A complete day in Arçais. I went for a morning walk and an afternoon walk through the woods and along the canals. Typically walking into many dead ends and having to retrace steps. The chain ferry was closed, so I was unable to walk on the northside of the canal. Google maps is not particularly good for walkers. I did use the Outdoors app, which actually showed the paths, and where they ended. I wish I had started using it earlier.
Rosemary went out with Linda once to meet someone Linda knew who was staying in the town and again to the local farm to buy mogette beans and other bits. This year Linda bought only 5 kg. They watched as one customer bought 70 kg. Even allowing for the weight of the pods, that seemed a lot. Perhaps they were buying for their entire village?? Not sure if Linda will bottle or freeze the beans.
Vegetarian lasagne for supper in the garden. Entertained by Furbie. He was actually called “Forban” (aka pirate) when they first got him, but they thought “Furbie” easier to say. He is a very lovely Griffon Korthal.
We were only staying a couple of nights at Le Bec, so in the morning we packed and headed south to Açais to meet Mike and Linda in their now expanded estate. The drive down was slow, again missing the toll roads. The experiment with 80kph roads had been partially revoked, with many of the larger roads going back to 90kph. Google still thought they were 80kph. We shared our location with Linda through Google Maps, and she appeared outside as we arrived. She had noticed we were eschewing the toll roads and had wondered what had happened in Niort. We had stopped to buy wine and had also been held up by a traffic jam there.
It had been four years since we were here last. Since then, the family had purchased the next-door house, barn and field. The house had been renovated and they live there now. The barn was in the process of being renovated into a home for their son. I would most definitely like to live in the new barn when it has been completed. It will looks fabulous.
Morrison, the T5 van was parked around the back of the house and connected to the electricity. Dinner of spatchcocked chicken, vegetables and oven roasted Tesco potatoes was in their new garden along with their charming dog Furbie.
The night started with a very low, very noisy fly past by a military jet followed a bit later by a tremendous lightning storm with some torrential rain. The storm finally passed overhead and disappeared into the distance.
We had planned to stay here for a couple of nights. So today was a relaxed day. A short walk down the hill to view the Abbey. Though we had seen the Abbey before, in later visits we had ignored it. Today we went into the Abbey grounds to view any changes. There were some. There was now a shop, and organised tours. The bells were rung while we were there, but at some odd times. Unlike English bells, they are untuneful. Watch the short video below to hear the bells.
The village has several restaurants / bars. On previous visits only one was open, the restaurants seemingly taking turns opening during the week. Today several were open. There definitely were more people visiting the Abbey than we have seen before. We stopped at l’Archange, which was the least formal, so we could buy a beer and not eat. It has tables and seats on the town green. Of course, we did end up consuming an omelette for lunch along with a beer each. it was somehow simple, but French and very good. Rosemary paid partly with the PO debit card, asking the waiter to take the exact amount left in the account, and paid the rest in cash. He was perplexed, not understanding why she would pay that way. But he smiled and nodded.
France has taken to contactless payments in a big way. I don’t believe, in France that we paid for anything contactless three years ago, now it appears to be the preferred payment method.
On the way out of the village I photographed a number of houses, wooden frames with brick or mud infilling. I would be worried about living in them. Our neighbour at home has problems with their possible wattle and daub front elevation. So we looked at these houses with great interest.
Back up the hill to the campsite for the afternoon siesta, and a little wander around. During the evening, the bats came out again to play, making swoops in a circle between a couple of trees. I did not want to be beaten by Rosemary so attempted to photograph the bats again. They move so fast that you can’t rely on autofocus. I set the camera to manual focus and made a guesstimate where they would fly. I also used flash. Well, it was dark. I did get several pictures and got one that was better than Rosemary’s mobile phone one. Hurrah!
Holiday time, our first trip to France in three years!
