Thread: OK, 'o's gooin' Greenbelt? Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.
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Posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard (# 368) on
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And WHEN is McLaren speaking?
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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Me. And I have no idea.
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on
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We're not going this year, unfortunately - various family and other holiday commitments in the week or so before mean that it's just too far to come so soon after another set of really long drives south from Scotland. It's the ideal location for us though (well as ideal as possible in the circumstances, given we live in Scotland - my parents live less than 10 miles away from Boughton House). And being a Northants native I can appreciate the thread title ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
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I'll be there. First 'christian festival' I'll have been to since the 1984 Anglia Bible Week. Don't think the schedule has been released yet, but it can't be too long before it is.
Posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard (# 368) on
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Jack the Lass! I was taken for a Wellingborough native in a Northampton pub!! Deep joy. One is from Leamers ectually.
Posted by hatless (# 3365) on
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I'll be there. I have no idea about the programme, though.
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
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Lots of acts listed on the website but they don't tend to give a full timetable till much closer.
Posted by Ceesharp (# 3818) on
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Me... (who?)
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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Aye. Don't know if I'm talking yet, though.
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard:
Jack the Lass! I was taken for a Wellingborough native in a Northampton pub!! Deep joy. One is from Leamers ectually.
Haha, I'm not sure I'd dare go in a Northampton pub! Oh well, take it as a compliment - all the best people are Wellingborough natives ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
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Hubby and I will be there too.
[ 01. June 2014, 19:34: Message edited by: Lucia ]
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Doc Tor:
Aye. Don't know if I'm talking yet, though.
I'm not, although I did apply to.
Clearly "an hour spouting meaningless drivel" didn't appeal.
Posted by Dave Marshall (# 7533) on
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I'll be there if the van's still going.
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on
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I'll be there with the family as always. Only now it is nearer to me again - hooray!
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
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Yep, will be there with Mrs Roar, little Roar (who will be 16 months old) and the in-Roars.
I'm hoping I'll be looking forward to the festival a bit more by the time it comes round. It's all been super stressful up to this point with the new camping arrangements meaning we thought we (in our tent) wouldn't be able to camp with our in-laws (in their trailer tent - needed for FiL's health), being officially told by GB that we *would* be able to camp together, and then being told by GB a month later that we would *not*... In the end we've bitten the bullet and hired a trailer tent ourselves for that weekend...
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on
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Should be there.
I had a walk on the southern edge when there were the (floods in Devon and) high water in the Ise brook. Ground did seem pretty solid and not too muddy.
Still no idea where the actual thing is happening and what spirit the owners are taking it in. I'll try to reccie during Alt-fest.
Posted by The Weeder (# 11321) on
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Not sure. We have been spoilt by the Cheltenham Racecourse venue- the infrastructure meant that however bad the weather, there was somewhere sheltered to retreat to and get dry again. Except that awful year when it never stopped....
Cheltenham is also near, so we could get home quickly, if necessary.
We will wait and see....
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
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Well of course, B&B booked as soon as the new venue was announced.
Don't forget its not in Cheltenham.... ![[Two face]](graemlins/scot_twoface.gif)
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
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Will be there - volunteering in the Access area.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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I booked tickets soon after I got home last year.
I booked accommodation within days of the venue being announced.
Am I coming over as too enthusiastic?
Posted by Carys (# 78) on
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Will be being Franciscan again. Intrigued as to how that's going to work out. Must work out how I'm going to get there too.
Carys
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Carys:
Will be being Franciscan again. Intrigued as to how that's going to work out. Must work out how I'm going to get there too.
Carys
Will you be on the Anglican communities stand? I know last year it was only a couple of stands across from the SCM stand (which I was volunteering on) - fun to see so many habits!
Posted by Carys (# 78) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
quote:
Originally posted by Carys:
Will be being Franciscan again. Intrigued as to how that's going to work out. Must work out how I'm going to get there too.
Carys
Will you be on the Anglican communities stand? I know last year it was only a couple of stands across from the SCM stand (which I was volunteering on) - fun to see so many habits!
I'm a tertiary so if I'm on a stall it'll be the TSSF one which was next to the ARC one last year, though I failed to volunteer for a slot. Franciscan encampment has a mix of First order, Third Order, companions and others, and increasingly other orders but it was felt that ARC stall should be staffed by those of gathered religious communities.
Carys
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on
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Nope, we're not going this year.
Mainly because I am expecting a baby two weeks before the festival so we might be a bit busy!
Posted by Tom Day (# 3630) on
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We probably won't be there this year either. Unfortunately finances and our new house have taken priority. Disappointed as would have liked to see how it works at the new venue.
Tom
Posted by Rev per Minute (# 69) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Auntie Doris:
Nope, we're not going this year.
Mainly because I am expecting a baby two weeks before the festival so we might be a bit busy!
That is, of course, no sort of excuse. If Kate Aldridge can give birth at Glastonbury*, it should be a doddle to give birth at Greenbelt...
The Revs will be there but with very different travel arrangements. Cheltenham was barely an hour away, but Broughton requires an overnight stay at the MiL somewhere near civilisation (Leicester!). We did look at volunteering options but with a new venue it seemed sensible to see how things work out before adding further levels of confusion.
* I am aware that The Archers is fictional**, but it seems like a good example to me
** OK, we know that Ambridge is real, but to keep BBC bosses happy we'll pretend it's fictional. ![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif)
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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Incidentally, on one day of the festival, I will be wearing a Schroedingers Cat t-short. Look out for it, and say hello!
Posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard (# 368) on
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I was thinking of sporting a green gardenia.
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on
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I'm planning to be there as usual, but it'll be weird doing it without ken.
[ 16. June 2014, 06:16: Message edited by: busyknitter ]
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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Hi all,
Myself, Daddyrat and Ratlet will all be going for the first time this year. Ratlet is only a baby - has anyone else taken a baby before and survived?!
Other festivals I've been to tend to have started at midday and finished around 10.30pm. Is GB similar? I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on
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My mob are there (Order of the Black Sheep) but I'm not personally, alas.
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Hi all,
Myself, Daddyrat and Ratlet will all be going for the first time this year. Ratlet is only a baby - has anyone else taken a baby before and survived?!
Other festivals I've been to tend to have started at midday and finished around 10.30pm. Is GB similar? I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!
I've never taken a baby to GB, but the festival organisers work quite hard to make things easier for people with very little ones. The Cheltenham venue used to have a rest venue (OK, a big tent) with facilities for baby changing, bathing, chilling out etc. It always looked busy so I assume there will be something similar at the new place.
Scheduled events at GB tend to start at 9am and finish around 11pm, with the occasional late night thing going on like the Goth Eucharist. Again, it'll be interesting to see how they manage all that at the new venue, particularly with fewer actual buildings available.
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
I spoke to Robb Sutherland and he's confirmed that it is going ahead as usual.
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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That's great - thanks both. Can't wait!!!
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Hi all,
Myself, Daddyrat and Ratlet will all be going for the first time this year. Ratlet is only a baby - has anyone else taken a baby before and survived?!
Other festivals I've been to tend to have started at midday and finished around 10.30pm. Is GB similar? I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!
Both my boys went to Greenbelt as babies, my youngest was only 2 months. We found this age was okay, as he breastfed and slept all day so was it easy to sit in venues like the Performance Cafe. We had planned for him to sleep in a Moses basket at night but he was freezing in it and ended sleeping with us instead - do bear cold nights in mind, though the new location is probably warmer than Cheltenham. Greenbelt is used to children though, there is a curfew area to camp in and baby bathing facilities, though we used to bathe our older babies in a plastic toy tub in the sun - people came up and took photos!
