Directions to the Spoonfest site and other info
Here are a few details that may help give you an idea of what to expect, what to bring, what not to bring etc. For additional information see the FAQs page.
When and where
The festival is held each year in Edale, Hope Valley, Derbyshire. Situated in the heart of the Peak District at the start of the Pennine Way, between Manchester and Sheffield.
Most folk arrive on the Thursday evening. You can arrive any time after 4pm and set your tent up in the camping field. On the Thursday evening at 7.00pm we meet for the grand opening. There is strictly no carving on the Thursday evening before we have gone through the health and safety talk, first aid information etc.
If you are arriving with a car head for postcode S33 7ZG Ollerbrook Farm Edale. For a map see the Venue page.
If coming from the East you’ll turn up the Edale road at Hope by the church, drive a few miles into Edale then shortly after you pass a row of terraced houses on the left you see a farm road on the right with a Spoonfest sign. Drive up there 100m over the railway then under the spoonfest sign into the camping field.
If coming from the West you’ll drop into the Edale valley, follow the road past the turning into the main village and the car park, over a bridge then after a fallen down barn on the left you’ll see the Spoonfest sign on a driveway to the left. See the map below for details.
You’ll be met at the gate and be given a vehicle pass. Please drive carefully observing the site speed limit of 5mph. Once you have parked and set up your tent go to the information point in the campfire area in the trees to pick up your wristbands.
If you are coming by train, well done. There is a 10 minute walk to site, come out of the station and turn left on the road up into the village. Just after the information centre at Fieldhead Campsite (round turf roofed building) follow a footpath down to the right. Cross two fields and the entrance to the Spoonfest camping field is on the right.
On Sunday, we start the big clear up at 12:30pm after the morning workshop before bringing Spoonfest to a close with a final gathering for a group photo at 2pm. Everyone must be offsite by 3:30pm. There is no camping on site on the Sunday night.
Food and other matters
If you want to be sure of an evening meal on-site (and you’re not keen on cooking), your best option is to buy a food ticket (£36 for all 3 evening meals).
There are various things available in the village, a small village shop, two pubs and two cafes. There is not a cashpoint so if you plan on attending some workshops best come prepared. The only mobile phone network in the village is EE and that is patchy though pubs and cafes have wifi.
The spoonfest bar will be open serving local ale and cider. The bar is run by Edale volunteers and all proceeds support our chosen charity, in previous years we supported Practical Action who we are thrilled to have raised 20k for. We are now raising money for Sheffield City of Sanctuary & UK-MED, who we have raised £3500 for so far. We also have a wonderful wood fired pizza oven run by volunteers cooking pizzas each evening with proceeds to charity.
Workshops
Many folk come just to enjoy informal sharing of skills, to sit around the campfire carving spoons. Others are keen for more structured learning and we have lots of 2 hour workshops running each day. On Friday the focus is mostly on beginners courses, where you can learn to use an axe and learn safe knife grips. There is always a rush to sign up for these courses with folk queuing long before 9am when we open for bookings. Each person can book themselves on one course at a time (on Friday, you can book a beginner’s knife and axe course together). Later on there are many more advanced courses which will be announced and booked each morning at 9am. A big blackboard shows all the courses on offer. Make sure to bring your tools to use, or there will also be tools for sale. There will not be tools available to borrow.
Spoonshop & Treenshop
Spoonshop & Treenshop are the places to buy and sell spoons & treen. If you have items to sell, please make sure you have attached a price label (with your name and the price) to each one before you bring them. We will book them in from Thursday 12pm, the spoonshop and treenshop crews sell your items for you for a 10% commission. Please note space in both shops is limited and we cannot guarantee you a space.
What to bring
What to bring. Edale is windy and can be chilly even in August so bring warm clothes and a warm sleeping bag. We have limited seating around the campfires and in the workshops so if you have a camping chair that would be good to bring.
There is one drinking water tap at the top of the camping field and we will set up pot wash bowls there. There are ladies and gents flush loos, sinks with cold water and free hot showers at the top of the field. There are also a few portaloos around the field.
If you play a musical instrument please bring it, there tends to be an ad hoc mix of song playing, and jamming around the campfires. Whatever you enjoy sharing bring it along – no drums after 10pm please, and quiet after 12.
We run an open mic night on Friday and there’s a barn dance on Saturday and we’d love if you wanted to get involved. Players of english trad dance music are very welcome to bring their instruments along and join the Spoonfest Troubadours for the barn dance.
Most of all bring with you an open, warm, friendly state of mind, if it’s your first time you will be amazed at what a lovely bunch of people spoon carvers are, it makes for an unforgettable experience.
Barn, Robin and the Spoonfest team.