zero initiative. In the craft area you can learn the skills necessary for a more sustainable life - mending tools, making things from wood or willow, even having a go at making a trinket at the Nowhere Forge  - or in the Campaigns Field you can learn about social and environmental issues. It's not a totally serious weekend though. There's an eclectic array of musical artists from folk to psychedelic sounds via politically-conscious singer songwriters.  Anyone who follows me on either Twitter or Instagram will know I grow my own veg and fruit, turn it into meals, jam and pickles, knit, sew, and am generally looking out for ways to live a greener life, so in many ways this is an obvious choice for me.

If that's a bit too 'out there' for you, I'd suggest a gentle relaxing weekend in Capability Brown parkland at ALSO festival on Park Farm Estate, Compton Verney, in Warwickshire. The setting is wonderful, with the original landscaping making level areas by the lake just right for camping pitches, food marquees, and stages. 

This year -14th-16th July - is ALSO's tenth anniversary and there'll be as wide a range of speakers as ever, including Jess Philips MP, Sara Pascoe, Robin Ince, and Jeffrey Boakye, music to dance the night away to, an organised run or dance workshops for the energetic, paddle-boarding and swimming at the lake, or just chill out in the beautiful parkscape. A new addition is the food festival within the festival, with a wider range of bookable lunches, masterclasses and tastings. 

This is an event that I was invited along to last year but just because I went for free doesn't mean it wasn't any less special.

photo credit: The Big Feastival

For food lovers there's a treat at The Big Feastival 25-27th August in the Cotswolds. I stumbled across this festival last year, when Kathy Slack (whose cookery demonstration I'd seen at ALSO), announced she was appearing. The emphasis, perhaps obviously, is on food with over 20 chefs cooking and inspiring festival-goers,and Feast on the Farm with Pasture offers a three course sit down lunch or dinner for anyone who thinks fine-dining belongs only in a restaurant. The offerings from street food traders looks wonderful too.

photo credit: The Big Feastival

This is also, of my chosen list, the festival with biggest music headliners - Sigrid, Tom Brennan, Blossoms, and Rick Astley,  I think it was rightly described as 'Glastonbury but with lots more delicious food'.*  There's also a vintage funfair, a fire pit with cookery demos (you'll never look at your backgarden bbq the same way again), a craft corner, children's entertainment in the Big Top, a chance for both adults and children to get hands on with M&S cookdery classes, and a hot dog eating competition (most? quickest? with least tomato ketchup on your top? I know which one I'd win)

photo credit: Department Two

 Now if you still thought these festivals sounded too large and busy, then there's one, or a series, designed specially for you. For several years The Good Life Experience festival was held in early September at Hawarden Castle in North Wales, but now the organisers have decided to change to a series of Summer Camps held on four weekends throughout July. 

photo credit:
Department Two

In form they're much like the festival was - celebrating the good things in life with food, music, workshops, talks, lake swimming, and paddle-boarding - but with far less participants so you can actually get to know your fellow festivallers/campers. There'll be evening feasts prepared by chefs like Romy Gill or Valentine Warner, a secluded castle garden to explore, new activities to try, new skills to learn. As co-founder Charlie Gladstone puts it "Summer Camp will be a retreat, a place to recharge and to explore new places and ideas". 

It sounds idyllic to me.

There's one event left which I'd recommend for anyone interested in a different slant on the news -  Byline Festival, which has been running in Sussex for several years but is now moving to the Dartington Trust near Totnes in Devon. It's mission, in the words of sister orgainsation the Byline Times,  is to shed light on 'what the papers don't say' and is packed with speakers such as Jonathan Pie, Bonnie Greer OBE, Joanna Scanlan, George Monbiot, and Carole Cadwalladr, with the serious talks interspersed with good food and dancing. There's one regrettable snag though - it's so popular that it's sold out! There is a 'wait list' though in case of any ticket returns.

Another snag prevents me personally from packing up my tent and spending all summer under the festival skies - after a series of unfortunate mishaps with twisted ankles and pulled leg muscles walking on grass is too hazardous for me, and the thought of putting up the tent makes me shudder. Hopefully I'll be back to full fitness for next summer. Fingers crossed.

*by Zahra Surya Darma Conde Nast Traveler

Mishaps with a tent; not as prepared as I thought

A month ago we were packed and heading off to Timber festival. With Covid disrupting life, it had been a while since we'd stayed in the tent but I assumed I'd soon get the hang of it again. 

