FAQs

Campout:
The Field Guide

Everything you need to arrive safely, settle in comfortably and make the most of your four days at The Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley — nestled into the foothills of the Black Mountains near Hay-on-Wye.

When
Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 August (entry from midday Thursday)
Where
The Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley, HR2 0JW
what3words
///weeks.them.dockers
Capacity
A cap of 250 — everyone shapes the space
About the event

More than just a gathering, it's a chance to reconnect with nature, each other, and ourselves. With indoor and outdoor spaces, we host workshops, discussions, crafts, music and wellbeing sessions — and you can even unwind in the wood-fired sauna.

We don’t know exactly what will happen over these four days — that’s part of the magic. But we do know that something happens when people gather around a fire with open hearts and a willingness to connect.

Tickets

Tickets are available via Ticket Tailor. Please note we offer limited day tickets without camping — we encourage full attendance to maintain the event's flow from the Thursday opening circle to the Sunday music evening. Sauna and car-park tickets can be added at checkout.

There will be an evening of live music and a ceilidh on the Garden stage on Sunday evening after the closing ceremony. Your full event ticket covers camping on Sunday night too.

If your friends are still on the fence, now’s the time to remind them to come along.

Book tickets →

Programme

The full schedule is live on our Programme page — a rich mix of curated sessions, music, wellness activities and opportunities to offer your own contributions, especially during our morning circles.

The programme is printable, so you can bring it along as your guide, or save it to your phone before you arrive — signal is patchy near the pub, and can drop out completely further into the fields.

The Four Days of Campout

Each day has its own theme, inviting us on a journey together. We will all gather at the daily morning circle to hear the day’s offerings and sit with the day’s theme. Bring your coffee, and join the circle to begin the day together.

Thursday — Landing, Earthing & Lighting the Fire
Friday — Rooting & Expanding into Presence
Saturday — Expression, Vibration & Voice
Sunday — Opening, Sharing & Rising Up

See the full Themes of the Day →

Co-creation & participation

Campout is a co-created community gathering, shaped by everyone who attends — not one you simply turn up and consume. With a cap of 250 people, everyone has a role in shaping the space. Whether you host a workshop, share music, or simply help tidy, your contribution matters. Daily morning circles allocate light roles and highlight the day's schedule.

The Campout Ethos

Connection · Compassion · Co-creation · Community · Celebration

Campout is a space for co-creation. This means we don’t just come here to consume an experience — we come to be part of it.

We invite you to: Participate. Play. Create. Listen. Share. Connect. Rest. Express yourself. Try something new. Be curious. And perhaps most importantly… Look after one another.

Be conscious of the impact you have on the people around you. Be compassionate with your words. Be considerate of your neighbours. Respect boundaries. Give people space when they need it, and connection when they welcome it.

Campout is a place where we can all bring our whole selves — and where we collectively create the culture we want to live in. We inquire how a new counterculture can emerge as we explore community building, decentralisation, healthy living, nature connection, personal empowerment and political transformation.

Read about the history of Campout →

Getting there & lift share

Location: The Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley, HR2 0JW · what3words: ///weeks.them.dockers. Nearest station: Hereford (15 miles, ~30 mins drive). Join the lift share thread on our Campfire network → Please do not contact the venue directly.

Arriving at Campout

Please take extra care when travelling to us. The site is reached via beautiful rural lanes, and some of these roads have ditches and uneven edges, so please drive carefully and take your time.

Keep an eye out for the Campout signs as you approach the site and, once you arrive, please drive slowly onto the gathering grounds. Arrive gently.

The gathering begins the moment you turn off the main road.

Camping, vehicles & accommodation
  • Camping is a short walk from the main spaces, right next to the car park.
  • Live-in vehicles (no hookups) park in the car park. There is plenty of space for everyone to park.
  • Bring your own tent or van.
  • Nearest town: Hay-on-Wye (9 miles, ~23 mins). Local B&Bs via standard booking sites.
  • The nearest railway station is Hereford (15 miles, ~30 mins drive).
Conscious Camping — Leave No Trace

Campout is built around the idea of conscious camping. We ask that you treat this beautiful land, and each other, with care and respect. Please:

  • Take all your rubbish home with you.
  • Leave your camping space exactly as you found it.
  • Be mindful of noise, particularly around sleeping areas.
  • Be compassionate and considerate of your fellow campers.
  • Respect that everyone has come to Campout for different reasons and may have different needs.
  • Look after the land we are lucky enough to gather upon.

