Glastonbury not so Greatness

What a weekend of challenge and tears it has been this weekend, the weekend of Glastonbury when I should be frolicking in a field, covered in glitter in a spangly happy state, instead I found myself in front of a tv huffing and puffing at not being there. I took myself to bed Saturday to have a serious word with myself as I was not a happy Claire.

My journey with Glastonbury ticket buying has been so varied from 2002 – 2013 it changed every year, some years difficult, some easy, some hilarious but without fail I always managed to secure my space for the world’s best festival.  I remember buying my first ticket in 2002 from a local record shop in Glastonbury, I rang them, ordered 8 tickets and that was that. One year it took us 36hrs to get tickets, me and my friends took sleep shift patterns so there was always someone online, we succeeded and all attended for another year of fun and frolics. I worked one year and the ticket turned up in the pose in an explosion of glitter. Then another year I thought I would be away travelling however plans changed so I bought a ticket of ebay of the local milkman and was driven straight into the festival (only to find my friend working the gate as I walked up to show my overpriced piece of paper). It has been many years of lots of challenging Sunday’s – I think one year they went on sale at 11pm Saturday night but it’s always been filled with anxiety and excitement knowing if you win then it’s all worthwhile.

After much deliberation, we decided to take a year out in 2014 to go travelling, we were nearly flying back just for Glastonbury but realised how silly that was. I don’t know if this has been our eternal fate as since then our luck has gone downhill and two years we have missed out on tickets, we attended a wedding in 2016 so we were in a field celebrating which made up for it. 2015 and 17 have been our unsuccessful years and it has been a challenge. It hits a part of the soul that ignites the missing out feeling and watching bands you LOVE when live music is such a big part of your way then it’s a double whammy of gut wrenching sadness.

We had a whatsapp group with other friends to survive the weekend and kept our contact limited to friends there experiencing there first/second Glastonbury. I am sure there are plenty of you out there who has experienced the same or similar feeling so what is my next plan. Well I am in the midst of making one, to ensure ticket purchasing becomes less painful and trying to find a way in for life (easier said than done, hey). 

A selection of over the years shots....

2013

2013

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2002/2003

2002/2003

Wonderful Malham

I first visited the Yorkshire Dales just over a year ago with the famalam and since then I have ventured back there 3 times. It’s such a magic place and holds a special part in my heart. Over the year I have learnt more about the magic it holds and the life within it. A good friend lives in a village close by and being able to become part of Dale’s life has opened another world in this wonderful land.

Our first trip was a family holiday, with my brother being down South we decided to head to the country for the weekend, and the Yorkshire Dales was the chosen spot. My Mum and Ron had visited many times and knew Malham Cove. We stayed in a cottage in the village of Hebden which is a short drive to Malham. Malham Cove is an incredible limestone formation (the same stone as Ha Long Bay, Vietnam), the cove reminds me of the Giants Causeway with its large rock pavement at the top. The limestone cove was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers, as you walk out over the pavement you can see down onto the picturesque village of Malham and can spend a long time in awe of the surrounding views.

The walk to the cove takes you past Janets Foss, a waterfall where fairies supposedly live, up to Gordale Scar another limestone ravine featuring two waterfalls. You then head up over the Dales and along to climb up onto the cove then down to The Lister Arms, a tasty country pub in the heart of Malham Village.

I feel I have been lucky enough to see Malham in many ways, by visiting and staying not just as a tourist. I have been lucky enough to get to know some of the locals and make sense of the life it means to live in a tourist packed part of the UK, I have learnt the frustrations this brings but have shared the joy I find being a tourist, the warmth Malham brings and the goodness it spreads from its idyllic sights.

Each time I find a newness to enjoy and have climbed new hills, taking on Pikedaw, venturing high above Gordale Scar, looking down from a new angle. I have visited secret wishing wells, and learnt about Belted Galloway Cows, I have learnt the different ways of farming and held teeny lambs with no Mum’s. I have eaten wild garlic that grows in abundance and seen deer running wild along the dales nr Janets Foss. I have talked engagements, walking clubs and adopted dogs. I have been with our socks and without and managed a new walk each time or an added addition to a previous walk.

The last time we visited was my birthday and sadly the van was being repaired so we headed back to stay in canvas. We chose to stay at the same campsite we had planned in the van and booked a spot at  Gordale Scar Campsite  it’s a wonderful site, deep in the depths of the dales and a stone’s throw from Gordale Scar, and a short walk from the Lister Arms. The campsite has its pure positives but one thing I love after a hearty walk is a deep soak in a shower and sadly with no facilities it was baby wipes all the way, not as appealing, hey?

We took a big walk on the Saturday, heading to Malham Tarn and around, along Dry Valley then onto the Cove. We spied peregrine Falcons nesting in the cove and spent both evenings enjoying the fine tastes at The Listers. We walked back around 8pm, the sky was wonderful and the paths were so quiet we found it was just us three all the way to Janet’s Foss, we walked through the meadows of wild garlic and took in the deep delicious smells that surrounded us.

I know Malham is filled by tourists but for me it’s a special place that steals my heart each time. I know every time I leave I am already planning the next time we will be back, it holds such joy and I know will be a place that forever lives in the depths of my soul.

Eden Festival - Mud and Glitter

We found ourselves venturing to the garden of Eden last week for our first festival of 2017, and our first festival for some time. Eden is set in the Raehills Meadows, nr Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway (Scotland). Eden had been a festival on our radar for sometime as a good friend works one of the dub tents there, so we had heard about the delights a lot from him.

With not getting Glastonbury tickets, and the mixed feelings this brings we decided to descend on some smaller more local festivals and enjoy some new delights.

Eden's line up was a mash up of garage, disco, folk, soul, gypsy punk, dub and dance. It basically had it all and we enjoyed an array of new and old music tastes. The highlights being Gogol Bordello, So Solid Crew, Boney M and a band called Sketch who mixed traditional folk with dance.
I was so excited to see So Solid Crew, for the hillarity more then anything but wow they pulled a great set and the tent was electric with energy and everyone going wild for the garage beats. We even got to hang out with them afterwards which was so funny, a game of swingball, a little photo op and hearing whats ahead for the South London crew.

Sketch totally blew us away, we were ready for bed and decided to bumble down to the main stage, describing themselves as Celidh techno they really got the crowd going and before we knew it we were bobbing around ciders in hand.

I love a good workshop at a festival, Shambala festival is great for this however the workshops always fill quickly. At Eden they run a number of workshops each day, however there on every day so it's great as if you miss it one day you can catch it another. I managed to convince Sam to attend an intro to Indian head massage which was so fun, Sam gained a lot of the benefits, falling asleep as i messaged him. It was great to do something a bit different and the power from the energy boosted us ready for Saturday frolics.

I wished i had spent more time in The Lost Disco area, however we always seemed to be pottering elsewhere, they have a huge flashing dance floor and glitter balls and sparkles all over.
Being in the van was a total delight, we weren't camped with friends sadly as we arrived later, however the festival is only 5000 capacity so it was always easy to find folk. It was a dream having nice sleeps, being warm, coffee and sandwiches in the morning and just the greatness vanlife brings. We made the decision we wouldn't being going back to canvas, were tent lovers all the way now!
The rain poured and the mud came strong but it was so fun and no one seemed too bothered about splodging around ankle deep in mud. We will definitely be back next year for another adventure in the fields of Eden.