Early morning alarm, 4:30 am, and off on the road at 5:05 am. We needed to make the 9:50 Chunnel crossing. Poor old Google was sure there was a closed road on the route. We hoped we knew better so ignored her. The traffic down the A41 and around the M25 and M20 was light. The parking lot on the east bound lanes was devoid of the anticipated lorries awaiting their turn to cross the channel. Predictably we arrived exceedingly early and could go on the 8:20 crossing for free or pay £33 for the 7:50. The 8:20 crossing it was. The formalities at passport control were quick, a stamp in the passport, no inquisition on our finances or where we were booked to stay. No questions regarding ham sandwiches!
At the other end, we were straight onto motorway and heading down south, to Le Bec-Hellouin. Soon we were on to the local roads, ignoring the faster toll roads. At Rouen, we took a different route to how we normally progress, more into the city and along the underpasses. Thankfully, Google took us off the underpasses at the point where they went down to 1.8 meters high (the campervan is over 2.00). I just managed to see the height restriction at the same time 🙂 Wow that was a near one.
Out of the city it was now a short distance to Le Bec-Hellouin, so we made a supermarket stop to stock up on meat and dairy (both of which we can’t bring from the UK). We were trying to run down our preloaded Euros on a PO debit card. It was due to expire on the 31st. We searched for a cash machine to remove more of the Euros from the prepaid account. The bank at the first stop was closed, with no machines outside. These French lunches!! The second stop was in a busier area, and I was able to withdraw some Euros.
We headed to Camping Saint Nicolas in Le Bec-Hellouin, a site we have stayed at several times, the first time was in a tent as we were returning to England. It is a pleasant site, with a bar and restaurant. The site is a convenient distance from Calais for a first night. There is also the Abbey to visit withing walking distance. The campsite was very quiet, just a few vans and caravans which stopped overnight. Never seen it so empty.
A lovely supper of a precooked vegetable and bean chilli plus rice and a smashed avocado. During the evening, we were entertained by bats swooping within centimetres of us and a large, black cat. Rosemary was more successful in photographing the bats on her mobile phone than I was on my new EOS R7. Both though did not make the grade for inclusion in the attached gallery.
The black cat was quite a fat cat, doing well off the campers. Late at night Rosemary had trouble with him, tripping over him as he weaved in and out of her legs in front of her. A black cat on a black night was difficult to see.
We visited Frogmore House and Gardens in Windsor, part of the Royal estate, with the Berkshire branch of the Cambridge Society. Frogmore House is only open in August when the Royals are holidaying in Scotland. This year may be the last year it is open for quite a while. The house could be occupied by the staff of some of the royals. Photography is banned inside the property, so no photos. Outside it is permissible to take photographs, and here are mine. You will see the long dry season has turned the lush green grass to a dry brown colour.
We met the Cambridge group in a nearby car park and boarded a coach to be taken the short distance. Visitors must all arrive together in a coach. Once there we were divided into three groups of ten and taken on our tours around the house and gardens. Depending on the guide, you were in for a treat of art history, or royal gossip.
After the tour, we were picked up the coach and were dropped off back in Windsor, where some of us headed on to a nearby Italian restaurant, Enzo.
A year ago, I had booked VIP Serpents Lair tickets for Bloodstock. The tickets were for me and Ravi. Tickets included a pre-erected tent with beds, and of course showers. Ravi had to bail out because of work. So, I invited Selina as a replacement. We arrived on Thursday, taking an unexpected route to the site and saw no traffic at all. Parked, checked in and then searched for our accommodation. We first searched through ‘Patch of Ground’ VIP camping area, and eventually asked a steward who pointed us in the right direction. Our Luxury Belle Pads were in a wooded and shady area. The tent had two beds, two mattresses, sheets, pillows, and duvets. There were also tables, chairs, and electricity.
Our tentThe VIP Patch of Grass
Stuff dumped in the tent, we headed to the stages. This was a short walk, which took you through the VIP Serpents Lair Bar. This bar is a draft beer drinkers haven. There were eighty beers and ciders on sale. Don’t go there looking for a cold beer, these were all casks sitting there in the 30s. The beers were from the Midlands and North. Well, it would be rude to pass through without sampling a beer and we needed to be well hydrated, because the weather was very warm.
