It was the events that took place here 25 years ago, on this bit of remote countryside in England, that sparked my interest in the whole van thing – back when I was in school! I’ll explain at the end of this post.
So let me show you Castlemorton Common…
You go down some of these roads
Until you get to Castlemorton Common
This is where it is…
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/Bio4u7GCtkq
You can drive straight from the road onto the common
I had no problem camping here
Common land, in the UK, usually means you have the right to roam
25 years ago it looked like this…
With people who look like this…
But now it’s mainly just sheep
I stayed here for a few days
Bike off the roof. Explore
This is the nearby Malvern Hills
Formed 680 million years ago, this was Britain’s biggest volcanic range
360 view of some of the best English countryside
The historic town of Malvern is down the road
But I think I prefer it here
Watching the sky go by
The Castlemorton Free-festival
25 years ago over 30000 people in buses, trucks and van-homes came here, to Castlemorton Common, this remote bit of countryside in England, equipped with huge soundsystems and generators, to have a massive week-long gathering. It was called the Castlemorton Free-festival.
I was reading about this whilst I was in School, fascinated by the photographs: people living in all kinds of vehicles that they’d converted themselves. That’s where my interest in the whole van thing started.
But things got a bit out of control. What started as a free-festival turned into a full-on rave when some of the biggest travelling soundsystems came and setup. The crowd only grew as the event got covered on national TV and the news.
It was this that led to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which made things difficult for people living alternative lifestyles in England – for many it meant the end of living and travelling in their vehicles. Many left the country and I’ve even met some of them on my travels. They never returned to England.
Anyway, I recommend this beautiful bit of English countryside if you’re nearby in your van. The locals seem to be van friendly also.
P.S. Maybe you were at the Castlemorton free-festival? let us know in the comments below
Andy 