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Hi all,
Myself, Daddyrat and Ratlet will all be going for the first time this year. Ratlet is only a baby - has anyone else taken a baby before and survived?!
Other festivals I've been to tend to have started at midday and finished around 10.30pm. Is GB similar? I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!
Yes. Both of mine were babies and toddlers at GB.
If I have one hint, it's go for the Early Curfew field. Noise cut-off is about 9, 9.30pm. Obviously, you may have to put up with screaming babies all around you, but at least you don't have youth groups singing Kendrick songs until 3am.
GB tends to start earlier. Most first talks are scheduled to start at (IIRC) 9am or 9.30.
There will be (has been in the past, presumably will be this year) a tent with a bazillion Burco boilers where you can bathe the little treasures and get them changed in a modicum of comfort. There's also (again, IIRC) bottle warming and sterilisation facilities, if you're bottle feeding/weaning.
A buggy with big wheels is good. We also had a backpack/papoose which is also good.
The one downside of very young kids at the festival is that you may not see your other half, except to swap childcare duties.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Hi all,
Myself, Daddyrat and Ratlet will all be going for the first time this year. Ratlet is only a baby - has anyone else taken a baby before and survived?!
Other festivals I've been to tend to have started at midday and finished around 10.30pm. Is GB similar? I have heard mention of a midnight goth Eucharist at a previous GB (sounds great)!
Thanks in advance for any hints and tips!
The festival as a whole is very family friendly, and if you meet other shipmates etc, they will help out. It is also a long day, full of lots of fun, but don't try to do too much. Have fun, find the things you want to do, and come back another year for the rest.
I have just heard that Grace Petrie is playing again. She was superb last year, and I am SO looking forward to hearing her again. GO AND HEAR HER.
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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Thanks very much all for your replies!
Ratlet will be 4 months in August, and I must confess, we have chickened out of camping and booked a hotel, so it's really just the long days we need to think about. We are breastfeeding, so I need to think about chairs, cushions etc to keep us comfy. We have a pram with decent wheels, so that should be fine.
I am trying not to set my expectations too high with regard to how much we will actually do/see whilst we're there - whatever we do, it'll be a nice break away from our living room for a few days!
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Thanks very much all for your replies!
Ratlet will be 4 months in August, and I must confess, we have chickened out of camping and booked a hotel, so it's really just the long days we need to think about. We are breastfeeding, so I need to think about chairs, cushions etc to keep us comfy. We have a pram with decent wheels, so that should be fine.
I am trying not to set my expectations too high with regard to how much we will actually do/see whilst we're there - whatever we do, it'll be a nice break away from our living room for a few days!
Just to say, one of ours has been recorded live, wailing in a John Bell talk, just before I grabbed her and headed for the exit.
Loud music, on the other hand, is excellent, as no one around you cares.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
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quote:
Originally posted by recklessrat:
Thanks very much all for your replies!
Ratlet will be 4 months in August, and I must confess, we have chickened out of camping and booked a hotel, so it's really just the long days we need to think about. We are breastfeeding, so I need to think about chairs, cushions etc to keep us comfy. We have a pram with decent wheels, so that should be fine.
I am trying not to set my expectations too high with regard to how much we will actually do/see whilst we're there - whatever we do, it'll be a nice break away from our living room for a few days!
As well as the parent and child areas (which as a non-parent I'm not very acquainted with, sorry) there is the Access area - it's for everyone attending Greenbelt who needs some time out, as well as making sure those with accessibility needs are catered for. I don't know what exactly it will be like this year, and I can't guarantee cushions, but there will be somewhere quiet to sit down. I can't imagine breastfeeding would be an issue. I am volunteering there this year so do come and say hello anyway
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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If you take a cushion, there are few places where breastfeeding should be an issue. Even if you do very little of the activities, there should be plenty to join in with from a distance.
What hotel are you staying at? I am in the Holiday Inn Express (I don't do camping either). Any other shipmates there? Would be good to say hello.
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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DT - thanks for the warning! Will sit in 'easy to escape' locations in any talks I attend!
JC - that sounds perfect - a quiet place to sit. See you there!
SC - we are in a little independent hotel, which I think is a few miles away. We're driving to and from the fest and have booked parking so hopefully that'll work out ok...
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on
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When we went to GB last year The Little Mister was 9 months old and I breastfed him anywhere and everywhere.
I have to admit that we also chickened out of camping but the feeding bit was easy.
We did buy some baby ear defenders which I found useful because I didn't have to worry about his sensitive ears and the loud music.
Unfortunately we are not going this year as we are expecting another baby a few weeks earlier. I am not sure I am that brave!
Auntie Doris x
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Auntie Doris:
When we went to GB last year The Little Mister was 9 months old and I breastfed him anywhere and everywhere.
I have to admit that we also chickened out of camping but the feeding bit was easy.
We did buy some baby ear defenders which I found useful because I didn't have to worry about his sensitive ears and the loud music.
Unfortunately we are not going this year as we are expecting another baby a few weeks earlier. I am not sure I am that brave!
Auntie Doris x
Thanks Auntie Doris, and all the best for your new arrival!!
Posted by Emma Louise (# 3571) on
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We wont make it this year (I went every year for 10 years but health issues made it really hard 2 years ago so last year was the first we missed! Next year hopefully).
AS for small people. We took Small person 1 at 5 months and I really think that's the easiest time. I just sat and curled up with her everywhere and anywhere. You can certainly feed everywhere, wherever you're sat/standing/whatever so I wouldn't worry about that. They're not old enough to tell you they're bored/really need to do x/need a wee/ food etc
Following years were 1.5, 2.5 and fun - child running everywhere and playing but tends not to sit for anything, so we didn't go to talks but heard music from the edge and enjoyed all the childrens programming.
3.5 year old and small baby we found tough, but mainly due to my health, alongside lack of sleep!
When we went (obviously different venue) we found the tent (cant remember the name) with the baths and the comfy chairs a fantastic refuge. They open up early in the morning, so after strollign around with far too awake baby you can go in and they make you a cup of tea and you can sit bleary eyed with other parents of early risers. It was started by a dad who noticed lots of dads strolling around at silly-o-clock wtih babies!
The other thing we found fantastic was all the childrens drama, my then 3.5 year old loved it and I enjoyed experiencing it all with her. You have to check the programme though.
With first child I used a sling rather than a pushchair - and at baby stage (and one child) that's perfect and all you need really. Can feed walking along/ they can just sleep as you go in and out of venues etc. I borrowed a buggy as they got bigger and it was easier for them to nap in one/ be babysat in one/left to sleep in one at night...
I think GB is a fantastic place for babies, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time!
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Emma Louise:
We wont make it this year (I went every year for 10 years but health issues made it really hard 2 years ago so last year was the first we missed! Next year hopefully).
AS for small people. We took Small person 1 at 5 months and I really think that's the easiest time. I just sat and curled up with her everywhere and anywhere. You can certainly feed everywhere, wherever you're sat/standing/whatever so I wouldn't worry about that. They're not old enough to tell you they're bored/really need to do x/need a wee/ food etc
Following years were 1.5, 2.5 and fun - child running everywhere and playing but tends not to sit for anything, so we didn't go to talks but heard music from the edge and enjoyed all the childrens programming.
