Intro!

Alternative Event
On April 28th 2007 my friend Zoe and I attended the first Women’s Alternative Camping Weekend run by 4 Winds Lakeland Tipis at their Fell Foot Wood location.

We have been to workshops and festivals in the past and were really looking forward to this event, especially as we had never stayed in a tipi before. When we arrived we were enchanted as the woods were a mass of bluebells. We were greeted by Suzanne and she let us know where to get water, where the toilets were and which tipi we would be sleeping in. She then introduced to our fellow guests.

There were 12 other women of varying ages. We joined in the craft session and I had a reflexology massage. My friend Zoë had an Indian Head Massage and discussed treatments with the herbalist.

Craft session
On the Saturday evening we enjoyed the henna painting and joined in the group meditation in which we were guided by our spirit animal/totem. In the evening we also had campfire, music, poetry and singing session.

We retreated to our tipi at about half past midnight, it was a fantastic experience sleeping looking up at the poles with candlelight flickering patterns on the canvas.

It was a bright sunny morning when we awoke and most people were up and about having a wash or getting a hot drink. We all had breakfast together and discussed things we had done the previous day. We then took a walk up through the woods and up on to Gummer’s How which is an easily climbed hill behind the site. At the top you get a fantastic view overlooking Lake Windermere.

"The weekend was very informal and the setting magical, we can’t wait for the next one!"
-  Joanne Greive from Lancashire.