Cheers for thoughts so far peeps.

Cos I'll be travelling probly by boring old coach, I'll be happy to travel distance for a week long fest, but not for a shorter one. It just wouldn't be practical.

I'm based in Essex btw, if that helps narrow the field any?
So I will deffo rally some friends/family to join me at Leigh on Sea this year.

But as I say in the opening post, a big part of the deal for me will be feeling comfy as a lone lassy anyplace farther afeild I head off to, so yeah, anything with lotsa easily accessed small informal venues, where I can join in and meet peeps sounds good.