The bar also had bands and TV playing, and food stalls in the area. We did spend quite a fair proportion of our time visiting the area, especially as I was trying to drink my way through the beers. Where are my tasting notes?
Serpent’s Lair BarSerpent’s Lair BarThe Serpents Lair Bar
We got to know our neighbours at the campsite, they had been coming to Bloodstock for many years. They were saying how friendly the festival was, this was a refrain echoed throughout the festival. They also advised us how to get tickets for next year, which unfortunately I did not heed, and all the VIP tickets are sold out for 2023 within a day.
The festival was hot this year, the ground was parched dry. Thankfully, our tented area was in the shade and was cool. You can see how people were looking for shade this year, with the setting of the sun making the temperature bearable. Hey who am I kidding, I love the sun, and remembered to plaster myself with suncream, and to remain hydrated. The queues for water were long, so it was beer for me.
Shade pleaseLooking for shade
Bloodstock has five stages. The main stage is called the Ronnie James Dio Stage. Undercover is the Sophie Lancaster Stage and the New Blood Stage. There is also a stage at the VIP area, and a small Jägermeister stage. The Ronnie Woods stage ends quite early in the evening, before 11, in all probability, the early close was to keep the neighbouring village happy. The Sophie Lancaster stage gets packed after the main stage ends and continues until 3am with DJ sets.
There are of course the rides, shops, bars, food stores, Old Sarum Tattoo and the weird costumes to entertain you in the evening.
RidesBlessed sunsetReflectionsDo you remember the teenage mutant ninja turtles. They were here.Shops at Night
Of course, we were here to see and hear the bands, you can see short clips of the Metal bands we saw in the YouTube video below. Here though are pictures images of the stages.
Main stageMain stageMain stage
On Sunday, many festival attendees dressed in pink or with pink additions, this was to raise awareness of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Sophie Lancaster was a young woman who was murdered for being different. She and her boyfriend were creative, artistic people who dressed in their own unique way. They were attacked by a gang of five boys in a park in Bacup, Lancashire on 11 August 2007. The gang attacked Sophie’s boyfriend first and then turned on her, conducting a brutal and sustained attack. Sophie remained in hospital for 13 days, before following medical advice, the family agreed to life support being switched off. Sophie died on 24 August 2007; she was just 20 years old.
Her mother Sylvia died this year, and she had requested that everyone attending should wear something pink at the festival.
Sunday, Sophie Lancaster, wear pink
The festival also has an art gallery featuring much of the past festival advertising artwork, and the album artwork for some of the headline bands playing. There was also a heavy metal chair which Selina and I both posed in.
StephenSelina
The following bands are featured in this video.
Dark Tranquility
Red Method
Heart of a Coward
Thrown into Exile
Machine Fucking Dead
Exodus
Behemoth
Spirit World
Lorna Shore
Mercyful Fate
Malevolence
Venom Inc.
Killing Joke
Lamb of God
You have been waiting for it, now view and listen to the bands Selina and I enjoyed at Bloodstock. Please don’t forget to Like and Subscribe.
We have been visiting Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza for several years, missing the COVID years when music festivals were forbidden. R enjoys it, camping for two nights, and a half day of music is enough for her. The campsite is getting busier, the early arriving vans were packed tight to ensure there was enough room for all the booked vans. Those arriving later had more than enough room and were spaced further apart. Tents are now in a different field, and cars parked in yet another area.
It is a basic site, there are the Glastonbury Festival long drops, a breakfast van, and water points and a hand basin. So, Friday was the drive to Glastonbury, parking and (much against my better judgement) decorating the van. I walked up the Tor for a pleasant view of Hinkley Point nuclear power stations and the world’s largest crane called “Big Karl”. This year I also managed to see the Pyramid Stage. On previous occasions I had not looked in the correct direction.
