September 2026. End of the Road. Dorset.
A dry End of the Road ’26 in every sense. Taking a break from all but the strongest of the craft IPAs, instead hitting the fruit smoothies hard each morning.
The winner was, obviously, the Kale, Spinach, Peach and Banana smoothie (NSSS 4), which accompanied me to see “Erupcia” in the cinema on Day 3.
A tight, funny, Polish/UK collaboration about women dumping boyfriends whenever there’s a volcanic eruption, starring someone who looked just like Charli XCX.
Because it was.
“I’ve just seen Charli XCX !” I tell the lads, but the message never gets through in Cranborne Chase’s internet black hole, and they’d been horrified to hear that I’d watched “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” instead of Geese the previous night so they’d have been unimpressed.
But End of the Road is as much about films, the ethnic food,
the craft activities (ugh) and the wonderful gardens.
Good music, too; I managed 38 different artists, nearly all 8/10.
If you read the Guardian and heritage music mags write-ups you’d guess the festival’s all about the headliners, and back at my campervan all I hear is wittering about the Pulp set-list (they played “Sunrise” instead of “Sorted for E’s and Wizz” which is like putting the milk on the tea bag first in middle class circles).
Neither my lads or I actually stayed for Jarvis and co. I’ve no wish to relive the ’90s and singalonga “Common People” and join the heritage music circuit.
Not when there’s so much great modern music being made by young people. So why is 82 year trans man Beverly Glenn-Copeland my Friday highlight ?
Well, in parts it’s the backstory of gender transition and dementia diagnosis and late career recognition. But mainly, it was that voice on “Shenandoah”, and a dance with his wife that brought the tears. Astonishing.
retiredmartin 