3.5 year old and small baby we found tough, but mainly due to my health, alongside lack of sleep!
When we went (obviously different venue) we found the tent (cant remember the name) with the baths and the comfy chairs a fantastic refuge. They open up early in the morning, so after strollign around with far too awake baby you can go in and they make you a cup of tea and you can sit bleary eyed with other parents of early risers. It was started by a dad who noticed lots of dads strolling around at silly-o-clock wtih babies!
The other thing we found fantastic was all the childrens drama, my then 3.5 year old loved it and I enjoyed experiencing it all with her. You have to check the programme though.
With first child I used a sling rather than a pushchair - and at baby stage (and one child) that's perfect and all you need really. Can feed walking along/ they can just sleep as you go in and out of venues etc. I borrowed a buggy as they got bigger and it was easier for them to nap in one/ be babysat in one/left to sleep in one at night...
I think GB is a fantastic place for babies, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time!
Thanks Emma Louise, really good to learn from your experiences. We have a baby carrier but I may have to ask Daddyrat to help out with that - Ratlet is super heavy already!
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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Mrs Tor reminded me that taking a favourite bathtime toy makes sitting in a bath in a tent more familiar.
Also that you won't have disappearing toddler syndrome (which happened to one of my godsons who vanished in the middle of the campsite. He was retrieved by an eagle-eyed nun who thought the child too young to be on their own...)
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
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Sudden vision of eagle-eyed nuns hovering over Greenbelt at a thousand feet or more watching for stray children!
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Sudden vision of eagle-eyed nuns hovering over Greenbelt at a thousand feet or more watching for stray children!
Small child + sea of tents = labyrinthine search.
We were relatively quick off the mark, but we were very grateful to SuperNun.
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on
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Love the idea of a host of hovering nuns!
I'll be volunteering in the usual worship venue, (not sure what we're calling ourselves this year) and if time at the Franciscan TSSF stall.
Wee bit unsure about some of the practicalities of being at the new site, though it does look a lovely place.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
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Wrist bands have arrived.
B&B booked.
New 4wd car bought ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
but we wouldn't want to get it muddy!
Posted by goperryrevs (# 13504) on
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Alright, I've booked tickets for me and my daughter. So, is there any official Shipmeet going to happen? How do these things usually work?
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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The usual thing is Saturday afternoon, around the tiny tea tent.
Which, TBH, is where I will probably just spend my time anyway.
It is hard to know what time until the programme is available, but 3 or 4 would be normal.
Incidentally, I will be wearing my "Wanted Schroedingers Cat alive or dead" t-shirt on the Saturday, and a labyrinth one on the Sunday, if anyone sees me wandering about.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
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quote:
Originally posted by hatless:
I'll be there. I have no idea about the programme, though.
I prefer to remain ignorant of the programme until I get to the festival. I still like to get to site, buy programme then sit with my first coffee and plan my weekend. Although my planning rarely goes beyond the next thing, meaning that I usually end up somewhere interesting.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
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argh... double post.
I am assuming that there might be some kind of Ken memorial meet in the Jesus Arms at some point. Because I will be missing him there, as well as many others.
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
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I keep meaning to make it along to a shipmeet at GB, but with the little roarer in tow it always makes things more difficult!
Also, just heard from the various facebook groups that Blessed aren't on the worship programme this year. Sad times. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on
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quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
argh... double post.
I am assuming that there might be some kind of Ken memorial meet in the Jesus Arms at some point. Because I will be missing him there, as well as many others.
There certainly shall be some kind of ken memorial meet, even if it's only me raising a glass at Beer and Hymns. Hopefully something more populous than that though.
I'm excited and nervous about this year's GB in equal measure, for a whole host of reasons:
-Greenbelt has been mine and ken's fixed point for meeting up each year for quite some time now. So I'm going to find his not being there rather hard I think.
-But on the plus side, we are coming as almost a whole nuclear family! My husband and 12 year old son (the autistic one) will be there this year (the 20-year old has politely declined). I'm sure it will be a blast, but husband isn't a Christian and isn't sure he's going to like GB at all and son is severely autistic - so it's going to be interesting whatever....
-We are borrowing a friend's trailer tent to camp in, so there will be all the towing and unfolding of awnings to deal with.
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on
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oh good! We'd like to come to the memorial, we'd like to have come to the London one if we possibly could
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on
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quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
argh... double post.
I am assuming that there might be some kind of Ken memorial meet in the Jesus Arms at some point. Because I will be missing him there, as well as many others.
yes yes yes this
(Assuming it still exits)
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
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All signs point to the Jesus Arms being there at the back of the field where mainstage is; so you can have your pint and listen!
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on
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quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
All signs point to the Jesus Arms being there at the back of the field where mainstage is; so you can have your pint and listen!
Just seen the map.
Looks like the sites the most convenient way for Schrodingers cat as it can be. I don't think it's nice to get there without transport though (there's a good path half way there then it vanishes, and the road has no pavement)
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
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So, who's sorting out what they're taking? Being a volunteer and having access to the free hot drinks in the volunteer lounge, I'm taking a travel mug (I'm weird and can drink tea and coffee cold quite happily, so not splashing out on a thermal one). Taking the Greenbelt-tastic Zimbabwean tie-dye bag I bought last year as it proved so handy as a general handbag last year. Considering using a big rucksack instead of a suitcase - where's the cheapest if my parents don't have one I can borrow? Tiger has a 40l rucksack (with waist/chest straps) for £15, is this a good deal? Clothes will be jersey dresses/leggings etc so should roll up quite small.
I know I'm taking this travel set, and also a bunch of arts/crafts stuff for the Haven. A pair of flip-flops set aside for the showers. Antibac hand gel. Also glow sticks and glow in the dark nail polish (with nail polish remover pads)
What's everyone else's Greenbelt essentials?
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
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Greenbelt essentials? Well, we are currently still needing to confirm whether we can borrow a tent, sleeping bags and airbed... I would pretty much consider them to be essentials!
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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Lots of cash. I nearly ran out last year. It seems to get more expensive each year.
As I am not camping (wimp) I just need clothes really. I might take a travel mug for drinks actually - it is a good idea, that I can top up, rather than burning my fingers.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Lucia:
Greenbelt essentials? Well, we are currently still needing to confirm whether we can borrow a tent, sleeping bags and airbed... I would pretty much consider them to be essentials!
Oh a tent and a sleeping bag is a given, though I'm not taking an airbed and just taking a camping roll - I like a firm bed and airbeds are too soft IME. I can happily sleep on the ground.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
Lots of cash. I nearly ran out last year. It seems to get more expensive each year.
As I am not camping (wimp) I just need clothes really. I might take a travel mug for drinks actually - it is a good idea, that I can top up, rather than burning my fingers.
I guess it depends what you buy. Last year the only thing I bought that wasn't food was my bag (not expensive) and cider (expensive). I'm planning on taking plenty of non-perishable snacks, and those plus my food vouchers should mean that I won't have to spend nearly as much on food this year - and can keep money aside for cider and ice cream
Also will take my kindle (and keep it on me at all times) - fully charged and used only for reading, the battery lasts ages.
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
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I'm a complete newbie to any kind of festival. Owning no camping equipment, I'm staying at the nearby Holiday Inn Express and will be walking to and from the site daily (I've heard rumours of a shuttle bus but I won't pin my hopes on it, my own two legs remain the most reliable form of transport I know). I've got the local OS Map for the area.
