Around this time of year, the lure of drinking cider and listening to music in a muddy, hippy-filled field is strong. In all honesty though, our last festival experience was not so great. Or relaxing. We slept in a two man tent with Milo, who was nearly two at the time (otherwise known as the ‘enjoys running full pelt into the distance and not coming back’ age), and ended up awake very early desperately hunting for coffee. We found closed food vans, litter pickers and a few late night stragglers instead. It was a pitiful scene.

So we were slightly apprehensive about repeating the experience – but optimistic that having a campervan and an older (although still pretty hyper) child would make for funner times.

 

We headed to Solfest, a lovely wee Cumbrian festival – and we had company! My folks’ band are a bit of a Solfest institution, and were celebrating their 10th year playing at the festival, so we had to go and cheer them on. We brought Milo’s favourite aunty along too, and spent the weekend bumping into old friends – it was one big Cumbrian reunion! Hiro happily parked up next to my folks’ campervan, LaaLaa and so began a beautiful friendship.

 

The weekend passed in a happy muddle of music, chatting, wandering and sampling the many, tasty food stalls. We’d not really heard of most of the bands but that didn’t matter, it meant no agonising over the day’s schedule and trying to fit it all in! Milo enjoyed some dancing and ‘cider’ downing (fizzy apple juice I swear). I got emotional and welled up during pretty much every slow tune (including the tune my dad wrote for our wedding – weepy). And me and Stu got a short but sweet spin round the dance tent on Saturday night. Milo’s highlight was undoubtedly stalking a guy dressed up as Thor.

 

Hiro made this a way better experience than last time. Having coffee making facilities on hand, a place to shelter when it got chilly, and a comfy (ish) bed felt very civilised. Especially when we witnessed poor Aunty Naomi emerging from her little tent after a fun night in a slippy sleeping bag, on a slope…We did however, discover that three in a row is very cosy in the back when Milo decided to pile in with us one night.

I had never quite understood the appeal of hanging out in the camping field for hours when you’re at a festival but having the two vans making our little chillout area was lovely – more group camping trips need to be explored in the future I think!

 

Obviously, after two nights all I wanted to do was have five showers in a row, eat some fruit and disinfect everything that ever set foot in the festival toilets but the nice campervan experience means I’ve definitely rekindled my love of festivals which is very exciting…where to next time? Have you been to any awesome festivals?