Crediton Folk Festival 2008 at Cheriton Fitspaine, Devon traditional English folk music jam sessions rocked

I arrived at Cheriton Fitzpaine, mid Devon, in the heart of England's West Country at about 4.00 on the Friday evening, 18th April 2008, and parked up in the engineering yard (below) as instructed by Dave the Hat, perhaps one of the most friendly and resourceful stewards I have ever met.

Then, with feet up and a mug of tea in my hand, I spent the next two hours enjoyably watching the other camper vans arrive - always a pleasant way to spend some time for a campervan-holic.


A bite to eat and then it was off to the Ring o' Bells Inn for the Friday evening folk music playing session. This is the community bit when you meet all your friends and you have a really warm feeling of being part of a great bunch of people. Somebody was putting around some free hugs vouchers and there were loads of high fives.

I love the drama, the community and the stories that are told. Stories about what people have been doing, gigs fellow musicians have played, great music sessions enjoyed and wonderful festivals elsewhere.

We played through the evening and had a fine old time. It wasn't the best session I have ever attended but it wasn't the worst. Perhaps when a bunch of musicians get together, they need to get used to each other again. Perhaps one or two musicians were less experienced and not used to listening to what others were doing. It was still good to be there because it was a while since I'd seen my friends.

Saturday dawned and the weather was worse with the rain coming down steadily. Call me an emotional creative, if you like, but I don't like rainy weather or weather that is grey with low clouds when everything looks depressing. However the folk music session started at 11.00 and from that point the day got better.

Where the session playing on Friday evening was indifferent, the session playing Saturday lunchtime was absolutely fantastic. Some of my favourite people were there and playing at the top of their skills.

Bill McKinnon, one of the most versatile folk musicians, practically made my hair stand on end with some of his virtuoso playing. I was especially pleased to be able to keep up with him. Folk music is never a race but sometimes, when the pace is hot, there is much satisfaction in being able to keep up.

John and Wendy were also there of the Hips and Haws Country Dance Band. Their steady beat and fine tone enriches the heart of any folk music playing session.
Just when I thought that life couldn't get better, the evening came. The Ring o' Bells Inn, Cheriton Fitzpaine was packed to the gunwales and the music simply wonderful.

Folk music festivals have their amusing and quirky moments. Regular visitors to Cheriton Fitzpaine will know that mobile telephone reception there is not great. Apparently the best thing to do is to climb one of the hills at either end of the village, but some teenagers at the bar seem to have some local knowledge. By balancing their mobile telephone on the window catch of the main bar, they were able to get a very weak reception.

"There be strange things going on in these country villages!"

Later in the evening, I was chatting to one guy who was proudly explaining how he had managed to fit in the Crediton Folk Festival 2008 to his busy schedule. All his plans hinged on his wife telephoning him at a point in the evening to arrange to be picked up. Gently, I explained to him about the lack of mobile phone reception in Cheriton Fitzpaine Village. Looking distinctly white, he tried balancing his phone on the window catch but it didn't work. Perhaps you need to be a local. He then disappeared looking rather worried. I hope his wife hadn't been waiting long in the rain.

A particularly fine singer songwriter called Nicola Clark captivated us all with a couple of her songs accompanying herself on the guitar. I'm not generally a fan of accompanied singers but Nicola was something special.

I bumped into Paul Seligman of Cardiff who was testing interest in 'The definitive film of Miskin 2006'. Filmed over the three days of the last Miskin Folk Festival ever, this film tells the story of what people used to call 'the friendly festival'. If people contact him and say they are interested, he will make the DVD available and all proceeds will go to the Irene Taylor Trust (Music in Prisons), he said.

There came a point late in the evening when we musicians were quite simply played out. I think it was Bill McKinnon that struck up the first cracking song and in minutes the rest of the pub was joining in. Hilary of the Mudcat Forum fame was organising free hugs everywhere and, although we were all tired, there didn't seem to be a better place to be in the world.

Half-an-hour and several wonderful songs later, I packed up my instruments and headed off into the night and my camper van. I heard the next day that the singing continued for some considerable time.

It rained heavily during Saturday night and I was feeling slightly sorry for myself because one bit of my bed had got slightly damp from the incoming rain. But when it comes to camping, there is always somebody worse off and a Sunday morning wander around the tent camp site opposite the Ring o' Bells with its distinctly muddy patches was enough to make me feel very fortunate.

At least one tent had filled with water and, to add to its occupant's sorrow, when morning came their car wouldn't start. I heard that the kind publican of the Ring o' Bells, at the instigation of Dave the Hat, the local miracle steward and problem solver, put their sleeping bag in his dryer and allowed them to sleep in the skittle alley. The Crediton Folk Festival, Cheriton Fitzpaine is like that. Everybody's friendly and everybody mucks in.

Talking about muck, on Saturday evening, I'd noticed a young man wandering about the pub in bare feet and I met him again splashing through the mud in the tent camp site. I was so intrigued that I cheekily asked him why he was wearing no shoes on such a cold day in a muddy field.

He explained that he was going to be part of a reenactment and having bare feet was all about living the part. He gave me permission to take and share a photo of his feet. I reckoned he deserved an award for dedication to his hobby.

After an excellent Sunday lunchtime traditional folk music playing session, I decided to skip the Mad Hatters Tea Party and head for home.

I very much enjoyed the Crediton Folk Festival at Cheriton Fitzpaine, mid Devon. Peter and John the two organisers have pulled it off again and I shall certainly be back next year to see all my friends, hear their stories and share with them some wonderful music sessions.

If you have some great memories of the 2008 Cheriton Fitzpaine Crediton Folk Music Festival, I would love to hear of them in the comments section below.

With so much going on, my experiences are merely a snapshot. For some official pictures check out the festival sponsors Poppy Records

Bye for now

Rob Hopcott