I was planning on taking gaitors, it case it gets muddy, a backpack with a bottle of drink and some snacks (fruit, crisps, scotch eggs) and plenty of cash (a couple of hundred quid for the weekend). Have I missed anything obvious?
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
I was planning on taking gaitors, it case it gets muddy,
I just read that as 'taking guitars in case it gets muddy' and was wondering how it would help. Perhaps to strap them onto your feet to allow you to walk across the mud a bit like snow shoes...
Think I'd better go get some sleep before my brain makes any more interesting alterations to what I am reading! ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
I'm a complete newbie to any kind of festival. Owning no camping equipment, I'm staying at the nearby Holiday Inn Express and will be walking to and from the site daily (I've heard rumours of a shuttle bus but I won't pin my hopes on it, my own two legs remain the most reliable form of transport I know). I've got the local OS Map for the area.
I was planning on taking gaitors, it case it gets muddy, a backpack with a bottle of drink and some snacks (fruit, crisps, scotch eggs) and plenty of cash (a couple of hundred quid for the weekend). Have I missed anything obvious?
Where are you going to store scotch eggs? I take non-perishable stuff (though I am camping) - apples, crisps, cereal bars, those little jelly/fruit in juice pots that come with their own sporks/spoons, dried fruit and nuts.
A couple of hundred quid sounds like plenty of money to me, if it's just you - I highly recommend the Barn Bacon and Tibetan Kitchen food vans by the way!
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Lucia:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
I was planning on taking gaitors, it case it gets muddy,
I just read that as 'taking guitars in case it gets muddy' and was wondering how it would help. Perhaps to strap them onto your feet to allow you to walk across the mud a bit like snow shoes...
Think I'd better go get some sleep before my brain makes any more interesting alterations to what I am reading!
Guitars probably easier to take than 'gators!
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
:
So...Greenbelt's daily diary (not printable) is now available for download here. Gives a full layout of the new site and everything.
MartinPC, in answer to your initial questions, Brian McLaren is speaking at 1930 at The Glade Stage (mainstage) on Friday on "The Bible 3.0"; at 1430 at The Glade Stage on Saturday on "What Will Religion Become"; and at 1000 at The Glade Stage on Monday on "The Problem(s) With Worship".
Enjoy!
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
So...Greenbelt's daily diary (not printable) is now available for download here. Gives a full layout of the new site and everything.
MartinPC, in answer to your initial questions, Brian McLaren is speaking at 1930 at The Glade Stage (mainstage) on Friday on "The Bible 3.0"; at 1430 at The Glade Stage on Saturday on "What Will Religion Become"; and at 1000 at The Glade Stage on Monday on "The Problem(s) With Worship".
Enjoy!
I'm not seeing Beer and Hymns anywhere on the schedule
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Posted by Pearl B4 Swine (# 11451) on
:
Lucia's reply certainly deserves a place in the Musical Jokes thread. ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
I was planning on taking gaitors, it case it gets muddy,
I just read that as 'taking guitars in case it gets muddy' and was wondering how it would help. Perhaps to strap them onto your feet to allow you to walk across the mud a bit like snow shoes...
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
Have I missed anything obvious?
An open mind and a torch.
The shuttle buses are usually very good but it is from Kettering Station - is that near the Holiday Inn Express?
Also you may well find other Greenbelters are staying there and you might be able to get a lift. We are generally a friendly bunch.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
A bit of advice - be careful Google Maps gives you directions to Boughton, Kettering - which is to the south of Kettering and is not Boughton House.
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
Also glow sticks and glow in the dark nail polish (with nail polish remover pads)
I am liking the glow in the dark nail polish! I am thinking of blue nails myself. Nappies and baby wipes x 1000 will also be on my essentials list...maybe nappy bags too. And cereal bars. Maybe the coco pops ones!
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
It has just been announced that the Hot House is back at Greenbelt - See Here
This is so welcome as it was my introduction to the kind of stuff that lives here at the Ship.
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
Have I missed anything obvious?
An open mind and a torch.
The shuttle buses are usually very good but it is from Kettering Station - is that near the Holiday Inn Express?
Also you may well find other Greenbelters are staying there and you might be able to get a lift. We are generally a friendly bunch.
A torch is a very good idea. Having lived in London for the last year, I'd almost forgotten that nights are dark. I sort of know (via Twitter) a few folks staying at the same hotel, but I don't rely on the kindness of others.
Of course, an open mind goes without saying. After all, it's Greenbelt, not Contagious.
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
:
We're taking a friend of ours (who's camping with us) to Greenbelt on the Friday. She's looking for a lift back to London (Crystal Palace) on Monday as we're not going back until Tuesday.
Is anyone heading back vaguely in the right direction on Monday and do you possibly have a space?
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
The shuttle bus timetable has appeared on the Greenbelt website - Here.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
I have downloaded the app - I had to load it onto my old phone, which will therefore have to be my planner ( my new one is android compatible, but not android ).
And I seem to have a busy schedule.
Please do say hello if you think you see me.
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
I'm a complete newbie to any kind of festival. Owning no camping equipment, I'm staying at the nearby Holiday Inn Express and will be walking to and from the site daily (I've heard rumours of a shuttle bus but I won't pin my hopes on it, my own two legs remain the most reliable form of transport I know).obvious?
Doesn't look like it will be easy.
The roads not atrocious atrocious (it's recently been bypassed) but there is no pavement.
The little rectangular region is a quarry and I can't find a way under it. I went a little bit into the field where there might have been a path and it ends in a stream with no fords.
There's a path above which might be doable (I missed it when I went exploring so don't know what it's like).
Failing that there's going into and out of Kettering (and that adds a mile to the route)
Hopefully they can suggest something at the inn
county map
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
The entrance to Greenbelt is actually between Grafton Underwood and Warkton - possibly accessible from Warkton village. It is not at the public entrance to the house - you should visit the Greenbelt website for more info as they usually don't take kindly to people who climb over the fence.
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
:
Just had a look on Google streetview. This is going to be fun, in the dark, on foot.
Got myself a dynamo torch last week. Looks like I'll need it. Might also get a high visibility jacket.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
So when are Shippies meeting? I'm not sure of my Saturday/Sunday/Monday rotas yet, but I'm volunteering with Access and Friday is by far our busiest time, helping people set up in disabled camping. Will pop by and say hello if free!
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
Could I suggest that we plan to meet Saturday afternoon at the Tiny Tea Tent - and make it an all-afternoon event, so people can come and go as they want and need.
If someone could make and bring a "Shipmeet" flag, and stick it in the ground or on a table, it would serve as a location to gather around - and even if everyone else left, a new shippie could sit there and greet others.
I just suspect that there will be an unusual amount of chaos this year, and I think the programme is fuller than usual (it seems to start earlier and finish later), so I suspect that a single time for all will prove difficult.
Posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard (# 368) on
:
Bugger, bugger, bugger. Next year Jerusalem?
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
:
I did hover around the TTT for a bit but couldn't see anything ship related!
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on
:
Likewise, though it was lovely running into frin yesterday evening.
Other than the glaring ken-shaped hole in the proceedings, the knitting family had a lovely weekend. First time GBer husband enjoyed himself more than he expected and our son loved the whole experience.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
Sorry to have missed everyone - Access team were very busy dealing with getting people onsite - but I did have tea with Carys with the Franciscans and some other religious.
