2nd Kielder Forest Star Party. 14th - 17th October 2004
This was the second Keilder Star Party, located near the Scottish boarder on Kielder Waters, Northumberland. Location position 55:13:58 North and +2:35:32 West.
This time the trip from London was not as one would want at the dead of night. It was foggy and misty all the way up the A1. Visibility was under 30 mtrs most of the time.
I departed as I did last year, on Wednesday evening approx. 20.00Hrs after a harassing day at work with the same promise to my wife I'd shop for provisions, drive until midnight to a lorry park/layby somewhere near Darlington, get some sleep, then continue.
A terrible journey all the way.
Early Thursday morning I got lost somewhere off the A.... but 'by-chance' I had my trusty Ordinance Survey Maps of the area. Navigation was fairly simple but still got caught up in unmarked roads only wide enough for one car, then up and down hills and valleys.
Looking up through my sun roof during sporadic clear spells I saw the most transparent sky's ever. A promise of what was to follow??!! Even stopping occasionally to take in the glorious vistas.
Another short sleep break beween 07.00 and 08.00Hrs.
I arrived at 09.00Hrs on the Thursday....oh dear....the electrical hookup section of the site was totally waterlogged. Even my car decided to sink into the mud and needed that extra push from those on-site to get me onto firmer ground. Then off to various camp shops and building-materials emporiums to obtain a large sheet of tarpaulin to lay on the ground as a protection against the surface water table. (Electricity and water are not the best of friends??!!).
Alas, not like London where all this stuff is available over the counter....I eventually drove so far East and South that I ewventually continued to home, missing the whole event.
Reports followed that rain and cloud dominated the site throughout the party period, so perhaps I gained a few points this time round.
It's a shame really, as what I saw through the breaks of mist and fog on the way up there will certainly be worth another try next year.
Go to the official site to see their report and pictures of pools and puddles of water surrounding the upper site.
So will be looking forward to the next one. Best 73's
Please use the following link for the Official Report from Richard Darn, one of the organizer's of the Kielder Forest Event:- http://www.richarddarn.demon.co.uk/starcamp/