Preparation is important, especially after a gap, so we practiced putting up the tent and inflating the air-beds, and everything seemed fine. I practiced getting up off the floor. I dug out my alleged 'festival' clothes, varnished my nails, and was ready to go.

But thing didn't run to plan; I should have seen it as a sign when I realised about 10 minutes from home that I'd forgotten my hairbrush! We got there, put up the tent without too much trouble, went back to the car for a second load of clothes/inflatable beds/shoes, and everything seemed fine. But heading downhill to the festival proper I began to realise what a strain carrying things from car park to campsite had been. By half past eight I exhausted, and longing for a comfy bed. When we returned to the tent in the evening one of the beds had deflated, and even on the other I just couldn't settle so we decided to take the easy way out and go home for the night, returning in the morning.

 For a festival half an hour away from home this, while not ideal, proved a workable solution, but a couple of days later I received an invitation for ALSO festival. This wasn't an opportunity I wanted to pass up on, although being in Warwickshire there was no way I could nip home each evening.

 So ... we tested the beds again - this time actually sleeping on them for a night at home - and they were fine; they presumably just hadn't been closed properly. We were ready to go! Sort of.

I'm at stage of age and fitness (ie old and unfit) where I can't go out one weekend, exhaust myself, rest during the week, and be ready to go again the next weekend. ALSO luckily is one of the few festivals where you can drive your car onto the camping site, so no problems with carrying equipment this time. 

Unfortunately it left us a bit careless about choosing where to pitch the tent. While some of the campervans and glamping tents were on flat areas beside the actual festival site, tents were on a slope above. It didn't look too steep from the car, so we chose a spot with a view down to the main stage where we could just see the lake in the distance. Very pretty - if we'd been staying in the tent all weekend - but all the events, plus food and toilets were at the bottom of the slope, and what goes down has to come back up again. Remember my legs hadn't really recovered from the previous weekend (I saw small children running up and down quite happily); a bit more thought and planning would have improved our weekend a lot. 

So, there are lessons to be learned for another time, whether at festivals or on holiday, but I haven't been put off. I like the wildness, and back to nature vibe of staying in the tent, even when it's erected in manicured parkland, and I'm eager to try it on a slightly wilder campsite.

If you'd like to read about the actual festivals rather than my mishaps with a tent, follow the links below

Timber 

ALSO

Timber 2022

I'm still recovering from a weekend of music and activities at Timber Festival on the wonderful Feanedock site in the National Forest. This is the fourth year (with a gap in 2020) that the festival has taken place here and it's a fitting setting for a celebration of woods and outdoors, as not so long ago this area was given over to open-cast mining; now through landscaping and the planting of trees, it's returning to nature. 

With a mix of woodland and open glades, it divides naturally into a series of linked but separate spaces for stages, food vendors, well-being activities, woodland crafts, and campfire discussions. 

Smoke Fairies

Despite all my scribblings in the programme, I didn't find time to everything I would have liked to do. We were there nice and early on Friday to catch Smoke Fairies kicking off the show on the Eyrie stage, and caught lots of incredible acts here and on the bigger Nightingale stage, lying back in the afternoon sun, eating dairy-free ice cream, and letting the music wash over me.

 Favourites? 

Smoke Fairies, atmospheric and haunting. 

The Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, full of life, Bollywood rhythms, and joyous exuberance.  

Lunatraktors' modern protest songs and clog dancing.

Josienne Clarke silhouetted by the sun

 Josienne Clarke, despite her claims that all her songs seemed a bit melancholy, I loved their gentle sound

Ceitidh Mac on the
beautifully-sited Eyrie stage

In between there was Ivan Campo (an Indie folk trio, not the Spanish footballer), Kabantu, Mishra, Ceitidh Mac, and Haiku Salut, Unfortunately, Holy Moly and the Crackers due to close the festival on Sunday evening, and who I've been trying to catch for years, had to cancel at the last minute (but I might not have still been awake by then). By the way, dancing - whether ceilidh or bollywood - I left to others.

