"What's it going to be like if it's muddy and slippery?"

Answer: muddy and slippery?

Some photos are here: pictures from a muddy year

Some discussion is here: Discussion of a muddy year.

If it is muddy the chances are you'll be able to make less use of your car not more. And car parking on the cricket and rugby fields may be restricted - even for motorcampers who have booked.

The bus service is scheduled to include the new Social Dance venue near Waitrose so must be working as normal.

It is too soon to predict what the weather may be like. The current position of the jet stream only gives the likelihood of poor weather - the actual day be day weather is governed by other factors. At the present time the bottom end of the camping fields are probably unusable and unsafe for vehicle access because of the slope and general ground conditions. There were two small landslips on the Bulverton Road recently - and the road was closed for a while. Minor landslips have occurred on other local roads - the ground is just so saturated.

Some discussion of slopes here:

photos from 2010

and

slopes and calculations

All of this highlights the increasing need to consider Health and Safety in planning use of these fields and the need for contingency plans to accommodate people in other locations - maybe even on private driveways and gardens rather than at Bulverton. I have motorcampers booked into my level and flat garden (and I'm hoping the lawn dries out before they attempt to drive 3 tonnes onto it!) and maybe tents in my garden too.

A 'reserve' of private driveways in Sidmouth that could take motorcampers and caravans in extreme weather would be one idea - I've mentioned it before here but it was dismissed by Joan Crump (EX artistic director). This general idea is gaining credence - look at websites such as camp in my garden dot com

I'll resurrect the idea if this year proves difficult. It is to be hoped that the ground will improve - even access for the heavy equipment needed at the Bulverton could be tricky after yesterdays downpours. It all adds to the hassle and cost unfortunately.

The Bulverton campsite has never been properly organised with a prime emphasis on Health and Safety (and this goes back 15 years or more) but this year there has been emphasis elsewhere on cancelling events because of unsafe car parking on fields. It would be foolish to have an accident and then be accused of negligence.

There are some links on this page.

events cancelled owing to unsafe car parking etc

I'll load some photos of current campsite conditions in the next week or so.

It could still be absolutely fine during the festival - the current need is for contingency planning if only because of the way the jet stream is behaving this year. Using all the available land higher up the fields and avoiding use of the swamp at the bottom of Field 1 might be considered!