DP 2nd Summer Camp
Pictures Of This Weekend Can Be seen By clicking Here
By Mark
Hello to all of you out there in cyber space. Like last year this event was once again a great success or so it seems from the compliments and the such like that we have received. I shall try to write a review here but shall make it as short as I can and let the pictures speak for themselves.
Firstly I would like to thank all of you who attended who without would have made little ol me very embarrassed.
I especially have to thank once again, my long suffering wife Mandy, Jacq and Geoff, Rie, Karl, Magus and anybody else who helped out behind the scenes.
Tuesday August 2nd.
I know that this is a few days before the actual camp but Mandy and I decided to have a couple of days out. We also were trying to be first on site as when we arrived last year, Rie and her girls were already there as was Jez and her Yurt.
We still didn't manage to be first as Rie was once again there early. I think she had come straight from the Oakleaf Camp to the Bull i' th' Thorn.
Anyways after more than 2 hours we were finally set up and retired to the pub.
Thursday August 4th.
After a pretty uneventful day on Wednesday we awoke on Thursday morning. We nipped out to get some supplies and after we got back decided to stay on site in case there were any more early arrivals.
Once again Jez turned up early with her Yurt, then Eddy and his kids arrived along with other numerous folk. Whilst Jez and crew where putting up their Yurt we attempted to erect a 9 metre Gazebo type thing. It appeared that the spirits of Air were not impressed and did their utmost to thwart our attempts by whipping up, what appeared to be, a force nine gale. We finally gave it up as a bad job, hoping that the wind would be better in the morrow. Anyways after the Yurt had been put up we were invited in and went through the usual ritual before entering which involves drinking a wonderful malt whisky. After that we retired to the pub and a pleasant evening was had by all. Back to the Yurt for a while and then off to our weekend abode. Eddy was trying to have an intelligent conversation with me but as my head had become too heavy for my neck he gave it up and went to his own tent.
Friday August 5th.
Woke up and went through the normal morning routines and then went to check out the half erected Gazebo. It was decided that putting it up on Thursday was a bad idea as the elements had taken their toll. Poles were either broken or bent beyond recognition. We proceeded to dismantle what was left and stowed it away. The welcome desk was then set up at the gate with a smaller Gazebo that we had borrowed. Lo and behold the wind broke the poles on that also. Not a good start so far, but neither was it last year. I got a phone call from a family in Nott's who could only get as far as Matlock, so, off I toddled in my old but reliable Nissan Bluebird to pick them up. Got back on site and saw that folk were now arriving. It was great to see so many form The Fellowship Of The Wheel, which is a web community that I have been a member of for many years, for Pagan Bikers. Hi to all that I had already met and to those who I have known but hadn't met before in person. If you are reading this Donna & Alan, ta for making Mandy feel better when the pressure was getting to her.
As usual Friday is more of a day for folk to get set up and settle in. People mingled and mixed and said Hi to faces they knew and to ones they didn't. It was nice to see familiar folk from last years do having come again. Drunk was drunk and a music and song session started up around Jacq and Geoff's tent. I love these type of things but have the problem of thinking that I can sing after a few drinks. My apologies to any who heard my rendition of House Of The Rising Sun.
Saturday August 6th.
Once again, Mandy and I awoke, which in my case was a miracle. Hehehehee. The weather hadn't been brilliant but the rain held off and the sun managed to break through a few times. Quite a few folk decided that it was too long to wait for the loo so went to find facilities elsewhere. There was a problem with just the one toilet and I was given to understand that the showers weren't working correctly. My apologies for this situation but it was out of my hands I'm afraid.
Other than the problem with the loo's everyone appeared to have settled in and were doing what folk do. Some went to visit some of the wonderful sites around this area of the Peak District and others decided to stay on site and create their own entertainment. There were quite a few stalls for people to wander around and spend their hard earned cash. The kids on site were absolutely brilliantly behaved and had no problem striking up new friendships and playing together. Congrats to all you parents out there. Money for a raffle was collected with proceeds going to the P.D.S.A. All of the stallholders donated a prize for this, so a big thanx to them for that. I understand that some folk thought the raffle was held too late, so apologies for that also but also thanx for the feedback. Without feedback we don't know where we are going wrong. It will be different next year. As this event is for all of you then your input helps us so that we can arrange that things are for everyone, as close as is possible anyway.
The ritual around the Yurt was well received again as we all toasted, bragged and boasted. The mead was nice too.
As darkness approached I went to light the fire. That was the cue for folk to wander over. There was a great atmosphere at this and as the drumming got louder and louder you could feel the percussion in the air around you. Great for bringing the primeval out in people. In no time at all bodies were whirling, twirling and dancing around the fire. Then the chanting started and by now the whole area seemed to vibrate with the resonance of the drums and voices. Fire leaping started and one chap, Tony you know who you are, decided that he would relive a past life and tried to recreate his burning by standing in the middle of the fire.
The raffle was drawn and prizes won, time was getting on and beds were calling. A few die hards sat around for a while and one chap, yup you again Tony, decided that he didn't want to leave the fire. Mandy and I tried a couple of times to pick him up but in the end had to settle with just moving him far enough away that he didn't burn. So off to bed feeling pretty good having seen so many happy smiley faces.
Sunday August 7th
This time I really was happy to be alive so even a hangover was okay.
Well what can I say people milling about again and tents being packed away. Then the toilet problem again. This time though they were blocked solid. The pub opened it's doors so that the facilities there could be used. Stuart, the grounds man, another member of the staff and I started with the horrible horrible job of unblocking them. I can tell you now that after imbibing the night before the last thing I wanted was to be lifting drain covers and rodding about 10 metres of blocked drain. It certainly put me off any brekky.
Anyway, folk packed said there goodbyes and set off on there merry way's. Once again new friendships formed and old ones reunited. There were a few hiccups but I think in general a good time was had by all. It was a good learning curve, so things can only get better. Next years camp organisations are already on the way so watch this space.
Like last year I would like to thank you all for using the bins provided. Yet again it didn't take much tidying up and once again thank you for coming and we hope to see you all next year, if not before.
Merry We Did Meet And Merry We Did Part And Merry We Shall Meet Again
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Mark: [email protected]
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