In and among this, I found time to  make wildflower seed balls with the National Memorial Arboretum; I dropped in and out (that's the beauty of an outdoor festival) of various talks and discussions, as wide ranging as Simon Armitage reading from his new book, The Owl and the Nightingale, and Steve Guy, aka The Hungry Guy, showing how to make your own vinegar. The most interesting I found were Louisa Ziane on the amount of waste in food production, and how Toast ale came into being to use up unwanted bread, and Dr Jack Matthews' Beginners Guide to Pebbles about the geology of  pebbles you might find in Charnwood Forest Geopark. 

In another wooded clearing, the Canopy, I watched Lives of Clay a story told through dance and music, mingling of the myths of Parvati and Shiva with a story of a modern Indian woman 

  

There were some slight disappointments - rain showers which found their way into the tent; Holy Moly and the Crackers couldn't perform as I've mentioned above, and Janet Ellis also had to cancel her Wilderness Tracks session; various glitches and injury plagued Timeless performance in a huge hour glass, and it never really seemed dark enough for the Gloaming Light Trail and the Unfurl Giants to be seen at their best.
 

But mainly it was a weekend of blissed out lazing in the sun.

Next year Timber will run from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th July, and Early Bird tickets are on sale now - see here 

I was asked along to Timber, and my ticket paid for, by the organisers Wild Rumpus, though I made a donation to the pay-it-forward scheme which aims to raise fund for free tickets for carers. Views are, of course, my own.

Off to the Forest for Timber Festival

It's one week to go till Timber Festival, and I'm delighted to have been invited along again by organisers Wild Rumpus.

This welcoming, family friendly festival is held on 1-3 July, at Feanedock, a 70 acre site in the National Forest, where trees are beginning to reclaim the land after years of open-cast mining. The underlying theme of the festival echoes this regenerative power of nature, encouraging us to get outside, sit under a tree, and feel the calming, restorative properties of natural surroundings. All the outdoorsy sort of stuff I try to incorporate into my life.

 With this in mind a lot of guest speakers will be talking about their involvement with nature - whether it's the impact of increasing woodland in the UK, or adventuring off the beaten track, discussing climate mitigation (and why it might not be enough) or planet-friendly food, there's plenty to give food (sorry) for thought. 

It's a festival, so of course there's music. The big Nightingale Stage will host a wide variety of sounds over the weekend from folk to Latin rhythms, with Penguin Cafe, The Orielles, and Holy Moly and the Crackers headlining the three evenings, while among the trees at the smaller Eyrie Stage there's alt-folk, Bollywood, and late night DJ sets. And if you fancy something more intimate, there's storytelling, spoken word performances and music around the campfire in the DIY Utopia area.

Throughout the day you could learn woodland survival crafts, spoon carving or leaf identification, participate in a dance workshop and early morning yoga, join in with a maypole dance or a drumming workshop. Or if all of this is too hectic, you could try forest bathing, follow the Gloaming Light Trail, or just lie back and listen to the trees.

I mentioned earlier the family-friendly nature of Timber, and there are certainly lots of activities for children though I haven't really covered them. To me, what's more important is that site, facilities etc are suitable for us older folks, and at Timber I've always found them to be. An added bonus at the moment is that everything takes place either outside or in well ventilated tents; I've avoided Covid so far, and I'd like to keep it that way if at all possible. An outdoor event seems a safe way to have fun.

As befits an eco-conscious event, Timber are promoting a variety of ways to travel without cars - the Timber Bike Ride, free bus shuttles from nearby train stations, and incentives to all who arrive on foot. I'm too far away, (and let's face it, not fit enough to cycle or walk) but for folks like me there's th opportunity to off-set carbon emissions. You can find more information under their Sustainability section. 

 I've been along before as a 'Timber Pioneer' courtesy of Wild Rumpus in 2018 and 2019, and thoroughly enjoyed both weekends. Having missed two years, I'm very excited for next weekend, and really grateful to Wild Rumpus for asking me along. Weather permitting, this weekend we'll do a trial run of putting up the tent, and the sit down with the programme and start to plan who to see and what to do. I suspect as always there'll not quite be time for everything.

 

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.

Timber Festival at home

This weekend should have been Timber Festival, the National Forest's celebration of all things related to trees. The first acts were announced back before New Year but like so much else it's had to be cancelled. So, as with Glastonbury, I decided to have a mini-festival of my own at home; fortunately the Wild Rumpus team behind the festival had made arrangements ...

