Swanage and Corfe Castle

After the Purbeck Folk Festival we relocated just a few miles up the road so we could spend some time exploring Swanage.

Swanage is at the end of a road, a bit on its own really. You will never go through Swanage on the way to somewhere else. Which is part of the reason why I think, British Rail closed the mainline railway there in 1972. Amazingly a group of local volunteers immediately set forth to restore the line and restore not only the line but a number of vintage steam and diesel trains which are now as much a tourist attraction as a method of transport.

We managed to bag a cabin to ourselves. Nick thought it looked like something out of Poirot, but I thought it was more like Harry Potter.

We got the train from the campsite to Corfe Castle, just up the road. Corfe Castle was given generously to the National Trust in the 80's. You would think therefore the National Trust would be generous with the entry fee. No such luck - £8 each which we paid begrudgingly.

I know the National Trust have to make money to restore and maintain places like this, but in all honesty Corfe Castle was a bit of a let down. For £8 you would think there would be an exhibition of finds, or some displays showing what the castle used to look like (hard to imagine now as it is so demolished) but there was nothing like that.

We visited Swanage, at the other end of the railway as well. Swanage is a typical victorian seaside resort, which we have seen several examples of now on our travels. The first day we went there it was wet and so nice and quiet.

The second day it was HOT and full to the brim with holidaymakers.

Loving the beach huts.

Things are likely to be a bit quiet on the travel blog front for a couple of weeks - we are back in Portsmouth staying with Nick's family as I have to have an operation next week to remove a pesky cyst from one of my ovaries.

Purbeck Folk Festival

After Weymouth we next headed to the Isle of Purbeck (not actually an island but a peninsula) to attend the Purbeck Folk Festival where we were meeting up with Tim and Sam, two of Nick's brothers, and Frances, Sam's girlfriend.

We fully intended to drive there via Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door (coastal limestone arch) but a fire alarm in Asda in Weymouth delayed us somewhat and we ended up having to drive straight there in the pouring rain to meet at the agreed rendezvous point.

Once we got in the festival and started setting up camp we again remembered why we decided upon a campervan and not a tent for our travels - putting up two tents in driving rain was not fun for anyone. A least we had the van to shelter under once it was all done.

There was an amazing selection of local real ales and ciders to choose from and not a fizzy lager in sight.

Nick and Tim bought pewter tankards from a stall. The guy said his wife was making him sell them to make space in the kitchen for teacups.

It was a festival really focused on music. It was a small place but there were three main stages with loads of bands and artists. I liked what one guy on stage said, that folk music isn't defined by the sound of the music but by the audience, who are so attentive and supportive.

How many people can you fit in a campervan? Five, just about.

Oh dear. It had been lovely weather all week and then the weekend comes and it rains non-stop.

Then, although we were finding it hard to believe, the weather forecast was right and the skies started to clear. We had a warm, dry evening followed by a hot, sunny day. Thank goodness as we would have had serious trouble getting the van back up the steep grassy hill in the mud.

We were surrounded by campervans. I have never seen so many. There were some really nice restored Bays and splitties (mostly hired) and countless T25s.

Time for some impromptu limbo under the bunting:

All in all, a really nice little festival and a great weekend. KT Tunstall was the main headliner (and probably the main contributor to the ticket price level as there was no one else mainstream there) but we saw a couple of songs and weren't that fussed. There were loads of other really talented artists and bands though and we came away with a couple of CDs and lots of names to look up.