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on
:
Ditto, sorry to have missed you all (except Geroff). Did also pop along to the TTT but didn't see anything obvious.
Last day was a bit wet, they seem to have coped reasonably well, and could get around easily at most points. But I hope there is some magic trick they can learn. They did have a good amount of white road, so I'm grateful for that.
Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on
:
Never found the tiny tea tent. Spent half the weekend mostly going between the pagoda, treehouse, big top and table. The other half was spent limping to and from the hotel since no one thought the shuttle bus should go to where people were actually staying.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by TheAlethiophile:
The other half was spent limping to and from the hotel since no one thought the shuttle bus should go to where people were actually staying.
Yes but how would they know where everyone is staying?
Posted by recklessrat (# 17243) on
:
Shame not to meet you all. The weekend was manic for us, but did manage to see a few things with Ratlet so that was good. She did get upset during Outerspace Eucharist though, so had to make a quick escape! I fell twice over the weekend - once on the white road, which seemed to get more wobbly over the weekend, and once at the hotel. So am feeling very sore today! Also, Ratlet and I both have colds I will defo be returing next year though!
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
:
So, what was everyone's favourite bit?
I thought Nadia Bolz Weber and Mpho Tutu were great, really enjoyed the Hobbit, went to a thing on palm oil expecting just to hear how bad it was but they were talking about a new sustainable source and some products with it in (including the detergent we got in our festival guide bags). Great catching up with friends, as well as chatting to people over food and drinks.
I'm not a great camper and did find Friday night very cold, and yesterday very wet, plus I really did miss the proper loos and hot running water of Cheltenham, but it was a gorgeous site. I think they know there were a few problems, and realistically think that's always going to be the case at a new site, but they'll hopefully be able to address them for next year.
Posted by goperryrevs (# 13504) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Jay-Emm:
Did also pop along to the TTT but didn't see anything obvious.
Me too. I guess we were all just standing there looking awkward trying oblivious of each other. Never mind!
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
:
And trying to spot a Shrodingers Cat T shirt without looking too odd staring at people!
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
I was wearing it! There was, oddly, another schroedingers cat t-shirt there on the same day.
I am convinced that I say everyone I know online at some point. Its just that, in many cases, we didn't recognise each other. Oh well.
I do think it would be good to think early about how we might meet next year, now that we know how the site looks - I presume most of the village will be similar next year. The Tiny tea tent was on the way in just to the left - which was a superb place for it, as I arrive to chill, and to listen in to the Glade stage.
Overall - there were all sorts of niggles, and problems, mainly with the transport and camping site, but everyone I spoke to felt that the village itself was brilliant, and really worked.
Highlights: Brian McLaren and Nadia Bolz-Webber on Monday were excellent. Music - Lau were awesome, and Sinead was mind-blowingly good.
A really good time, overall. I think the site coped remarkably well in the rain. I mean, it was a quagmire today, but not as bad as Cheltenham was two years ago.
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on
:
I also turned up at the TTT with my family, from about 2.30-3, but I don't know anyone so it was hard for me to locate a shipmeet! I did see Edward Green (who I know off ship) to chat to on my arrival (my husband managed to walk straight past him though, possibly due to the rather groovy glasses Eddie was wearing).
I loved the 'Rime of the ancient mariner' acrobatic performance and the very touching Half Moon Theatre production we saw about the 1950s deportation of care home children to Australia. I always love seeing theatre at Greenbelt, the themes are some different and moving.
I'm afraid I had a bit of meltdown this morning as my mental health means I react very badly to uncertainty. I had been apprehensive about the packing arrangements all weekend, and we packed up from the furthest field and went to our pick up point today only to be told there was no trailers for our luggage due to the mud (some deserted camping gear in our field, an older lady and her friend left her tent and roll up mattresses rather than carry them). But the staff eventually managed to get a couple of trailers down to us and the organiser (a trustee) was lovely, especially towards this rather emotional middle aged woman; she made sure that we knew what was going on and that my eldest knew where we were heading to rejoin my husband and the luggage. I must look her up and thank her.
Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on
:
So it seems there were many Shippies there that I didn't get to meet...!
I did keep spotting Schroedinger's Cat in my venue but by the time I had finished making announcements and whatnot (I was compering The Table) he had always left.
Had a brilliant time. Beautiful site.
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on
:
I was working (site stuff) for some of the weekend, but wife and 2 kids came, and we are all just about still speaking to one another. I enjoyed Nadia do-dah and John Bell, and felt (as usual, amongst volunteering and family stuff) a lack of time for worship and contemplation which was heightened as I caught the last 15 mins of a Taize session on Mon eve in heavy rain.
Practical tip - if you own a wheelbarrow and can tie it to the roof of your car, it doesn't half help matters with camping gear and remote parking!
I'm less of a volunteer than I once was, and no longer party to any 'how are we going financially' discussions. I'm nervous for GB - if it follows the pattern of Deene this site will have been more expensive to hire and a lot more expensive to set up than Cheltenham (not that Chelt. was any longer an option) - I hope it's sustainable.
Anyone put off by the hassle-factor of family camping a long way from the car? GB has a lot more families / a lot fewer independent, hardy youth groups, than 25 years ago. I saw quite a few stressed families getting out this morning.
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on
:
We seemed to spend a lot of Greenbelt bumping into people - I think it was on Sunday that we took an hour to get from the Big Top to the Glade because of all the people we met - but I suppose that is what happens when you have been to an event for 36 years
We met the Cat, Jay-Emm, Welsh Dragon, Dave the Bass, Esmerelda. Didn't go to TTT, because we prefer the coffee at Calums and Mocha Mania.
We must admit that we didn't get to site on Monday morning because it was already raining steadily when we left our B&B. The first time we have ever left early, but it was a good site - did anyone notice how quiet the site was without the cars and without all the hard surfaces?
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
Alas, I was in the Haven for most of the festival so didn't do much bumping into people! Did make Beer & Hymns though which was great. Alethiophile, Tiny Tea Tent was just inside the festival village entrance, opposite Barn Bacon. I had a lovely orange and coconut tea there after an exhausting Friday - I was on disabled camping from 8am to 6.30pm helping people get sorted.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by mark_in_manchester:
I'm nervous for GB - if it follows the pattern of Deene this site will have been more expensive to hire and a lot more expensive to set up than Cheltenham (not that Chelt. was any longer an option) - I hope it's sustainable.
Is it more expensive to hire? I would have though it was cheaper, because there was less infrastructure. Cheltenham was becoming more expensive, and would have been unreasonable after the redevelopment. (setting up costs would definitely have been greater)
It does have the space for huge expansion. If they can achieve this, it would bring in more money, which would be a good thing. Yes, it will have a difficult few years, but there is a potential for the festival to grow significantly.
Posted by Emma Louise (# 3571) on
:
Yup Mark. The fact I could drive car to site, empty can and children and deive off was a previois attraction of gb. With 2 small children the logistics of carrying huge family tent and accompanying gumpf is a bit of a disincentive.
To be fair we'd been looking at camp bestival near us which is the same (although similarly put us off along with the price!)
Posted by Dinghy Sailor (# 8507) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by mark_in_manchester:
Anyone put off by the hassle-factor of family camping a long way from the car? GB has a lot more families / a lot fewer independent, hardy youth groups, than 25 years ago. I saw quite a few stressed families getting out this morning.