First up, on Friday evening, was a live on-line high wire act from Chris Bullzini, watched, not from the ground, but from up on the tightrope! Using the 360 feature I could see treetops at eye level, and ground far (too far) beneath, and actually feeling a couple of feet away while someone decides to balance on their head on a rope high in the air is scarier than watching from below. I have NO head for heights so this is certainly the nearest I'll ever get for walking among treetops. If you're feeling adventurous, you can now catch these exploits here on YouTube.

Next I went over to The Ecologist online newspaper, where Timber were staging a 'takeover' for the day, with articles replacing the sort of discussions that would have taken place at the festival.

 So I could 'hear' what Sarah Lawfull had to say about Forest Schools and the importance of children being able to access nature and have safe but challenging outdoor places to learn in. I didn't go to a Forest School (I'm not sure they were around in the 60s) but I had a private forest to play - actually a dozen or so currant bushes at the bottom of the garden which seemed so tall to a small child, through which I'd wander searching for a hidden glade (small patch of grass) where in Spring narcissi and bluebells grew. I loved it, and I think it sparked my love of trees and forests.

 And read John Everitt, chief executive of the National Forest Company writing about the Green Recovery plan for the National Forest - once a place of open-cast mining and industrial sites, now gradually returning to the wild - and how the thinking behind that plan could inform our recovery from the economic impact of corona virus.

Chris White, Ian Convery and Adam Eagle 'talk' of similar ideas in 'Valuing Nature', offering an alternative perspective on planning and resources to Boris Johnson's virtual removal of planning conditions.

By this time, I decided I needed to see some actual trees, so as the rain had almost stopped I went out to Shipley Country Park for a walk.

I started Sunday by listening to Wilderness Tracks, a regular feature of the past Timber festivals were celebrities talk to Geoff Bird about their favourite nature-inspired pieces of music. His guest was Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, presenter of The Sky at Night, and her choices mostly had a space-related theme to them, from Stevie Wonder's Moon Blue to Holst's Mars via Hildegard von Bingen's ethereal choral music from the twelfth century, and a return to earth with 'Cattle' from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. She spoke of the things that inspired her interest in space - her Nigerian father's love of the night sky, the Clangers TV series, and the explorations of Gagarin and Armstrong - and how she feels both looking into space or listening to music from centuries ago both lead us to transcend our everyday lives.

Then, it was back to the Ecologist 'tent' to read about Rewilding for Human Health, and Rowan Cannon on  Wild Rumpus' work creating Art and Wonder in Wild Green Places.

I ended the weekend with a trip to Timber's virtual forest - a soundscape collected from around the world. You can listen here and learn how to add the 'track' of your own local wood or forest. Knowing about the project I taped a segment in Shipley Park on Saturday, but cut it too short, so I need to try again.

The weekend wasn't the same as one spent sleeping under canvas, and sitting around on grass, or on logs under trees, but it was a break in the dull monotony of lockdown. Hopefully next year Timber will be taking place again, meanwhile there's last year to remember.

2019 - but only the good bits

There was far too much heartbreak and loss in my life last year, and a lot of months passed in a haze of grief, but there were good times too, so for the purpose of this blog post I'm just going to ignore the bad bits.



The highlight of my year has to be our short break in Argyll. we were only there for a couple of days but went walking through forests and along Crinan Canal, and, best bit of the whole year, my daughter persuaded me to go swimming one evening in Loch Fyne.

Wells Next The Sea

Whitesands Bay, St Davids

We cautiously started taking holidays again, with short breaks to Norfolk, Manchester, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Edinburgh and St Davids, and most of the time had beautiful weather.

In Appleby I saw red squirrels racing along branches, seals at Abereiddi, dolphins playing out at sea off New Quay, deer up close at Dunham Massey, a nuthatch (first time I've definitely seen one) and a watchful owl at Acorn Bank, and red kites flying above Bwlch Nant yr Arian.












Nearer to home, in addition to my normal rounds of visiting Chatsworth and local National Trust properties, I eventually went to places I've been intending to go for years - Wirksworth Hidden Gardens, Hopton Hall rose garden, and Melbourne Art Festival.















Throughout the year I went out to local gigs - less than normal, but I'm getting back into the habit -  seeing Sean McGowan twice, Skinny Lister, From The Jam, Skerryvore, Deaf Havana, and other smaller bands.








And, not least (in fact a close contender for top spot), enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing, inspiring weekend at Timber Festival courtesy of organisers Wild Rumpus.