Wednesday 29 June 2005

Pendle Witch Camp

Last Friday set off in my friends car from Burnley at around midday in pouring rain, we all felt a little gloomy at the prospect of a weekends camping in the damp. Plus, thunder and lightning had also been forecasted.The rain beat down steadily on the motorway all the way to Colne, where we left the motorway and joined the road to Keighly. By the time we got to Trawden it was only spitting a little, so went up Rock Lane and onto the farm land where we had been allowed to camp for the weekend. Lo and behold, the rain had stopped!!! So out of the car we got, eager to pitch our tents before the heavens opened again. Luckily we were one of the first cars to arrive, so we were able to find a spot where there wasnt a huge accumulation of either cow pats or thistles. Soon other folk began to arrive, some I recognised from other camps we had been at, some were complete strangers, however, all had smiling faces. Almost immediately some guy came over to lend a hand with the tent erecting for which I was very grateful. It stayed fine for the afternoon till about 6 when we were in Claires tent having out evening meal. Her tent is more like a marquee, its huge!!!!!!! Can fit table and chairs in it,which makes it quite handy in inclement weather.

On exploring the site, we found that a variety of trades had set up stalls and shops, a bit like a medieval village, there were jewelery stalls catering stalls woodcarvers apothacaries and crafts off all descriptions.

At night, once it had begun to grow dark we all sat arounf a campfire, a lot of people were drumming, some singing, was a very good atmosphere.The low point was going to the loo in the dark I slipped and fell in a cow pat!!! Well, as we say here in the north, Muck for Luck.

During the rest of the weekend the weather was wonderful, the sun came out and it was very hot at times. There were workshops to attend on a variety of topics, Morris Dancers came to entertain, and on the last night a folk group played around the campfire. To my great embarassment they played Happy Birthday, somebody had blabbed that it was my 54th birthday!!! On Monday morning we all packed up and went out various ways home, having met old friends and made many more new ones.

One of the great things living on the farmland was all the country noises, cows bellowing, curlews calling, sheep bleating, swallows diving over us, plus a sparrow hawk hovering for ages, then swooping down to catch its prey. Cant wait now for the next camp at the end of July up in north Yorkshire!!!

 

 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

i read thru your journal and I enjoyed it very much! England sounds so beautiful. i wouldn't mind the rain either cause i love the rain. it is so interesting to learn abt other countries because I actually never been out of the states yet!

Charmaine

Anonymous said...

i wish i could travel like you....you know Americans ....work work work...bills...taxes....kids....groceries....all work and barely no play.....

Anonymous said...

This sounded like it was so much fun, except for slipping down and landing in a cow patty,  eeeewwwww!  We use them in our gardens for fertilizer in these parts,lol, but that is by choice, not like unvoluntarily slipping down in them. :)

I always love your entries.  It is nice seeing England through your eyes.

Blessings!
Susan
http://journals.aol.com/Smjr43/Colorado

Anonymous said...

WE WERE AT THE PENDAL WITCH CAMP ME MY DAUGHTER AND YOUNG SON. WHAT A BRILL WEEKEND WE HAD. TO ALL THOSE WHO WORKED HARD AT ORGANISEING IT AND TO THE FARMER WHO LET US USE HIS FEILD. HAVING NEVER BEEN TO A CAMP BEFORE IWE WERE WELL IMPRESSED AS CATMAYBEN SAID THE SUN SHONE EVERY ONE WAS FREINDLY AND IT WAS NICE TO BE ALONG SIDE LIKE MINDED FOLK. LUCY HAD A POWER HEALING AND RECKNS SHES NEVER LOOKED BACK . SHE FEELS HER LIFE IS ON TRACK AND IS HAPPY. NEVER SAW IKE THANK YOU TO THE WOOD TURNING MAN FOR ALL HIS PATIENCE WITH ALL THE CHILDREN THE STOOL AND STAFF HAVE PRIDE OF PLACE IN THE HEARTH WITH HIS RUNE STONES ON THE TOP.  WE TRAVELED FROM CUMBRIA GOT LOST A FEW TIMES BUT WELL WORTH IT, IN MY SHELTERED LIFE I HAD NEVER DRIVEN THAT FAR BEFOR SO NEW EXPERENCES ALL ROUND. KEWEP UP THE GOOD WORKS AND IF THERE ARE ANYMORE PLEASE POST THEM ON WEB SITES. BRIGHT BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL.  AIREYFAIRYFOLK

Anonymous said...

Thanks Airyfairyfolk for your comments. The Oakleaf camp is this weekend, hope you are going.  BB,  Cathy.

Anonymous said...

Hi Cathy, thanks for reading my journal, thought I'd pop by yours! I love walking but I haven't tried camping!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/irisclyde/LaDolceVita