As a single twentysomething arriving by public transport, I found it a lot harder to get to than Cheltenham: when I arrived on Saturday I needed to take a train and two buses (with far-from-slick connections) before walking halfway round the Boughton perimeter because the (service) bus had dropped me off on the wrong side of the site. Families will tend to get there by car whereas singles will be more likely to get there by public transport, so the new site was definitely less accessible for me. Part of that is the location and part of it is my particular circumstances, but hopefully they'll improve the transport links from Kettering and the signage (both in Kettering and around the site) next year.
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
:
As a rubbish camper I did value the access to hot water and proper loos at Cheltenham, along with the drive onto site. This weekend left me wondering if I would camp there again.
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on
:
I should perhaps add that I'm a camping fan, I like the new site, I think the work put in by volunteers to keep the show on the road when continuing at Cheltenham became impossible is amazing, and I give regularly to GB and want to see it succeed. I'm not therefore sniping about new camping arrangements - but if there are any significant problems, this is the kind of place to air them and give GB a chance to come up with some patches.
Oh - and ETA my guesses about relative costs are just that, and based on my memory (in which I have some confidence, though I may be corrected) that the first Cheltenham cost less that half of the last Deene festival to run.
[ 27. August 2014, 10:05: Message edited by: mark_in_manchester ]
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on
:
Agreed, the volunteers, organisation was amazing, my comments were more from my own feelings about camping which would be the same on any greenfield site. The cold/wet was an added issue this weekend which made me wonder if I would repeat it.
Cheltenham had a few facilities which just made it a little easer for campingphobes!
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Emma Louise:
Yup Mark. The fact I could drive car to site, empty can and children and deive off was a previois attraction of gb. With 2 small children the logistics of carrying huge family tent and accompanying gumpf is a bit of a disincentive.
Yes, we are camping fans, my husband has been to every Greenbelt for nearly 30 years and we've been together there for over 15 (we started dating at Greenbelt). But packing up and finding no trailers for us was very stressful for me (my bipolar disorder means I get very anxious about uncertainty, I was still in tears yesterday evening even after being home several hours, and I also suffer from fatigue so am of little practical use either) and tiring for my husband as he had to carry for 4 people. We loved the new location but the experience has me doubting if we can camp next year as it will just make me anxious in advance. We live near enough to commute if necessary but camping with friends is a part of Greenbelt we enjoy.
Having said all that, I am sure the organisers have learnt a lot from how the weekend panned out and will be scrutinising the issues and looking for solutions. The trustee who helped me yesterday was both practical and empathetic.
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on
:
I posted this on the "Truth Universally Acknowledged" thread thinking it was this one -
"We didn't make it to GB this year (didn't work out with timing of other holiday), but I'm curious to go next year. As we are based in Scotland we only have a few years left that we *can* go to GB, before the Elf Lass starts school (up here they start back mid-August and no August Bank Holiday, so coming to GB would mean taking her out of school)."
I've been following a lot of the comments on the GB facebook group (negative and positive) and am thinking about how we can try and travel as light as possible (did you see what I did there? ) to try and mitigate against the worst of the problems identified this year. Admittedly as we are both able-bodied then that will be much easier for us than others. Seriously thinking about the practicalities of not bringing a buggy (bonus: more space in the car for the bigger tent required). Luckily we don't tend to go to millions of things at the festival anyway (just one or two things a day), mostly we seem to just bump into people and that is our festival. And of course if all else fails, my parents live close enough that we could if necessary decamp there - again not an option available to most.
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on
:
Small tangent regarding the few bits of camping gear I rescued from the bin at the end of GB.
Me (to elder girl, age 9): I don't know why someone didn't take that self-inflating mat, stove and sleeping bag home and fix them.
Elder kid: Maybe they were cool people.
Me: What do you mean, cool?
Elder kid: You know. Cool people who don't have pliers.
Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on
:
Don't be put off by the Facebook group comments! The number of people who are members of the group is tiny in comparison with the number who attend Greenbelt and the number who actually post is smaller yet again.
For the majority of people who do not have specific access needs (whether age or health related), the site is fine. Sure it's a bit of a pain to to walk carrying kit and that might mean some shifting in how we camp and think about tent size, food, group hangout space, bringing own trolley etc, but it's a campsite, it has loos, it has water, it's all OK.
For people with specific access needs, camping at a festival (or even coming as day visitors) is always going to be more of a challenge than everyday life and clearly Greenbelt tried this year and will have been able to see what worked and what didn't and what needs to be better. (FWIW, the people I spoke with in this category were mainly positive, said there were a few things that could have made their lives easier but mainly it was manageable, but I'm aware that everyone has different needs.)
I'm thinking families with small children fall somewhere between those two groups and single parents coming with small children even more so. So perhaps there's something there about finding ways that such people can group up with other hale & hearty folk beforehand to help them with the shlep.
Also, it seemed that buggies were rather useful in carrying kit, so you might want to bring one Jack.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
One of the suggestions that I am going to make is that they need a really good, proper, taxi service from the car parks to the camp site. I know that this will cost, and it will involve more volunteers, but it would make a huge difference.
I was staying off site, and the walk to and from the car each day was a pain. On Sunday, I forgot my normal glasses in the car, so had to wear sunglasses all day. It was generally fine, but at Cheltenham, I would have popped back to the car to get them - the 45 minutes it would have taken me was off-putting.
There were taxis for £1 (intended for the disabled), but they stopped early on Sunday. They were excellent when they ran. If they could provide a proper service, that everyone could use, it would ease the pain of the transport.
On the Tuesday, my son could hardly carry anything, and we could not have carted his stuff to the car ourselves (well, it would have taken over an hour). If he had been on his own, I don't know how he would have managed.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
One of the suggestions that I am going to make is that they need a really good, proper, taxi service from the car parks to the camp site. I know that this will cost, and it will involve more volunteers, but it would make a huge difference.
I was staying off site, and the walk to and from the car each day was a pain. On Sunday, I forgot my normal glasses in the car, so had to wear sunglasses all day. It was generally fine, but at Cheltenham, I would have popped back to the car to get them - the 45 minutes it would have taken me was off-putting.
There were taxis for £1 (intended for the disabled), but they stopped early on Sunday. They were excellent when they ran. If they could provide a proper service, that everyone could use, it would ease the pain of the transport.
On the Tuesday, my son could hardly carry anything, and we could not have carted his stuff to the car ourselves (well, it would have taken over an hour). If he had been on his own, I don't know how he would have managed.
Actually the taxis were for everyone, there just weren't enough. Access had two taxis designated for disabled use.
Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Dinghy Sailor:
As a single twentysomething arriving by public transport, I found it a lot harder to get to than Cheltenham: when I arrived on Saturday I needed to take a train and two buses (with far-from-slick connections) before walking halfway round the Boughton perimeter because the (service) bus had dropped me off on the wrong side of the site. Families will tend to get there by car whereas singles will be more likely to get there by public transport, so the new site was definitely less accessible for me. Part of that is the location and part of it is my particular circumstances, but hopefully they'll improve the transport links from Kettering and the signage (both in Kettering and around the site) next year.
That sounds as if you didn't know about the shuttle bus that was running at least every hour from the train station to the site. Admittedly you would still have had to walk from there into the camp site.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
One of the suggestions that I am going to make is that they need a really good, proper, taxi service from the car parks to the camp site. I know that this will cost, and it will involve more volunteers, but it would make a huge difference.
