Wednesday 8 August 2007

Sidmouth Folk Festival Wednesday


I went to Sidmouth this morning to meet friends for a coffee. Normally I would enjoy a stroll along the Esplanade. Coffee with friends , then do the bank and the shopping afterwards. Followed by a swift journey home again. Fun, quiet and peaceful. Relaxing.


But this morning I also had to wait for MyMan to have an XRay in the town's hospital. He wasn't due to finish with the hospital till noon. High Noon in Sidmouth during Folk Festival week. During Festival Week Sidmouth town is a place where you most definitely don't want to be. Not unless you want to partake of the Festival atmosphere. But to try and get out of town when the world and his wife with their 4 shrill children in large 4x4's are trying to get in and parked is HELL. The roads of Sidmouth were built for another age. Pony and trap days. Not nose to tail 4x4's with people who are more used to driving them down the wide roads of the Home Counties. 4x4's driven by folk who appear unable to turn a sharp left corner without swerving far over to the right before they attempt the turn left. Sidmouth roads do not have the space to do that. You should drive slowly and work the steering wheel very quickly and hard. There were many prangs, bumps and scrapes. Inconsiderate parkers who blocked the roads added to the general frustration and road rage incidents. A small town invaded by big city people. Everyone will breathe a sigh of relief when they all return to their city and take their bad manners and ways with them.

3 comments:

Penny Pincher said...

The photos were taken during the quiet season. There wasn't room for a photographer to stand on the pavements today - not without a death wish attempt to get a good shot of the heaving activity.

Flowerpot said...

yes, we are about to have Falmouth Week which also renders the town unbearable. I'm dreading it!

Penny Pincher said...

I'm sorry to hear that Flower. The local Chamber of Commerce will be rubbing their hands gleefully though.