Weekending: Port Eliot

I’ve been away for the last 3 weekends – Ibiza, Port Eliot and Wilderness – and every weekend has been an amazing experience. I haven’t been camping for years (6, to be precise) and I vowed to do it properly, in a more grown-up environment (the last time we were away in Devon – waking up to 16 year olds in the tent next door describing the whereabouts of their vomit outside – not cool). 

Camping for grown-ups? Port Eliot. 

So we were camping…and it was cold. But boy was it fun – midnight discos in the forest, bluegrass roots music played in saloon bars hidden away by the river. 

Lobster rolls, gourmet burritos and churros kept us fed and warm and Bumble & Bumble braid bars, Piers Atkinson flower garland classes and talks by inspirational people like Rick Stein, Thomasina Miers and Alexandra Schulman filled our days. Alighting from the train at St Germans was like Fashion Week – Suzy Menkes, Giles Deacon and Gwendolyne Christie (from Game of Thrones) were all in our train carriage.

The festival is based around the beautiful Port Eliot House and Gardens, and is surrounded by astounding forests and nature – with disco balls hanging from trees, walled rose gardens and secret forest fairy lit paths leading to open air tents playing live music. You’re rewarded for going off the beaten track and finding hidden passageways – it really is the most beautiful and creative festival I’ve ever been to. And so family friendly…

I’m going to be honest, we were a bit lazy. We didn’t really sign up to any classes bar Bumble & Bumble braiding and the Seasalt workshops (I actually hosted a ‘customise your own breton top’ with Seasalt in their lovely tent filled with fishing ropes, jute bags and a wonderful group of fishermen singing Sea Shanties outside – only in Port Eliot!). But it’s perfectly acceptable to do this, it’s a predominantly hippy festival, and you can be as relaxed or regimented as you’d like. We felt totally at one with just wandering through all the gardens, eating lobster and popping our heads into talks as we passed – letting our nose, eyes and ears lead the way.

So thank you Cornwall, for bringing me closer to the sea, serving me delicious lobster and making the weather behave. You haven’t seen the last of me.