Deer Shed

Tents set up

So the holiday started off in style.  They finished school Thursday and on Friday Deer Shed was on and this time Tom didn't have to bunk off school to attend it!

This year we managed to convince Luca and his family to come with us (Luca is in the year above Tom, but they are very similar and Julie and Kevin, his parents very easy to get on with).  Julie is a teacher and originally when she booked she was off on Friday - but her school changed that and asked her to go in for the day.  Knowing how quickly the campsite gets filled, we offered to take both Luca and their tent so we could pitch up next to each other and Tom and Luca get the day to spend together.

Scary Shark?

Julie came by at 8am, gave us Luca and their tent and we gave her our bedding and chairs.  We set off around 9.15 knowing we needed to get there early.  We got to the campsite at 10.30 - it opened at 10am and already there were literally thousands of people and hundreds of tents set up.  The layout had changed, we didn't come in past the glamping and an area which was camping was now the funfair and main stage, we felt a little disorientated at first, but realising where the main stage was, we headed with our trolley full of tent stuff away from it and found some green area with not too many tents to set up on.

Den Building

It was hot, really hot: full on scorching sunshine with no cloud cover - the forecast was for rain today!  Whilst lugging all the camping equipment to the field and putting up the tent it carried on being really really hot.  Matt got dizzy and had to sit down on a number of occasions.  We went through nearly all the drinks we bought with us to keep ourselves hydrated whilst putting up the tents.  Luckily Luca's tent was a airbeam tent so took very little time to erect.  Ours, however, took ages, especially as some of the poles are a bit dodgy now.

Think it took us a good 1.5 hours to get everything ready, then one last trip to the car to get the last bits and pieces and we zipped up and headed to get our wristbands and head into the arena area for food.  The layout was completely different, so it took us a while to get our heads around it.  They had laid out a 'food street' where most of the food vendors were located, we found it straight away.  All the boys opted for mac & cheese, whilst I tried out halloumi tacos which were really rather lovely.

VR Twins

Playing with bales of straw

Then we headed to the sports field.  First stop was cricket (of course) and then we headed to the scooter and bmx area where the boys had a go at the ramps.  Luca was a natural, but Tom found it quite difficult.  The sports area was quite empty so Tom managed to get 1:1 instruction from one of the guys there, and after a bout of tears, he tried again and again until he managed to suss it out. It was all in his head - over thinking it.  Meanwhile Luca was having fun on the half pipe.  Unfortunately it was at this point that rain started, it was light drizzle to start with but got heavier and heavier until the ramps area closed for safety reasons.  Oh and for the first time ever, we managed to book some sessions for Saturday - Luca is very sporty which made it easier as last year the boys we were with were not at all sporty.  We booked kayaking, another go at the scootering, a forensic science activity and tag archery.  We were disappointed as Yorkshire Cricket Club were supposed to be having some sessions, but they pulled out at the last moment.

The boys didn't mind the rain, and headed over to where there was a den making area and made a den, then they went to the crazy golf area and did that in the now pouring rain.  Think they did it about 3 times, until they were soaked through as were we.

We decided we needed to get back to the tents to warm up.  We did so, the boys decided that Kevin and Julie's tent was theirs whilst ours was the adults tent.  There was a lot of giggling coming from their tent.   When the rain ended we headed back out.

We had a look around the science tent - the boys got to have a go with the Greenpeace VR: Luca opted for the Antarctic and Tom the rainforest, they both were very absorbed. Then to the workshops where they each made a plastic bottle fish before deciding that actually playing with hay bales was more fun so they did that whilst Matt visited the bar for the first time and found us both a pint.

