Hi all
As promised, here's a map showing the bus stops closest to the campsite,
and the walk up Ice House Lane to get there.
If you're coming from Exeter, get off at the Ice House Lane stop.
*As you're approaching Sidmouth, the bus will turn right off the main road
near Waitrose and drop down into the bottom of the valley. It'll turn left
at the bottom of the hill, immediately pass a bus stop and then the next
stop is Ice House Lane.*
If you're coming from Honiton, you can choose to either get off at Long
Park as you come into Sidmouth or ride into the centre and back out again
towards Exeter, getting off at Ice House Lane. It'll be slightly quicker to
get off at Long Park, but a much shorter walk from Ice House Lane (10 mins
vs 20 mins).
*For the Long Park stop, the bus will approach Sidmouth from Sidford, past
a pub on the right hand side, near some traffic lights, called the Rising
Sun. The road runs down through housing estates into Sidmouth. The stop
before Long Park has a layby with an attractive wooden bus shelter. There's
a high, red brick, garden wall on the left shortly afterwards. Just before
the stop there's a road sign warning of elderly people on the left, and the
park opens up on the right.*
*For the Ice House Lane stop coming out of Sidmouth, it's the second stop
after the Balfour Arms pub on the right.*
*'Sidmouth bus' train ticket*
If you're coming from Honiton, it's possible to buy an add-on to your train
ticket for the bus to Sidmouth. I think it costs about £2.50 return - a
fair bit cheaper than the bus fare.
You need to go to a ticket office, present your tickets and ask to buy the
Sidmouth Bus add-on. Don't let them sell you "PlusBus", which is more
expensive and less useful. If they need it, the station code for Sidmouth
is SDT, and you can show them this page if you need to convince them that
the ticket exists:
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/at-the-station/bus-l…
See you on Sunday!
Martin
Hello all,
Hope everyone who is going is looking forward to Sidmouth. Remember if you have any final questions you need to have asked them asap!
Quick note re. valuables if you haven't thought: obviously our stuff is just in tents or at dance spots, you might not want to bring some things with you - especially jewelry.
For those who weren't at practice: please do tell me if you are feeling unwell, or in pain and I can try and ease up your dancing. (There are only 7 dancers at any time so we are a bit limited). Similarly if you have a grievance if someone (that isn't me) come and tell me and I can see if I can give you some time out, or try and talk to the person about it (hopefully this won't come up!). If it is me, go to Hannah or similar and they will do the same!
Drinking! There's almost certainly going to be too much drinking, I will be joining in! However, it's not my job to look after you, if you think you've had too much please try and think about having some water, if i think you've had too much to dance and we need to keep dancing I will be telling you to stop. Hangovers are yours to deal with, as mentioned there aren't many of us so you will have to dance, even if you feel like death.
AFTER SIdmouth: I would highly suggest not meeting on the 16th, I think we'll all be exhausted. But we do want to meet on the 23rd in order to prep for Bromyard. The weekend after is a bank holiday so we don't have much time. If you are coming to Bromyard and can't make the 23rd please let me know in advance.
See you in a field!! xx
Hi All,
It's only 3 days and counting until we go to Sidmouth!!! I'm so excited :)
So, some final details...
*Getting there:*
Martin has sent around the info for getting the Sidmouth Bus add-on which
will be cheaper than buying regular bus tickets and the map for where to
get off to make your walk as short as possible, so I won't repeat :)
There isn't a party on the Friday - that was Thrales getting confused with
their first spot... the party is on the Saturday and there will be bubbly :)
*When you arrive:*
Our tickets will be at the campsite (Bulverton Campsite) - in theory you
can only collect your own ticket and camping pass. You'll also be able to
buy a discounted festival bus pass - which I would probably suggest doing.
Becky I think is going to get there first, so hopefully she'll find
somewhere we can all camp with our beautiful Ravens banner/flag. I haven't
found what happens to the uncollected tickets, but I think in previous
years they end up down at the Artists Reception on Saturday- Sidmouth C of
E Primary School (where we go to fetch the collecting tins - see below.)
*Itinerary*
I've put the attached together which should let you know exactly where we
are each day and what time you need to be there. I have in mind pubs that
we are likely to do for each of the crawls, though this might change...
I have also noted pubs that we can fit in between spots, and I think on a
couple of the days where we finish early, I've identified some that we can
do post dancing, to help make sure that we definitely get every pub-type
place in (two of them are a bit more difficult than the rest to squeeze in).
*Food*
Please do eat, I've made a list of all the places at the end of this email
I could think of off the top of head where we can get lunches/dinners. Not
claiming that this is exhaustive mind. Breakfast-wise, there are usually a
couple of vans on the campsite, otherwise, cafes in town if you need a
fry-up or the usual suspect kind of places. There is a Lidl probably a
10-15 min walk away from the campsite, so that could always stock you up if
you want to have anything in the tent. Otherwise, buy in town and bring up
with you.
