Just come back from a camping weekend with Pheebs + Friends in the Ashdown Forest. The campsite allowed us to have a fire which was cool, although it was slightly smoky with the burnt wood. Pheebs and I went down on the Thursday to scope the place out and to find a suitable pitch for the masses that we’re turning up the next day. We didn’t turn up til late and were luckily enough to find a Chinese which helped the hunger pains but unfortunately the off license was closed….bummer. Anyway after a good nights sleep we were awake early for a cup of tea and some bacon butties on the stove. Later that day after examining the sky’s for the mixed weather we picked up Kit from the train station and then stopped at Salisbury’s to pick up supplies.
A little later Ike turned up and we set about erecting his tent which was Pheebs old family tent….well retro! It wasn’t long before everyone else turned up (Mike, Ed & Claire, Matt, Adam & Jules, Emily) and then we began the weekend ritual of starting the fire. However as the wood was slightly damp we all managed to acquire a slightly smoked wood flavour aroma! After tales and Chinese whispers around the camp fire we all managed to head off to sleep in our tents. The next day we set out for a 3 hour walk across a number of wheat fields and it reminded me of the Elysium fields from Gladiator although we’d all forgot to pack our Roman Gladiator outfits. Lunch at the pub was thawted from sitting outside by the rain so we all managed to find a couple of tables for a much needed rest and food intake. The afternoon walk back had to have a pit stop in another pub to take the edge off the rest of the walk back to the campsite! 
Ho hum.
Back at HQ the fire was re lit and again we cooked BBQ food by the fire and continued on into the night. I must say the singing by Mike and Ike was excellent that evening and I’m definitely going to get a set of bongos for next year. Hopefully we’ll have a few more guitarists around so we can jam! Pheebs had her midnight “Ghost Walk” into the fields but I managed to avoid that by going to sleep!
The weekend was rounded off by Sunday lunch in a very nice pub down the road before we all headed off in our own directions. Another good weekend organized by Pheebs!
