Grey Wolf: U hope I havwe.t put yyou off the National - it isn't at all earnest, except in the way Mudcat can be in a thread where people are hunting down an elusive song, if you go to a lecture on some obscure apect of folk music to sober up.

In fact, all thigs considerwed it's very like the Mudcat. But with less bloodshed than there has been here recently.

The bar is heaving at all hours (and it's student bar prices, and no Winnipeg hole punching either). There is always some kind of session going on, masses of singing, people collecting songs off each other with mini tape recorder's, festival organisers plotting with each other in every corner.

The most studenty thing (apart from the bar) is that when it comes time to eat you do it in the refectory, with massive English breakfasts if you feel like it. You always seem to find yourself in a queue with someone like Martin Carthy (well,there is noone like Martin Carthy - buty you know what I mean). And if you feel like getting away from it all, there are masses of open country outside - this is an Agricultural College.

And they've got camping across the road. (Except that it always seems to turn cold that weekend. Which is probably halfway through April, but I haven't the details.)