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.