Lizzie’s Way at Camp Bestival

*KLAXON SOUNDING* One week to go folks — roll up, roll up — the circus is on it’s way!

There are just seven more sleeps until the gates of Camp Bestival open for another year. Weeeeeeeeeeee!

Excited much? Can you tell ;)

I keep saying to the boys;

It’s nearly time for the FESTIVAL!

Bless them. I’ve no idea if they really remember anything from last year. But this is met with mucho excitement; clapping of hands and hopping from foot to foot.

{So good to know that I’ve instilled the excitement of ‘festival season’ into my offspring. From such a tender and impressionable age too!}

Favourite Things at Camp Bestival

I wrote very recently about my favourite thing from last year’s Camp Bestival — Caravanserai. But it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t written about what the boys loved the most.

It was in the magically named Dingly Dell and called Lizzie’s Way.

Now, when I was a little girl there was nothing (and I mean nothing) I liked more than making mud pies and playing with water.

Before the council deemed it appropriate to churn up the beautiful fields behind our family home and cover them in houses.

I had an outdoor ‘kitchen’ (OK — it was a table at the bottom of the garden) which had the loveliest views of grazing cattle. And I’d spend hours there making concoctions out of soil and water, whilst my bovine companions looked on.

So to find a very similar set up — just on a much larger scale — at last year’s Camp Bestival was absolutely enchanting.

And — just like their mama — the boys absolutely loved it there.

Lizzie’s Way

Situated in a leafy glade, with sunlight dappling the ground. Lizzie’s Way offers much-needed respite from the very hot sun that we were lucky enough to have all weekend.

Bunting and streamers, blow gently in the breeze. Whilst the gentle sound of water — punctuated by children’s laughter— fills the air.

Look up — and in the arches that span the trees — you’ll be able to spy strange birds and feathers plus wishes — written in a childish hand — hanging from ribbons.

It was such a lovely stop-gap from all the colour, heat and noise of the main festival site.

The air was cooler, and it had a lovely, mellow feel.

Cooking in Lizzie’s Way

The boys spent ages playing in a crazy ‘Heath-Robinsonesque’ kitchen. Tipping water from one cup to another. Wooden beakers and metal goblets; water splashing between them. Then on to bamboo rills, which cascaded water from one level to the next.

They were absolutely fascinated — typical Pisceans — they seem to have a natural affinity with water. They loved watching the liquid move from one vessel to another.

If you’re feeling a bit jaded. And adulthood seems to have robbed you of the magic and wonder of childhood, I urge you to buy tickets for Camp Bestival.

Because, I promise you, a short while spent in the Dingly Dell, watching tiny little humans play with water in Lizzie’s Way, will totally recharge your batteries and make you remember what it was to be a child.

Honestly.

A Little Film of Lizzie’s Way, Camp Bestival

Finally, because the words and still pictures don’t really convey what a lovely place Lizzie’s Way is, I made a short film.

Very short, actually — just 59 seconds.