Some more photos

Thanks to Dorle - some more photos, mostly family

It was a great party!

We really enjoyed ourselves and hoped you all did too. Although I wasn't counting, about 150 friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and woodlanders joined us for at least part of the day. Danny and his group played a fabulous three hour set in the afternoon, young people made friends and went feral, a slackline was walked and sausages and more were cinder-ised on the BBQ. I'm delighted that all the home made cider was drunk and no one has yet reported in from hospital. I'm really sorry to those who found it hard to find us, those who gave up on the way (only one I think this year), those put off by torrential rain in London and of course mostly to those of you who for one reason or another couldn't make it. We missed you!

Yet again I forgot to use the camera much but here are a few pictures anyway:

The next day, thanks to the campers, clearing up was easy. Then Heather and I went for a walk to remove all the hazard tape and flushed a family of buzzards and a fox. A very different kind of beast from the urban varieties; well fed and handsome but extremely cautious

Finally, in the hamlet next to the wood we came across this curious sight, which makes a change from trainers hung from the telephone wires. Last words perhaps "I wonder what would happen if I just had a bite of this ....."

See you next year !

Party IS on

for friends in London - its fine and the sun is shining ! Get your skates on :)

Heather and I have put up the canopy

marked out the way to Silver Wood

and are all set and ready for you !

The weather...

....is fine! Its sunny now, there may be an odd shower this morning, but this afternoon is forecast to be dry with sunny spells.

Party on !!!

See you later everyone

Numbers again if you need them:

Simon     07766 252347

Heather   07766 122991

Jasmin    07833 205828

Bea         07799 491089

What if its raining ?

A little shower won't put us off but there is no shelter and so if the weather is very wet we will have to call it a day. The long range forecast this morning is an unhelpful mixture of sun, cloud and rain. So - and this is important - I will post a message here if the party is on or off. 

Please do check before you come if it looks like there may be a deluge.....

What if I get lost ?

Don't worry - lots of people do. I suggest at that point any of:

a) follow the trail of broken biscuits you cleverly left, back to the entrance of the wood

b) try not to think about the bears/beasts/rustling in the undergrowth and whistle a cheerful tune

c) scream and run

Or, you could ring one of us. Reception is a bit variable but usually OK

Simon:             07766 252347

Heather:           07766 122991

How do we find you in the wood?

Old Park Wood is about 200 acres and our little patch in the middle is called Silver Wood. After you park find one of the three entrances I have marked on the google map (see blog entry from May 12th 'Driving to Old Park Wood' and also http://tinyurl.com/3fkfys4). We will tie a bit of red and white plastic hazard tape around the gate. Then follow the trail of hazard tapes which we will leave to guide you down the path until you reach one of the entrances to Silver Wood. Here we will put something obvious - a balloon if I remember to buy some. Then follow the path into Silver Wood until you get to the clearing.

It isn't a bad idea to blow up a satellite image of the wood on Google maps and bring a print out

Musicians: Playing mostly Irish Traditional Music…Jigs, reels, hornpipes, mazurkas, etc

I’m really delighted that my old friend from microbiology days in the socialist republic of Sheffield, Danny Mackay, is not only coming to the party but also bringing his musical friends. I actually remember Danny buying his first penny whistle over 33 years ago and in fact I followed his example soon after. He was good then and I wasn’t and you will be very pleased indeed that I am not bringing mine to the party…..

Danny writes about his compadres:

Danny Mackay, from Glasgow, resident in SE London.

Helps out in microscopy and histology research at Guys Med School, which he hopes will keep him off the streets till he retires.

Plays:  Flute: blackwood Rudall Carte Boehm-system contraption with as many buttons as a typewriter.  Whistle: played – possibly too long - since maybe 1975 or 76.  2-row button accordion: Dino Baffetti Black Pearl….it looks good anyway.  Bodhrán, the Irish goatskin drum: If there’s one rolling around, he may take the occasional thump at it.

Seisiuns: He was, many years ago, a regular attendee at many North London seisiuns hosted by the likes of Brian Rooney and Paddy Hayes, whom Danny says he had the stupidity to sit in with. When he emigrated to South East London, amidst various suburban ephemeral sessions, Danny and some others finally established and hosted The Woodman session in Lee Green in the 90’s. In 2003, with the help of some refugees from the, by then, moribund Woodman, he re-established the session at The Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill so that it became a regular Thursday night affair which has gone on ever since. The “Blythe” started with a bang and burned with a bright flame for a few years but these days its embers just emanate a comforting glow.

Max Fishel, originally from Liverpool, expert in the didactics of chemistry.

Plays: Whistle and blackwood flute.

A source of many tunes and great contributor to the repertoire of the ensemble, Max has played for many years at many seisiuns and gigs at a high level and was a regular at the Woodman seisiun before it petered out. He was also a co-founder of the present Blythe Hill Tavern session. Max can also compere completely competently employing his incomparable Scouse rhetoric, he retains all his own hair and is house-trained. He has been known to sing, so if he is treated with courtesy and dignity who knows….

Paul Gross, Fiddlemeister.

Plays: Fiddle, piano. Fiddle only on this occasion….

Veteran of an untold number of sessions, gigs and barndances, Paul has been central to both the English and Irish traditional music community in London and beyond for many years. He was a founder member of The Rakes, the legendary English Barn Dance group, who presently play regular Ceilis in Cecil Sharpe House, Camden. Paul and The Rakes, with Reg Hall and Bob Davenport, have made several recordings and are widely respected as guardians of the tradition. Paul has probably played with most of the great figures in the history of Irish traditional music in London in the 70’s and 80’s. An inscrutable English gentleman, he never takes bribes, never swears and has always subscribed to the protocols of the Geneva Convention.

Billy Thompson, MI6 operative.

Plays: Tenor Banjo.

AKA “Machine Gun Billy” of the Thompson Guns, this dangerous character can deliver a deadly series of high-speed triplets on any string you fancy, in any key you fancy. Billy is of course in reality a gentle soul who has great dedication to his craft…and is also a mighty banjo player, specialising in jigs….but also specialising in reels, hornpipes…. and whatever else he can think of. Billy also plays mandolin but it is widely believed he feels the mando a bit too quiet for a Kerryman. Billy also likes butterfly collecting, embroidery and needlework.

And then all four playing together:

Danny, Max, Paul and Billy - we cant wait to see you and enjoy fine tunes in a wood on what is going to be a fine day ! Thanks so much for coming!