Saturday, the day of the Extravaganza, we walked into Glastonbury along the main road, and then up Wells Road to the East of the Abbey grounds. Along Abbey Road there are quite a few stone plaques describing the history of strategic locations. We walked along the High Street visiting some of the shops, having a coffee and ordering an Italian picnic box for supper. We made our traditional visit to the “The Who’d A Thought It” pub for lunch. There is a lovely mural painted on the wall of the house opposite. So much detail goes into the picture. You also have the odd procession walking down the street to complete the Glastonbury scene.
We queued early for entrance to the Extravaganza, so we could get a reasonable position, once our place had been located in the queue, I went back to the Italian Deli and picked up our supper box.
Once inside we seated ourselves a little distance back from the stage, located along the path which goes from one side to the other. Spectators around us were setting up huge meals and breaking open the bubbly. We consumed a few pints of beer and Pims from the bar.
The music started with the Black Dyke Band, followed by Seasick Steve and then Paloma Faith. She did turn up to sing this year. Paloma had been booked to play in 2018. She had turned up but did not perform because of laryngitis when Michael Eavis flew in Tom Odell. an excellent replacement. He had been called up during a family BBQ supper and flown by helicopter to Glastonbury. R not keen on Ms Faith, preferring Tom Odell & Rodney Branigan.
The usual firework display finished the evening’s entertainment, and then we were whisked off by coach back to to the campsite.
Next day, I was up at 4am to walk up Glastonbury Tor to catch the sunrise and hopefully to meet Michelle Cowbourne a photographer, who walks up there most days to photograph the sunrise. I did not find her, she had been there, but from lower down the Tor. There were many people there waiting for sunrise. It was a lovely morning, mist in the fields with the golden orb of the sun shining.
I departed and made my way back down for breakfast.
We packed up quickly and headed over to see Sue and Ken for lunch. Being a tad early we made a short visit to a National Trust house called Lytes Cary Manor. It is a house you can hire as a holiday let but it does allow visitors around the gardens and chapel. It was a short visit, so we were soon on our way for lunch at the Old Inn.
The tolilets and showers were holding up at the campsite. The new generator, and waste water pumps were working well. Today we headed in early because R wanted to do a craft course and weave some willow into a shape. When she arrived she was disappointed in that most of the work had been done already. There did not seem to be much opportunity to tailor the course to your own needs. We moved on to the arena, stopping by the wild flower gardens.
Sunday Performances
We sat again in a similar place to before, but a little further back. There appeared to be rules depending on where you were located. In the tent/marquee area you could only stand or sit on the ground. Outside the tent you could or were expected to sit on chairs. These had be aligned in rows. If you created a round circle group, you were reprimanded and had to align your chairs in a row. Further back, behind a line, you could group your chairs in circles. There was one such group near us. We heard about the rules only when this group was told to line up their chairs. They refused and reminded the usher that they were behind said line at which she apologised and moved on.
I am not sure if this group actually saw or heard music, they spent their time chatting and drinking.
Programme
We watched and listened to all the bands on this stage. Enjoyed listening to Billy Bragg and N’famady Kouyaté. The Gypsy Kings were definitely very popular. I did not make any attempt to get near the front. They performed a good rendition of the Leaonard Cohen classic of Hallelujah. After they left, the crowds significantly thinned for the finale of St. Paul and the Broken Bones. I managed to get to front of the stage to watch them.