Luca and Tom festival ready

Around 7pm we got the call that Julie and Kevin were arriving, so we headed out to them to help them bring their stuff to the campsite and then we headed down to the food street for tea: veggie Tibetan for me, meaty Tibetan for Matt and a hot dog for Tom.  We then headed to the main stage to see the headline act for the night: Drenge who were great - not least for their stage set which included a huge octopus and light-up jelly fish.  Considering the theme of the festival was making waves, it was very apt as well as pretty.  We got out our 'festival sofa' which we bought from China about 6 months ago and the boys had a great night bouncing each other on and off it - kept them busy for hours.  We dragged ourselves to bed around 11.30pm - all of us shattered, and lay in bed listening to people in the silent disco (all listening to music through headphones - but singing along).

Kayaking

It wasn't a great night's sleep - it never is, the first night in a tent.  It was actually very good tenting weather: calm, not too cold and our neighbours were all pretty quiet, so only ourselves to blame for not sleeping well.  We got up around 8am, the boys were straight playing footie, whilst we came too nicely with Julie making a brew.  We then headed down to the arena for breakfast: tacos again for me - yummy ones with sausage and omelette.  Then for a little look around before the boys all went kayaking at 11am.

Tag Archery

Julie and I watched them for a while and then had a look around the workshops and Wilder Wild, before meeting up with them again - they had had a good time, but all were drenched, and looked like they had had accidents, so we headed back to the tents for them to change and then back to the arena for lunch (greek chicken gyros pitta for me, hot dog for Matt, calamari for Tom) .  Then the boys had their scooter lesson (Tom did much better), followed by their forensic science workshop whilst Julie and I made a lavender beach hut cushion each.  Julie and I then did tag archery with Tom and Luca which was loads of fun - basically shooting at people with soft arrows.  We had 3 games and don't think we were particularly good at it but we certainly enjoyed it.

Relaxing

After that, Tom said he was tired, so we headed back to our tent.  Luca and co still wanted to play so they went off and left us to it.  When we got to the tent Tom decided he wasn't tired, but after telling him to cuddle Soffie, he fell asleep very quickly and was out for 1.5 hours which was brilliant.  He didn't exactly wake up full of life, but after a chocolate bar and a fish finger sandwich he cheered up.  Luca, unfortunately was the opposite, without a rest he was miserable and shy and quiet and almost beside himself with tiredness.  Matt had Poutine for tea (Canadian dish - chips with cheese, gravy, beer poached chicken and maple bacon) and I had veggie curry from Ghandi's Flip Flop whilst Tom topped up with some Churros.

Goldfrapp

We headed to the main stage and saw the end of Public Service Broadcasting and then settled down to see Goldfrappe who were really really good.  It was at this point that Luca was at the end of his tether and they had to go back to their tent.  We stayed and Tom got his second wind and we basically danced all the way through Goldfrappe's set - we had a lot of fun and were quite sad when they finished.  We got back to the tent around 11.30.  Luca's tent was dark and quiet (apparently he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow).

Happy selfie

Dancing?

So I got a proper 4 hour sleep in the tent on Saturday night (formula: 2 pints of cider and 1 whisky cocktail and lots of silly dancing with Tom) and felt ready to take the day on on Sunday.  Matt however, was down with a bad belly and suffering.  It was also mega hot, no cloud cover like yesterday meaning it was scorchio.  We had a slow start to the morning.  After breakfast we headed to a Ukelele workshop where we all learnt to play a Hawaiian song - was good fun.  Then we went to the Wilder Wild for a look around, then we queued up a good hour for a icey cold smoothie each (was gorgeous) then back to the sports field for a game of discus golf.  Matt was really suffering by now.  I felt like I was dragging him round, he obviously didn't want to be there, so we cut our losses and packed up the tent etc.  Took us a good hour, but for the first time ever we got the tent and poles in the tent bag!  We got everything to the car and headed home.  Julie, Luca and Kevin stayed a bit longer.

Relaxing

He slept the whole way home...

We got home in good time, had showers, something to eat and went to bed pretty early.

It was a good weekend, just a shame both of us were ill (I had a cold all weekend and Matt obviously was really quite uncomfortable on Sunday)