Anyone out there been to HESFES or something similar?

[singingmum]

Am interested as am thinking of going next year/year after.
Have some questions of anyone who has been.
Does it have to be tent or tourer caravan or can you stay in other accomidation?
Is it as good as it seems on the website?
Did you really have a great time?
And is it as popular as the website says it is?
Sorry if seem a bit odd but have not had much contact with other HE'ers.

I've not been yet but I know a lot of HE rs who have, year after year!
I've been told that you can camp or take a camper van/caravan.
A friend of mine is booking a static caravan on the site.
It depends on how you like your home comforts.
I personally hope to camp in a tent just because it's good fun with the kids and you can pitch up next to your friends.
I understand it's a fantastic atmosphere where the children are safe and have lots to do.
I've only heard one negative opinion from a lady who said it 'wasn't all it was hyped up to be', but i've heard 20 others say it was great!

Thanks runner bean.My dp isn't up to the idea of camping.He was brought up having hols in hotels etc. but he will do a caravan but we don't have one.Am glad that I can book static as will be a help.
Are you planning on going this year or in the next few like us?
If you do go please let me know what it is like.We would love to go this year but cannot really afford it as are doing up garden and house as is tip.Hopefully we can go next year.
Do you know of any other HE get togethers as may be able to afford later in year?

Fillyjonk has been to HESFES, maybe she'll tell you what it's like. She was also organising a HE get together to camp in Wales last time I spoke to her, but I don't know whether this got any further. I'll email her and find out.

Will be watching this with interest as I too am thinking of going next year. Is it ok to take younger siblings with you? my youngest is 10 months at the moment.

Hopefully fillyjonk will be able to enlighten us all.
Pllllleeeeaaaassse if you come on this thread.

IIRC it wasn't quite what she expected.

We have been to every HesFes going since we started home educating-this year will be our eighth!
I'm happy to answer questions about it. We'll be there again with our children, my step children and step grandchildren, as there is something for everyone in our opinion.
There are static caravans on site, but you have to be very quick of the mark to get one. You can buy a ticket for HesFes and come in each day, whist staying off site at one of the other Caravans sites or somewhere else on the island.
Yes, it is even better than it seems on the website!
We had a really great time, every time and wouldn't miss it for the world.
Yes, it is as popular as the website says it is. The tickets do sell out.

I would say that it might be a bit daunting going into an event this big without knowing anyone, but they do have a new to HesFes tea party on the first day, where newbies can meet up with others.
I'd be happy to meet up with any mumsnetters and help you settle. Meeting people there the first time, helped me enormously. And it is a great way to meet people of all sorts. Our children have made friends nationally and internationally at HesFes and other national camps and gatherings.
I can't praise it highly enough really.
Any other questions I can answer for you?

Thanks julienoshoes.
I think that covers just about everything

Pleased to be of help singingmom.

The other thought that I have had -as your dp doesn't do camping, is to ask if you are a member of EO? EO have gatherings several times a year. Sometimes under canvas and some in Youth Hostel type accommodation. I went to my first gathering in February in a youth hostel in Devon. EO usually hold a council meeting sometime during the gathering, but you are not obliged to attend the meeting.
Going for the first time, gave me the opportunity to meet new people and get to know others better. They had individual family rooms in the hostel

I know the next EO gathering is camping in July but I think there is likely to be one in another youth hostel, up north somewhere, in the autumn.

My dh doesn't do camping either, so he joins us for Hesfes, by staying off site and the children and I go to other camps without him!

Membership lapsed and haven't had the money to rejoin as yet although about to finally re-join this week.Tommorow in fact so am feeling happy about that.
I love the EO mag/brochure that comes and I love the whole idea of the stories in there.
Didn't realise that they did more than one get together however as normally when I read things have a child in ear asking stuff.
Must read more carefully from now on methinks.
It's taken a while for my dp to realise that I need some kind of contact with other HEers as am going crazy at mo.10 years of being the odd family doing my head in now

its feckin AWFUL

i hated it

sorry

bunch of noisy teenagers playing piss poor rock til midnight, lots of smoking, drinking, etc

like a rather dire music festival, so failed on all counts

Horses for course I suppose. I can see it would not be for everyone.
We love it.
My whole family goes as I said and we'll be doing the all of the activities/workshops with the 3yr old and 6 yr old grandchildren and we'll be on the beach and watching them play with friends from dawn til dusk.
I'll go and listen to the workshops for adults-especially the legal ones.
I enjoy the music each night-sometimes more than others. I'll be there dancing with the friendly teenagers and other parents.
There is music for all tastes.

The highlight of the week for me will be the children's cabaret. Children can put themselves up to do a turn -instead of waiting for teacher to decide if they get to star in the show or be at the back of the chorus. I've seen three years old sing 'Mary Mary Quite Contrary' with gusto and teenagers do some very funny sketches. I've been in awe of a girl playing violin fabulously and watched a severely disabled boy be inspired to play lead guitar improving year after year.
All are warmly welcomed by the audience. To be able to first showcase your act in front of a safe, friendly audience, is hugely encouraging-as I have personal reason to know.
There are music workshops put on all week, culminating in an end of the week show put on by the children-it is fabulous IMHO.

I love HE camps of all sizes and shapes-
So I am really looking forward to a week in the company of good friends-old and new, musical acts and entertainment for my children and grandchildren.

oh horses for courses, a lot of people do like it, to be fair.

Just not my sort of thing. Much much much much too noisy, (big) dogs running around with no apparent owners etc.

I do go to a fair few HE camps and I love them usually but this...no, too big. And oddly unfriendly, which utterly suprised us as we are reasonably friendly people

fillyjonk will you be at Peak Camp next week?
It would be nice to meet someone else from momsnet

noooo what is Peak Camp?

actually i have mainly camped with other local HEr but was toying with the camp advertised in the last EO magazine (can't remember where it was though)

I'll tell you what looks REALLY good, those camps for teenagers they keep advertising in EO magazine. Where they do drumming and pow wows and so forth. Am debating whether I can pretend to be an aged 14 year old just to go.

Peak Camp is one of the camps advertised in the EO magazine. Didn't see it in this one, as it starts later this week, but it was in the last one.
It is a lovely camp, in a beautiful place. Basic but clean facilities and very cheap IMHO.
Camp actually lasts 10days but you can stay for just as many days as you like, paying the farmer when you get there for the nights you are staying. No need to book.

Nothing much formally organised-except there is a bike ride once during the camp as their is a cycle trail nearby.

Lots of what i would call 'old fashioned' games go on, with youngsters of all ages joining in. Our family love it as much as HesFes-even though it is as opposite to HesFes as it is possible to be. Very relaxed and laid back-and no workshops/music etc.
It is a national gathering but hasn't got too big. About 40 families at a guess. And it is fun to be camping with like minded friends and to make new ones.
It is about half an hours walk through a beautiful dale to the nearest pretty village and about 15 mins drive to nearest town.

ohit sounds fab

where is it?

fillyjonk
contact me via the local groups website/email addy and I'll tell you details about it

www.worcestershire-home-educators.co.uk/

I went to hesfes this year and had a great time apart from the weather

It was nice to meet up with other home edders, and so many friendly people. We were right next to the loos, and yet didn't suffer from noise or teenage drunkeness. The marquees with the music were slightly away from the campsite this year so the music didn't bother us, but the negative side to that was that we didn't go up to them so much as it was a bit of a trek.

The camp site owners worked really hard to welcome hesfesers, and to keep the site in good order in awful weather, working until 10 at night putting down bark chips on muddy paths etc.

I met Riven and Julienoshoes, and heard Julie's very talented younger daughter singing Great fun.