Main Stage 1
St. Paul and the Broken Bones – Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes – Billy Bragg – Legend Slot: Clannad – N’famady Kouyaté – The Spooky Men’s Chorale – Billie Marten Katherine Priddy
Main Stage 2
Orchestra Baobab – Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram – Sam Lee – O’Hooley And Tidow -Lilith Ai – The Mary Wallopers – The Honest Poet – Mishra – Kids Show: Jason Maverick
The Club Tent
The Mary Wallopers – Trials Of Cato – Nick Hart – Flo Perlin
The Den
Fuzzy Lights – The Drystones – The Ocelots – Siv Jakobsen – Angeline Morrison – Judy Blank – Tape Runs Out – Daisy Chute – June Road
Another fine day for the festival. Today we were meeting up with Andrea and Richard again, but this time at the festival. So, we plonked ourselves outside the arena where we could place our chairs and listen to the bands in peace. Drinking, eating and several jugs of Pimms.
Saturday Performances
You can see a number of bands from the previous day performing on various stages tonight. We spent the day on the main stage, making excursions to the food stalls, the bar and the loos.
Programme
Main Stage 1
Chico Trujillo – Passenger – Afro Celt Sound System – Spell Songs – This Is The Kit – The Young’uns – VRï – The Magpie Arc
Main Stage 2
Dustbowl Revival – Elephant Sessions – Flook – Admiral Fallow – Elles Bailey – The Spooky Men’s Chorale – Julie Fowlis – Festival Session with Brian McNeill – Urban Folk Theory’s Silent Live Ceilidh Band
The Club Tent
Gasper Nali – Lady Nade – Maddie Morris – Feis Rois – Gwenifer Raymond – Eve Goodman
The Den
Bandits On The Run – Becoming Branches – Limerance – Katie Spencer – Memorial – Moore & Moss – Burd Ellen – Jodie Nicholson – The People Versus – Zoe Bestel
The toilet failure had progressed, the showers were flooded, I managed to get a shower, but as Rosemary entered the shower, the electric pumps made one last spluttering sound and fell into silence. There was a small additional toilet block in operation, but it soon failed. Lots of complaining is going on.
I watched the small caravan next to us with a degree of envy – they had a toilet & a shower, and, better still, a bacon & eggs cooked breakfast.
Today, we caught the festival bus to Cherry Hinton Park, and then waited for a bus to take us into Cambridge city. We met up with Richard and Andrea for a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum for the Hockney’s Eye: The Art and Technology of Depiction. We were overly impressed with the images and the understanding of their perspectives. We had tea and lunch before Rosemary, and I headed back to Cherry Hinton and the Folk Festival.
After the main act we headed back to the campsite. New equipment, generators, had been installed and the showers and toilets were back in action.
Friday Performances
It was another warm, sunny, dry day. We spent much of the afternoon sheltering from the sun under a tree, with brief sorties to the stage to take some pictures. We saw all the bands from Findlay to Seasick Steve on the main stage. No pictures of Findlay. I did make some sorties to buy Rosemary refreshing Pimms.
Programme
Main Stage 1
Seasick Steve – Suzanne Vega – Dustbowl Revival – Spiers and Boden – Findlay – Show Of Hands – Tapestri – The Copper Family
Main Stage 2
Show Of Hands – The Magpie Arc – The Breath – Ballet Folk: The Tears of Jenny Greenteeth – Simon Care Trio ceilidh – The Young’uns – VRï – Stumpy Oak – Maynard Flip Flop
The Club Tent
Trousdale – Ferris & Sylvester – Brian McNeil – Jinda Biant – Conchur White – Songlines Interview with Spiers and Boden
The Den
Bess Atwell – Nati Dreddd – Bird In The Belly – Pearl Fish – Rachel Croft – Cynefin – Guise John Dhali – Ceitidh Mac – Loris and The Lion
Findlay
Spiers and Boden
Dustbowl Revival
As the evening progressed, the music became better, Dustbowl Revival were definitely worth watching.
Suzanne Vega
I said the music was getting better, seems the Cambridge Folk Festival put the headliner on as the one before the finale. So here was Susan Vega, the headliner. It was very crowded, and I couldn’t get to the front. But I didn’t like her. I really don’t like this type of music. After Suzanne, there was Seasick Steve, much better. I saw him a couple of times before. Why no videos of him. Not at all sure. Maybe I was enjoying myself too much.
