Cropredy capers

Down to Cropredy again for the Fairport Convention. I stopped the night before at Wormleighton Hall in Southam.  This is a working farm that does accomodation and what a great place.  I will have to come here again when I can stop for a couple of days because as soon as you arrive, you are relaxed!  I wandered down the road to the Wharf at Fenny Compton for a couple of pints, had a great nights sleep, then a fantastic breakfast in the farmhouse.

Arrived at Cropredy early and set up the tent.  I've got a new tent as I have lost the tent poles for my Summit, and replacements aren't available.  I've got a £30 tent and it seems ok. Not sure what it will be like in bad weather though!

If anyone has any ideas how to get new poles for an Aztec Summit 2 tent, please let me know before winter!

I got a cup of coffee, and had a wander down the canal. there were some really nice paint jobs, especially these side doors and matching painted front.

I decided to spend an hour, while waiting for the music to start, sat at the side of the canal with a beer.  A pleasant time chatting to a few people became better when the cheese boat arrived.  Then tragedy - no cheese.  The cheese boat had run out of cheese :-(

A great night at the festival, Hayseed Dixie were superb but I thought UB40 were tedious.

Friday afternoon we wandered over to the Hare and Hounds at Wardington. Had a pint or five in the beer garden while throwing things at aunt Sally!  Funny things they do down south.  Then we went back to Croredy for the the Friday Afternoon session.


Some people really know how to enjoy the summer weather.

A great night on Friday with the Urban Folk Quartet, the Coral, and Seasick Steve.

Saturday morning I'm back in my usual position, sat by Bridge 152, lock 25 with a cup of coffee.




NB Dreamweaver came past and this has got to be the best paint job I have ever seen on a boat. And what a huge dog for a boat!

I was heading back to watch Richard Digence with his graveyard shift but just called in to the Cricket club to get the scores. Another wicket as soon as I walked in.  I got a pint, turned around and - Another wicket!!  This soon turned out into quite a surreal conversation in the Cricket club.
"With they all be out in time to see the Blockheads?"
"They had all better be out soon because I don't want to miss Lau"
Another pint and England had won.  Straight back to the concert and caught the last half of the Blockheads, who are fantastic even without the legendary Ian Drury.
Lau followed but were a bit subdued.  Talking to them afterwards they had just arrived that afternoon from Edinburgh and were knackered.

Yum, yum!

Dinner in Our Mutual Friend, in Stevenage.  Carla's mother is now doing some fine food, so I had to have the fantastic Lasagne, washed down with a couple of pints of course!

Beer in Berkeley, London and Rammy

We did a beer tent at Berkeley castle, but it was very quiet.  We managed to break even, but it was close.  Too many people are living off "cheap" stuff from supermarkets these days. I feel like I am one of the few who prefer quality to cheapness.

Went down to London for the GBBF.  Good beers at the SIBA bar, but the rest of it was the same old predictable beers.  It seems to me from this festival that there are no new beers or brewers available.  Had a couple of terrible beers that the CAMRA "expert" told me I don't know what I'm talking about, but generally the beers were good, just the same selection as last year.  Had an interesting conversation on the train back...

Back up north, and a new brewery tap opened in Rammy - by a micro pig. Who needs celebrities to open places, when you can get a pig to do it!