Tramlines

Ghostpoet.

Third festival of the summer then, and the first at which I am working, as a steward with Oxfam.  Tramlines is a bit different in that rather than a country park or farm, it takes place in and around a city, namely Sheffield.  A good chance to stay with Chris rather than in a tent then - seems he has recovered from the bug that kept him from Latitude.  Still, I ride to the Oxfam campsite and put up my tent anyway, would be nice to go there for their BBQ this evening.  Then off to the main stage, in the 'Ponderosa', a large park a mile or two out of the city centre, for the steward briefing, not long after which the music starts.  First up is Ghostpoet, pretty good as poetry recital set to music goes.  And then Slaves, it may not be as cool here as the Shangri Hell stage but they're still good.  Drummer / vocalist loses his hat while crowdsurfing, then I pop backstage to congratulate him on the set.  As you do.  Turns out there is no bus to get back to the campsite so I pass on the social and meet up with Chris instead.  Watch some music in the Cathedral, where there is also a bar, pretty cool.

The peace gardens.

Saturday, and I have to work, at first this means handing out skiffs in the peace gardens while various bands play, I can handle this.  But in the evening I get the fun job of persuading drunken festival goers not to throw themselves in front of cars as I man a road crossing, this is kind of hard work.  Still I get through it without anybody getting injured, finish at 8pm in time to march to the Ponderosa and back (have to go there to sign out, annoyingly), then to the Harley for the delightful Billie Black, and then to the Cathedral for Marika Hackman, her rather dark folky sound goes very well here.  And yes, I do seem to end up seeing the same acts multiple times.

Sunday, and this time my shift goes from 2pm 'til 10pm, really not getting any music today, barring what I can hear while standing by a pedestrian crossing and pushing the button.  I am at least prepared for the rain, and it all goes quickly enough, pleasant company with my fellow stewards and all that.  Highlight of the day is a free pie I get in my break by virtue of being a festival worker :)

Trig point on Win Hill.

Of course I can't visit Sheffield without getting in a visit to Edale, so on Monday I take a pretty direct twenty mile walk there.  The route out of Sheffield up Porter Brook is still pleasant, then I head over moorland - including a knee deep plunge into a peat bog - to Hathersage.  From there it is a stiff climb up and down Win Hill to get to Edale, where I meet Chris - he has been at work, poor thing - for a few beers and a pub dinner.  All good... right, next up, Camp Bestival.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.