The Ned Wood Archive

Sam

Sam’s waving his arms in the air, trying to give the impression of a big rectangular shape, like a door.  Top left is Woodsies.  Top right is Tom’s Field.  Bottom left is the Park, bottom right is Strummerville.  And where we are now is the handle on the left hand side.  He looks at Lyn and then looks at Lex to see whether anything has registered.  No.  Nothing.  

They’ve just crossed the railway line and are walking along the metal track laid over the grass by the Other Stage.  The wind is ruffling the flags on the poles lining the track.  The stage is still being worked on and the area in front of the stage is still roped off.  Groups of punters stand around chatting.  Other groups drift in random directions, some back up to the Park, some over to the right towards Left Field, others back to the left to their tents in Oxlyers or Dairy Ground.  Some are even walking in the same direction as Sam, Lyn, and Lex. Most of those that are fork left and head through the Dance Village.  Sam’s getting hungry and thinks there’s more chance of decent food if they fork right and go through the Reach.

To be honest, by the time they reach Woodsies, even after getting some grub, they are all worn out.  They sit down for another break under the green canopy that sits between the small tree stage and the massive Woodsies tent. Lyn thanks Sam for showing them around.

“We really appreciate it,” she says.  “We wouldn’t have seen half of what we’ve seen without you.”

That’s when Sam feels the weight of responsibility.  He remembers that it’s their first Glastonbury and he’s just dictated what they did on their first free time at their first Glastonbury.  They’ll remember this day forever, but will they remember it the right way?    

“It’s been magic,” says Lex.  “How far do you think we’ve walked?” 

“5k, probably,” says Sam.  When he drives, he thinks in miles, but when he walks, he thinks in kilometres.  “3 miles.”

“Is that all?”

“Well, most of it has been uphill.”

“It’s about 2k from Tom’s Field to the Stone Circle.  It ain’t much when you compare it to walking round your average city.  The festival is probably only about six square kilometres.  Smaller than somewhere like Stamford or Todmorden, but with a population to match Southampton or Milton Keynes.  No wonder it gets so crowded.”

“Anyway, we ain’t finished yet.”  He drags them through the Woods.  Suddenly Lex isn’t so tired.  She tells Lyn that she wants to go up and play in the tree house.  So they wait to go up to the steps and onto the platform above the woods, then they wait to go along the aerial walkway to the second platform.  Sam’s been up often, but he always enjoys looking around.  Lyn and Lex get rejuvenated. They are having a great time walking up and down amongst the trees.  When they finally decide to come down, they can hear a band just starting on the small stage not far from where they are.  Punky folk songs.  Mandolin, penny whistle, and punk rock electric guitar.  What more do you want?  Sam’s automatically drawn towards them.  Lyn and Lex, too.  They’re a five piece called Nasty Fishmonger and they’re fab.