Between the Trees by Claire Fayers

Hello, and I hope you all had a good Bank Holiday weekend. I spent part of it at Between the Trees - a lovely festival in Merthyr Mawr, South Wales. Merthyr comes from the Latin for martyr, by the way, and Mawr means big or great. The area is thought to be named after the Welsh saint Myfor who may be buried there. However, one of the talks I went to was on the invention of tradition, given by the historian Graham Loveluck-Evans and so I am taking everything with a pinch of salt. 

The main stage - bring your own chair!

The festival includes music, craft demonstrations, an eclectic mix of talks, and of course folklore. Because in this setting it's easy to imagine the fairy folk peering at you from behind a tree. I do a regular folklore session and usually get a handful of kids. This year, the audience was mainly adult and it filled the space to overflowing. More proof, if needed, that traditional tales are enduringly popular. 

Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins

In terms of inspiration, I find there is something very special about being among trees. The calming shades of green, the shifting mix of cool shadow and patches of bright sunlight. Add in music wafting in from various directions, friendly chatter, the smells of cooking and it's the perfect atmosphere for creating stories. Unfortunately the festival is over for another year, but, while the dry weather lasts, I'm going to be taking my notebook outdoors to write.

www.clairefayers.com