'Lulling' at WOWO and End of the Road festival

While there has been a bit of a lull with Sisters Guild, or rather while we still have the opportunity to retreat, the McCarthy contingent of Sisters Guild headed to the hills for some camping adventures!

For August Bank Holiday we chose Wapsbourne Manor Farm, otherwise known as WOWO. All we knew was that it was a very much talked about campsite, within 30 mins of home (Brighton), we were allowed to build real campfires and we could walk to the Bluebell Railway. Enough to please the 3 of us.  It lived up to these expectations and more. Our Bell Tent made it quite special too.

very pleasing campfire cooking

Set in stunning fields and woodland in the Sussex countryside, WOWO has a brook running through it and a moat to spark the imagination.  There's rope swings, tyre swings, rope bridges, wooden bridges, stepping stones across streams, plenty of grass to run around on - oh, and mud!  Just what childhood should be full of. So with kids leading the way and roaming free it really was a parenting lesson in letting go.

 Thank you WOWO wonderland, we'll be back.

And to continue our woodland theme...

End of the Road festival 2010 - library in the woods

2 weeks later and we're at the End of the Road Festival. The most serene and easy festival set in the beautiful Larmar Tree Gardens,  Victorian pleasure grounds with ornate buildings, majestic trees and arbours.  Enchanting.  You can have your wedding there too (not at the festival, obviously, though that would be nice).

A festival to delight the senses, with great music, visual treats and incredibly tasty food. Being at a festival with a child is so magical as you see it through their eyes and smile at the endless 'wow look at that' comments on everything -  the peacocks, the circus tents, flags, papier mache animals, a library in the woods, a decorated old car in the woods, a big red postbox in the woods, games in the woods...lot's of stuff in the woods...though it really was a 'jungle.'  It all made a very big impression as there's been non-stop chatter about it all since.

These End of the Road festival organiser people really know how to create the best festival vibe and surroundings. It's definitely an intimate festival that draws those with romantic souls, including my nearly-3-year old who enjoyed waking up at the crack of dawn to see the sunrise on the campervans. And I was a bit less grumpy than usual at 6am too!

Back home and back to the business of getting the Sisters Guild online shop launched. Full of inspiration.

Some End of the Road festival reviews here, by the way, if you want to know more about the music and stuff:

• A lovingly put together event. James Smart, Guardian
• A perfect farwell to summer...where muisc can still be personal and profound.  Nick Hasted, The Independent