I was staying off site, and the walk to and from the car each day was a pain. On Sunday, I forgot my normal glasses in the car, so had to wear sunglasses all day. It was generally fine, but at Cheltenham, I would have popped back to the car to get them - the 45 minutes it would have taken me was off-putting.
There were taxis for £1 (intended for the disabled), but they stopped early on Sunday. They were excellent when they ran. If they could provide a proper service, that everyone could use, it would ease the pain of the transport.
On the Tuesday, my son could hardly carry anything, and we could not have carted his stuff to the car ourselves (well, it would have taken over an hour). If he had been on his own, I don't know how he would have managed.
Actually the taxis were for everyone, there just weren't enough. Access had two taxis designated for those with access needs.
Yes, people with access needs (not just those who consider themselves disabled) will struggle at most events aimed at non-disabled people but it doesn't have to be that way. I think the biggest issue was Greenbelt describing the site as being 'flat and level with short grass' - really not the case at all, and many people struggled with the molehills and pot holes, which in turn made the white tracking bouncy and not very helpful for those with stability issues.
I did have a good time and am looking forward to next year, but I am concerned that disabled people bringing up genuine issues are getting labelled as 'moaners'.
On the upside, Beer & Hymns was fantastic! I had a very nice pint of Crazy Goat.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
:
I did say "intended", because there were so few, those who really needed them were clearly a priority.
The hillocks were a problem for everyone - wandering around when it was dark (especially) was problematic. I think more tracking would be good, maybe the metal stuff, which was a lot more resilient. I wonder if matting across more of the site would help too.
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
I did say "intended", because there were so few, those who really needed them were clearly a priority.
The hillocks were a problem for everyone - wandering around when it was dark (especially) was problematic. I think more tracking would be good, maybe the metal stuff, which was a lot more resilient. I wonder if matting across more of the site would help too.
With the benefit of hindsight and not actually having to do it. A few thoughts...
At least a little bit more tracking (it seems to me) would make a big difference. At least getting people into the field rather than ending it in a funnel.
It might have been worth fencing bits of the path a lot quicker than they did (there was no excuse to cut a few corners, it just made the track muddier, did I manage to pass this thought on to my feet or notice the nice path to the Canopy?)
While wishing and able to ignore little things like practicality:
Also although the main tracks in the camp site were good (I was impressed at all the lighting), reserving a few bits at smaller intervals would mean the final 200m was a bit straighter.
And given people are coming from town and the hotel, could something more direct be done at having a few more stops in Kettering and perhaps going further into the site. Though I'm not sure what the bus was like. So not sure how it could work.
(or a decent footpath down the ex-A43 and have a good pedestrian entrance, but that might have other issues-not least that the council might not want to do the work, people parking badly).
Posted by Uriel (# 2248) on
:
quote:
Originally posted by mark_in_manchester:
Anyone put off by the hassle-factor of family camping a long way from the car? GB has a lot more families / a lot fewer independent, hardy youth groups, than 25 years ago. I saw quite a few stressed families getting out this morning.
I've been to every Greenbelt bar one from 1992 to 2013, the last ten with children, but gave it a miss this year. This was in part due to some external work factors, in part because we felt it would be good for us to have a year away from the festival (it does get a bit repetitive) but mainly due to concerns over logistics.
We do camp as a family, but there is a big difference between going to a regular campsite where you can park your car next to your pitch, be close to running hot and cold water and decent facilities, and what is available at festival sites. This wasn't an issue in the 90s as I (and later on the newly acquired Mrs Uriel ) was happy to rough it. Then when kids came along the site had settled in at Cheltenham, and their better facilities, tarmaced roads and indoor venues made the whole experience manageable. But the idea of going back to the 90s green field experience doesn't fill us with warm happy feelings. And we've experienced a lot on the camping side of Greenbelt - the storms of '92, the mud of '97, the one at Cheltenham where cars weren't allowed on site and all kit was carried on by hand, etc. etc.
We're waiting to see the post-festival response to see how it went before we decide what we will do for 2015, and thus far I'm not convinced. Next year might be a case of us visiting family in the Midlands and coming along on a day ticket for the Saturday. It will also depend on whether friends decide to go. In previous years we have camped with a group of 15 to 25 friends, which includes a core of three families who have known each other since going as teenagers in the early 90s. This year none of them went.
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on
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How greenbelt responds to the, admittedly serious, access and accessibility issues will depend heavily on money and projected ticket sales for next year.
I was chatting to Andy Turner in the TTT on Monday afternoon, who told me GB had budgetted to lose an arm this year but would probably lose an arm and a leg. It's worrying, as to return to profit GB needs to attract a lot more people again. The issues this year might make that more difficult. Could be a rough patch for the festival. It's going to need our support!
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on
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I really enjoyed it for the most part and the volunteers were great.
However, the access really is a major problem with small kids. There really were health and safety issues getting back on the last day, despite everyone's goodwill, thank God there do not seem to have been major accidents. I would like a cogent explanation of how access is going to be improved before taking a child under 5 again, though I certainly want to go on Greenbelting, my kids loved the stuff laid on for them.
Despite supporting the festival, I very much agreed with the comments on Facebook. Greenbelt now has a "congregation" containing a lot of families, a lot of people over 50, a lot of people
with disabilities. The great access at Cheltenham made this inclusivity possible and I think it was fantastic, I loved it that my mother in law could come as a day visitor in her 80s. I don't know how that openness across age and level of fitness can be continued at Boughton. It is a very beautiful site but is not inclusivity worth more than that?
Posted by Rev per Minute (# 69) on
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The Facebook group seemed determined to shut down any criticism, saying that we shouldn't criticise because everyone working was a volunteer. I'm happy to say that the volunteers did a great job, but like Welsh Dragon and others I think there were major issues of access that need to be addressed.
We camp regularly and yes, we are used to parking near the tent. But with two adults and two teens, any 'travelling light' will involve a couple of tents (or a large and heavy one), cooking and eating equipment, bags of clothes and sleeping bags. The four of us had to make three trips, each round trip taking about an hour on Friday morning and Monday afternoon. IMHO, it was too far from the car park to the campsite and the barrows were too small and too unwieldy.
The car parks themselves were always going to be difficult when wet because of the slope - the same applied to the routes out of the campsite. More tracking was needed and the taxis needed better tyres or better surfaces to work on - watching one trying (and failing) to tow another up the hill was depressing. Not as depressing as seeing a notice asking people with disabilities to consider whether they really needed a taxi to carry their equipment...
I'm in two minds whether to go back, though the family may have different ideas. I will pass on my comments to GB 'management' and see what happens before making a decision. I realise that I like a moan, and that depression doesn't make me a flexible person when things become difficult, but I really didn't enjoy much of this year's GB because of these problems.
Posted by Dinghy Sailor (# 8507) on
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quote:
Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:
quote:
Originally posted by Dinghy Sailor:
As a single twentysomething arriving by public transport, I found it a lot harder to get to than Cheltenham: when I arrived on Saturday I needed to take a train and two buses (with far-from-slick connections) before walking halfway round the Boughton perimeter because the (service) bus had dropped me off on the wrong side of the site. Families will tend to get there by car whereas singles will be more likely to get there by public transport, so the new site was definitely less accessible for me. Part of that is the location and part of it is my particular circumstances, but hopefully they'll improve the transport links from Kettering and the signage (both in Kettering and around the site) next year.
That sounds as if you didn't know about the shuttle bus that was running at least every hour from the train station to the site. Admittedly you would still have had to walk from there into the camp site.
