Spur of the moment, I shot out from London to Bristol to visit a friend I’d made on the Camino. I had a couple of days before heading to Hatfield for the folk festival, so it worked out well.
I caught a bus from Victoria Coach Station and arrived in the very warm and muggy city of Bristol. I met Andreea during the Camino. She and Sam had walked together after I had pushed passed the town of Oia. On our last night out in Santiago, I mentioned I’d be in the UK and she invited me to come crash and explore her town. She’s actually from Romania but has lived in the UK for 15 years.
We had a great time. She showed me around some nice pubs, pointed out a few Banksy street art pieces, and we went on a long walk through town. From what I saw, it’s an interesting place. The bohemian and hippie area had a very artsy and laid-back vibe, which makes sense, I suppose. Time went by all too quickly. Before I knew it, I was off again. Another bus back to London, then a train up to Hatfield where I’d booked an Airbnb.
The reason for the visit to Hatfield was to attend the popular Folk by the Oak Festival, where a headlining band called Project Smok were performing. (Big thanks to my friend Lisa for introducing me to them). It was a fun festival, thousands of people braved some intermittent rain and wind, which cleared up later in the afternoon, and enjoyed a solid lineup of entertaining bands.
The real highlight was Project Smok, a Scottish trio playing modern indie-trad music on whistle, bodhrán and guitar. The whistle player, Ali, was phenomenal — seriously talented. The Acorn Stage filled with energetic punters all getting into the music. The band were surprised too. They said they hadn’t expected such a big and warm crowd and were sincerely honoured.
It was a great day out. But time to sleep — a long day of trains and buses ahead. Next stop: Aberystwyth, Wales.
