Greymare Camp, April

This was the first camp of the year, and a new tribe for me, and a bit of a strange one. Camps are all different I keep saying, and I'm not sure if this one's right for me.

A great site in the New Forest, which I heard about at another camp last summer. I think the difference here is that many are members of the Association of Polytheist Traditions I feel a strong connection with their principles, gods and spirits all over the place, not just a montheistic or a dualistic approach.
All the Earth is Sacred.

First thoughts was that it was a bit of participants and us camp; a bit of a performance rather than pulling everyone in. Or was that just my feeling a bit new?

There was a bit of an odd feeling on the site; its Forrestry Commision and there had been a lot of felling of old trees round the site. It looked a bit sad. There are sound reasons for the management, and a Foresry Man was at the camp, round the fire in the evening. A nice bloke. Played the Didge
The strangest part of the camp was a invocation the Roman Goddess of Spring, Flora. We dug a huge firepit, and used the turf to build an altar. But it was roped off with tape for the ceremony; in Latin. Very evocative, but a real feeling of leity and priesthood. It was fun, I'm not sure.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the Maypole and Morris dancing. That felt a real community thing, though a bit controlled ; memories of school organised dancing! But it was good fun

Workshops were announced in typical camp fashion by a loud drummer.

There was a bardic chairing on the Satuday, singing, stories and harping; some beautiful stories and songs, some uncomfortable poems! The bard was officially chaired in a nice rainbow chair!

I went for a couple of long walks through the new forest; a beautiful part of the country that I must return to. So many walks, much flat so I could use a bike, and very magical.

Its not a publisiced camp, and they seem to get new recruits through recomendation; theres a yahoo group, but no website. Historically there have been problems, possibly because the site is almost public, and can attract interlopers. In fact, a tent turned up in on corner of the field, and had to asked to move on.

In spite of my reservations, I like the style of the camp, and especially the honestyu about the reconstructionist style; I hope to go back in 2007