Anahata, Mary & the Ryburns at the arts centre was undoubtedly one of the highlights for me - one of the nicest venues for meeting up with friends old and new . Sidmouth without Pete Coe would be unthinkable! His farewell 'Hour or So' is what it's all about.

I was sorry to have missed the Flame Show but caught the Black Swan Rapper later with their truly amazing fluorescent swords.

Best acts new to me were the Witches of Elswick and Kirsty Cotter's impromptu String Stir.

My most magical moments came from the English Acoustic Collective who get together far too rarely and the oh-so-long-awaited launch of the Dr Faustus CD.

Most predictably dreary experiences were rehashing yet again with the same blinkered, self-appointed guardians of folk all those irrelevant arguments about Jim Moray's music (don't they have ears and brains?), queueing for ever to get into Spiers & Boden gigs (ah, the price of fame) and spending far too long in the M5 carpark known as Somerset on the way back.

Now I have to practice all that stuff I learned in the fiddle workshops...