*What to bring*
Obviously your kit, including all the spare tights, socks and t-shirts that
you will need. If you have one of the lovely t-shirts that Laura sorted
bring that and I'd bring your hoody as well as it can feel chilly at night.
Probably a good idea to bring some sun cream and something for wet weather
(you never know!). Otherwise, just whatever you normally take for a week of
festival camping! Maybe some shoes that are more comfortable that rapper
shoes?
*Other stuff*
When not dancing in the set, if you can help with trying to collect money -
we'll have official folk week collecting tins and buckets (hopefully more
tins than buckets!), would be good to collect a respectable amount. There
is a prize for the team that collects the most... though whether we have
the energy for that I don't know, I'd rather we were enjoying ourselves
than slogging away at that. We'll be collecting these each day from the
Primary school.
Otherwise, not the things Becky mentioned about valuables, drinking and the
like.
If there is anything else that you would like to know, or that I've
forgotten to mention here, please shout!
Most importantly - let's have an awesome time, because we are awesome!!
(You really can't tell that I'm excited can you?!)
Hannah :)
Potential eating places
- Cricket Club – dinner, probably has food during lunch as well
- The Hub – food pretty much all day, usually a fair variety, including
pies and crepes
- White Horse – Fish and Chip Shop
- Black Horse – pub (good value dinner)
- Tasty baguette -unsurprisingly does sandwiches and things, but also
delicious salad boxes
- The filling station – lunch only, sandwiches, paninis, jacket potatoes
etc.
- Various Bakeries (not open on Sundays).
- Martin has found some good pasties in the butcher shops, I can’t comment,
but he has seemed to enjoy them.
- Co-op / Tesco – also handy for booze… (there is a cider shop in town as
well…)
- Sailing Club – does inexpensive sandwiches
- I think the pubs will all also be likely to serve various things
Hi all,
Being privy to the Camden Clog skit for the morris party has made me realise we maybe need to up our game (we have the fish dance to live up to after all). Still to do Jubilee but with some commentary and some vague drama?? These are the ideas I have, please comment or boo as you think. This was all conjured up on a bus at 8 in the morning so might be utter tripe!
Start: Hands up in air as if holding onto handles/pole (can't quite envisage this with swords but bear with me) Music for 8 then everyone "brakes suddenly" (musically could be good) i.e leaning back/stagger a little look shocked as music starts back up again and start to walk around the 8.
Single Guard:
As normal but with comments along the lines of: 'we're used to the hustle and bustle of travelling on the London tubes. We practice near bank where you have to take this many turns just to find your way out of the station!'
Back 8:
As normal: 'Or course we're some very polite ravens and always form an orderly queue'
--> one or all start to barge through 'apart from when we don't/ apart from this one, she's a bit rogue' etc.
Haymarket:
As normal: 'Some regard this as the traditional sword dancing figure, Haymarket. We perceive it as an artistic impression of the overground sign! Behold it's mediocre glory!'
Pixies:
As normal: introduce the team with the birds names with some explanation about how our dances are named after tubelines anyway? or this could have happened earlier
Tumble:
As normal, in stepping before tumble 'please stand back from the the closing doors'
--> feathers thrown hopefully on people?? 'I did tell you stand back!'
Display the lock:
As normal: 'all the way from...wherever to Cockfosters?? Ravens come to dance for you, whether you want us to or not/ ravens dance to all of London, whether they want us to or not'
Spin:
Slow down and stop?? including music 'Ladies and gentlemen, someone has triggered the passenger alarm in the train ahead so all trains are to remain in their stations until further notice'.
All dancers groan and look bored, all pause.
'We've now got the go ahead and will be proceeding shortly' music starts, spin starts again and finishes.
Hoops:
I have no amusing ideas
4th corner:
As normal 'Mind the gap'
End: 'Ladies and gentlemen we have reached the final destination. All change!' all walk/flap off in different directions
Ok. so feel free to tear this to bits, in reality it mainly means remembering what tommy would say, and a bit of effort on the dancers and musicians parts. I don't want to spend too long on this, much like beadnell, but is worth looking at on Monday (or any suggestions anyone has!!)
I'm hoping there are no total disasters tonight, we know we can dance the positions we learnt, and can therefore focus on all this random crap!
Thanks :)
Becky
Hi All,
Sorry for being a bit slow with this...
In case there is any doubt, we will be crawling tomorrow, watch out for
details as they become available. It will be warm, so please remember to
stay hydrated (in addition to using the tonic in your gin...)
Thanks to those that returned neckers and ties - if you still have any,
please bring them in. I think we're now all sorted for petticoats, so
thanks all.