Oh I knew about it, but my previous bus dumped me on the other side of Kettering from the rail station so I missed the shuttle and was faced with the choice of an hour's wait or a service bus. With hindsight, the former option would probably have been faster! It's an unavoidable issue with a not-particularly-well-connected town like Kettering, but one that could be ameliorated by signposting the shuttle's town centre stop more clearly - I think I might have found it but I had no idea at the time.
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on
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I have sent a feedback email to them suggesting a better taxi service. I think, if there was a good taxi service, providing transport between the car parks and the camp sites/entrance. If they had been able to provide this, I think there would have been a lot more happy people.
If they did that, running the taxis on tracking, I think a whole lot of the issues would have resolved themselves. The site would have been less muddy, and people would have been able to get around the place.
I do suspect that the facebook group attracts complainers. Apparently, some people didn't like the Sinead set. Sorry, if you didn't like that, I have nothing to say to you. She rocked.
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on
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quote:
Originally posted by Rev per Minute:
The Facebook group seemed determined to shut down any criticism, saying that we shouldn't criticise because everyone working was a volunteer. I'm happy to say that the volunteers did a great job, but like Welsh Dragon and others I think there were major issues of access that need to be addressed.
We camp regularly and yes, we are used to parking near the tent. But with two adults and two teens, any 'travelling light' will involve a couple of tents (or a large and heavy one), cooking and eating equipment, bags of clothes and sleeping bags. The four of us had to make three trips, each round trip taking about an hour on Friday morning and Monday afternoon. IMHO, it was too far from the car park to the campsite and the barrows were too small and too unwieldy.
The car parks themselves were always going to be difficult when wet because of the slope - the same applied to the routes out of the campsite. More tracking was needed and the taxis needed better tyres or better surfaces to work on - watching one trying (and failing) to tow another up the hill was depressing. Not as depressing as seeing a notice asking people with disabilities to consider whether they really needed a taxi to carry their equipment...
I'm in two minds whether to go back, though the family may have different ideas. I will pass on my comments to GB 'management' and see what happens before making a decision. I realise that I like a moan, and that depression doesn't make me a flexible person when things become difficult, but I really didn't enjoy much of this year's GB because of these problems.
I feel your frustration with the FB group! As a volunteer (and an Access volunteer especially) I don't feel criticised when people bring up the very real access issues. It was frustrating for us as a team to see the problems and not being able to do anything about it.
The problem with the white tracking was the unevenness of the ground beneath it - it made it bouncy, and you could still go into a pothole! It was a real problem for those with balance and mobility issues.
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
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It took me a while to settle to enjoying Greenbelt this year as I was so exhausted and hacked off on Friday after having to carry heavy loads down to the campsite. We had queued for an hour and a half in the car to get onto the site and then it took several hours to unload and set up camp, by the end of which I was tired, fed up and hurting physically. We then made it down to the site only to find no festival guides were available in G shop, even though we had pre-ordered one, so we were even more fed up as we couldn't even plan what to do that evening. Fortunately they turned up a bit later but there were no additional daily diaries available unlike previous years. I didn't like the new A4 size format either, it was too large to carry around easily. I felt the programme felt a bit thin this year. There seemed to be fewer well known speakers and music acts but I would imagine that with all the costs of moving to the new site there were probably quite marked constraints on the finances for the programme. I did enjoy Sinaed O'Connor even though her music is not really my normal taste. I thought she put on a good performance. I liked the atmosphere of the Canopy and enjoyed various bits of acoustic music there. Friends encouraged us to try out Disrali and the small gods which also turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable! And dancing to the Saharan blues of Tinariwen in the pouring rain was a slightly surreal experience! Other highlights were Nadia Bolz Webber and Sarah Miles talking about welcoming the stranger in your church and the wonderful performance of the Square Peg Circus based on the Rime of the ancient Mariner.
I looked out for a potential Shipmeet on Saturday afternoon in the TTT but didn't spot a likely group although I recognized Schrodinger's Cat around the site from last year.
As far as the future is concerned, I hope Greenbelt can find a way to make the new site work better for people. It is a lovely setting and I love Greenbelt but I'm not sure that I want to repeat the load carrying experience. We can't really afford to B&B nearby at present or to eat on site to reduce all the food carrying, so unless Greenbelt can come up with a plan to improve the situation we may have to give it a miss until we can afford to do it a different way. I think Greenbelt probably have a massive headache on their hands as numbers definitely looked down on previous years and I suspect more people may be put off from returning after this year's access issues. But without the punters they won't have the money to invest to make the festival work. It could be a rocky few years ahead, I hope they make it...
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on
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I loved the compactness of the festival village even if there were still places that I never discovered or got round to exploring. (Blue Nun anybody?). Debating whether to sacrifice peace for convenience and camp in Volunteers rather than Early Curfew in future; I'd not realised that it was going to be quite such a long walk, the only people further away than myself must have been those in Youth Camping! It made for a glorious two nights pre-festival though - glorious woodland setting, only a couple of tents in the entire area, dropping off to sleep with only owls hooting and the distant sound of sheep and cows as a lullaby.
Agree and fully sympathise with the concerns about access. I'm relatively able-bodied and fit, well apart from putting my back out pitching the tent, but I struggled with shifting camping gear, bouncy bouncy walkways (might have been why I hardly bumped into anybody. I was too busy looking down!) and don't get me started on the queues for the loos.
Gripes apart, loved my stint volunteering up at The Mount, with happy memories of duck poo (don't ask), a liturgical tortoise and a Sunday dawn service.
Caught a bit of Sinead, (the floor of G Source was vibrating) and slipped out front to get a close-up view as well. Dave Tomlinson, thought-provoking as always, Linda Woodhead et al's panel on the future of the C of E less so, bit self-referencing imo though redeemed by the final contribution from a member of the audience. I'm sure I managed to get to other stuff, just it all begins to blur into one after a few days.
Probably my quietest, most low-key Greenbelt.
Posted by Carys (# 78) on
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I mostly loved it. Being hit on the head by a falling crucifix while setting up the Franciscan Chapel tent wasn't on the agenda, but was impressed by the First Aid support available. And the fact that it was 7pm before we got off site on Tuesday was not great. A pop-up friary takes some doing and not being able to drive to site (or have taxi trailers on the way out) meant a lot of barrow journeys. We weren't as well organised as we could have been because out of a team of 10 + hangers on only 4 or us stayed beyond 11am, so we need to think about how we organise things ourselves given the constrictions of the new site.
Met up with lots of Twitter people and a few MethSoccers and Riding Lights people and lots of Franciscans but not many ship people (although a couple of people in those former categories are also ship people). Many very good things but I miss Soul Space lots though.
It felt different to me, but I'm not sure how much that was the new site and how much was other factors such as: losing Friday really due to the head injury; feeling I very much needed to prioritise Franciscan stuff as I was there on a contributor's ticket (but that was true in 2011 &'13); a good friend not being there.
Carys
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on
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I'm glad that the Franciscans got themselves sorted out. I was the lone steward at the long-stay car park on Thursday pm, confronted by two van-loads of monks, nuns and tents - and no real clue as to what to do with them.
Carys, if you can pass back along the chain to get them to talk to GB regarding access onto the campsite, I'll be able to act less like a startled rabbit next year ![[Help]](graemlins/help.gif)
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on
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You can now give your feedback about Greenbelt this year via a survey. But hurry! You've only got until September 12th to make your response!
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