For the record, the final Port Eliot Festival post for 2012... recollections from Carol and flapjacks from Fran.
Thank you to everyone as always for sharing it all with us here, to everyone who helped us along the way and of course to Port Eliot for inviting us. The Festival will be taking a gap year in 2013 but promises to be back, and as exciting as ever, in 2014 and do you know...I think I could almost fancy a swim in here now...
At some point during the weekend Lynne asked me what my highlight had been and I struggled to identify one single thing as the whole weekend had been such a feast. Now I've been back in the real world for a few days it's somehow easier to pick out the magic moments which made this year's Port Eliot just as special as ever.
There was that first view of the site as we walked down the hill, the tents and banners
and the beautiful old house (although perhaps not the walk up the hill on the other side!).
Then there was the excitement for me of being part of Lynne's team, pegging up the bunting and setting out the chairs and knitting.
There were musical highlights - Lynne's choir, Vocal Harem on Saturday afternoon (complete with an impromptu recitation of Albert and the Lion from the audience when the start was temporarily delayed). There was the sound of the St Austell Brass Band floating over from the flower tent, bringing out my inner trombonist...and there was the incomparable Beth Orton on Saturday night. She played for an hour and a half, getting better as she went, with a spellbound audience and more standing six deep around the open sided tent. As the light started to fade and her voice became increasingly atmospheric I knew this was something special.
There were the unexpected treats such as Laura Beatty reading for 20 minutes and sounding so like her sister, Alice Oswald.
The pantomime camel giving children rides as I came out of the Matthew Hollis event.
The tea ladies in their turbans and pinnies with drooping fags.
The two stilt walkers who could have come straight to Port Eliot from Narnia.
There was Emily Rhodes' Walking Book Club where some of us got heated about Rebecca and the Jane Eyre connection. A few of us more mature types felt we had identified more with the young Mrs de Winter when we ourselves were young and impressionable but now found her a bit of a wet week!
But looking back, the top highlight for me was Lynne's interview with Robert Macfarlane about his book
The Old Ways. There were several of us Team Old Ways members present and how brilliant it was to have the man himself there, talking in the same poetic way he writes. It struck me how lucky we are to have years of his books to look forward to, although when I asked him what was coming next he said 'silence' which is because he has a young family and will be spending time with them.
So it's all over for another year - as I reflected as I wandered along the estuary on Sunday morning with a good coffee, the water sparkling in the sun and the wild swimmers and kayakers making the most of the high tide - this must be the best of locations and Port Eliot for my money the very best of festivals.
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One of the traditions we have established at Port Eliot is for Team dovegreyreader tea in the tent at the end of the day. On the last day we push the boat out and have scones and cream, but the rest of the time we live off Fran's Festival Flapjacks.
Here's the recipe so you too can know the bliss of a pot of tea and a chocolate hit.
Fran’s Festival Flapjacks
8oz caster sugar
8oz margarine
2 dessertspoons water
Bring to the boil slowly, stirring to melt the sugar
Stir in
14oz porridge oats
2oz desiccated coconut
2 dessertspoons cocoa powder
Mix thoroughly and then spread into a shallow oven tray, [38 x 25 cm] lined with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
Allow to cool then place into fridge overnight.
Melt 3oz plain chocolate and spread over the top.
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