For Sidmouth, don't forget to make sure that you have enough tights and
t-shirts (and socks if you need those) for the week. And if anyone has any
inspiration on questions we might like to pose the audience at the meet the
team with Whip the Cat - let us know! We will have time at Sidmouth to come
up with these as well, seeing as they might be the kind of thing to come up
whilst drinking those G&T's... Any questions about Sidmouth, let me know,
or ask on Monday and I'll do my best to answer,
Rachel-Anne will bring the bird masks on Monday for us to try out (not very
subtle reminder :) )
Hannah
Hi all,
No unexpected absences as far as I know.
Please come early for clog, we've only got two practices out before we have to do it in public!
Tonight will be Sidmouth prep/crawl prep (amounts to the same thing).
Talking to Cats they've proposed us both including a novelty performance at the meet the team (apparently this is relatively common?) they have some faux ballet..thing, and they thought we could do our fisherwives beadnell. I will propose Katherine, Hannah and I fill our spots as before, in the hope we can vaguely remember it and then put people in where Ffion and Jo would be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56wB7BUwrCk
for those of you who weren't there!
[https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVP.3Z4louHi3rlmrINW4piJqQEsDh&pid=Api]<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56wB7BUwrCk>
Tower Ravens: Beadnell Off 2016<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56wB7BUwrCk>
www.youtube.com
Tower Ravens perform their "Peckham fisherwoman's dance" in the irreverent "Great British Beadnell Off" 2016, Thrales Rapper's celebration of the greatest of all the ...
I don't want to spend long on it as, let's be honest, we have better things to do. I'd also be happy to do the minimal tommy routine if others were super keen to be involved.
See you later lovelies!
Becky
Hi All,
Don't forget to bring neckers and pins on Monday and petticoats if you have
a spare / will not be needing yours during Sidmouth due to not being there.
We need to make sure Ellie and Emma both have petticoats and that we get
Ffion's there as well.
See you tomorrow!
Hannah
Hi everyone,
I've been tasked with creating a scrapbook for Sidmouth. (Will it have a
quilted front cover, you ask? Probably!)
There are some photos in the google drive but not that many, and they only
go as far back as 2014. If anyone has any favourite photos (and
accompanying stories/anecdotes?!) that they want to be included please
email them to me (max 5 so as not to get out of hand).
And founding/early members - Jo, Rachel, Ffion, Sue I'm looking at you - Do
you have the very first photo? I think it would be lovely to include that
if we could. (Or one from the first dance out)
Thanks for your input!
R-a xx
Hi All,
Couple of important things for Bromyard - as we have to get back to them
this week.
1. Tickets
2. Travel
1. Tickets
I believe I have the following people coming. If you are not on this list
and should be, please let me know, likewise if you would like to bring
someone with you. (Hannah TD, does Ben want to bring anyone). Partner
tickets are £47.50 including camping. These need to be sorted out asap, so
please let me know by Wednesday 19th if anything is incorrect.
Becky (Ken), Ellie (Charlotte Dover), Emily, Emma (Tim), Hannah N, Hannah
TD, Katherine (+1, think we'll need a name...), Rachel (Dan & Arthur), Sue,
Ben
2. Travel...
I've just taken a look at the public transport options, and from the looks
of it, the options are either arrive at 1833 using a train/bus combo (which
would mean catching a train at either 1523 or 1445 depending on which route
you take) or arriving at 1225 with an hour and a half wait for a bus in
Ledbury (departing around 1922). The other option would be to look at
sharing taxis from the nearest train station or looking at lift sharing the
last bit somehow - though not sure how many will be driving... Please
could you start thinking about this, as if you are able to "work from home"
the earlier train will probably just be easier (1523 or 1445). This would
also mean that some of us would be in time for the procession.
If anyone else knows of another way to get there, please let me know. I
think perhaps they suffer the usual rural problems with evening bus
services...
If you are going to Bromyard could you please think about all of this asap,
as I need to let them know about both numbers for tickets and whether we
will be taking art in the procession at 2030 on the Friday. Please let me
know by 19th July.
Thanks,
Hannah
Apologies that this isn't kept up to date or if anything is wrong. This is the cool kind of thing I do when I'm bored! X
Founders Nikki Rachel lindsey
Joined at start in spring 2012 Hannorah janet jo sue josie nic
Summer 2012 Ffion
Autumn 2012 Aisha
Dert 2013
Post DERT Sinead
Summer? Becky
Post Whitby Katherine
November post Thrales Day workshop Laura S, Kate, Rhona, Kat B
Dert 2014
Uni term time Anna b
Post Thrales Day workshop Reesha, Laura W, Lizzie
Dert 2015
Post DERT Hannah
Workshop Helen,
Sent from my iPad