We are a compassionate, considerate family here. Let’s create a space where everyone can feel welcome, safe, respected and free to be themselves.

Dogs are welcome at Campout, but please be a responsible dog guardian:

  • Keep your dog under control at all times.
  • Be mindful of other campers, children and other animals.
  • Please pick up after your dog and dispose of their mess in bins.
Showers & Toilets

There are showers and toilets available by the pub, as well as portaloos on site. Please help us keep all facilities clean and pleasant for everyone.

Accessibility

We want Campout to be as welcoming and accessible as possible, and we know it’s something a lot of you ask about.

The event is held partly on farmland, so the ground can be uneven, grassy and sometimes muddy underfoot — particularly around the camping field, and after dark or rain. There are accessible toilets on site, and we do our best to offer accessible parking and camping close to the main spaces.

If you have particular access requirements — mobility, sensory, medical or otherwise — please email us at contact@campfireconvention.com before you arrive, ideally as early as you can, so we can talk it through with you and make sure the right support is in place. Our crew are also on-site throughout the event and happy to help once you’re with us — see Safety & Support at Campout for how to find us.

Food & Drink

You don’t need to bring all your meals with you! The pub will be serving food throughout the gathering, including:

  • Breakfast baps
  • Gathering lunches
  • Evening dinners

(sample menu). There will also be a full bar and a gin bar at the pub — draft beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks — plus free drinking water and a tea urn on site.

Your own alcohol is permitted on the campground, but please remember that we are hosted by the pub, and so only alcohol bought from the pub can be consumed within the pub garden/Main Stage area (over-18s only; ID for under-25s). Please be respectful and mindful of your own alcohol consumption and of those around you — Campout is a family of all ages, and we want our shared spaces to feel welcoming, conscious and comfortable for everyone.

🔥 Fire & Cooking Safety

Cooking is permitted on the campsite, but because the land is particularly dry and parched this year, we ask you to take extra care. If you are bringing a camping stove, we strongly recommend bringing a few bricks to elevate your stove safely off the ground.

Please do NOT use BBQs or have open fires on the camping field. There will be a designated BBQ station on the gravel area by the camping field where BBQs can be used safely.

Please be extremely mindful of fire safety at all times. The land is dry, and one small spark can quickly become a serious problem. If in doubt, ask a member of the Campout team.

Signal & Charging

One of the beautiful things about Campout is that we are heading into nature — which also means the phone signal isn’t always our strongest friend! Mobile signal at the site is limited and can be unreliable.

We encourage you to embrace the opportunity to disconnect, but we also recommend bringing a power bank with you so that you can keep your phone charged when needed.

If you are meeting friends at Campout, we suggest agreeing on a meeting point in advance, just in case your phones decide to take a little holiday of their own!

When the Sun Goes Down…

Please bring a torch or headtorch! The gathering site is on agricultural land, which means the ground can be uneven, lumpy and bumpy, particularly after dark. Good footwear is also highly recommended.

Please take care when walking around the site at night and be aware of uneven ground, guy ropes, tents and other campsite obstacles.

What to Bring

We have an amazing programme of workshops, movement, meditation, healing and creative experiences waiting for you. To make yourself as comfortable as possible, we recommend bringing a yoga mat, a blanket and a cushion.

Please bring a camping chair, as straw bales will be limited in quantity. Bring a bag too, so you can take away your rubbish.

The weather can change quickly, so come prepared for sunshine, rain, warmth and everything in between! See the full camping checklist below →

Bring Your Drums!

Our opening ceremony will include a drumming circle, and we’d love to make this a truly collective experience.

If you own a drum, bring it along! And if you have a drum you are happy to share with others, please bring an extra one if you can. Let’s begin Campout together — with rhythm, vibration and the sound of many hearts beating as one.

Bring Some Cash

We recommend bringing some cash with you to Campout. You may wish to purchase sauna tickets if you haven’t already booked yours, and we have some wonderful practitioners, massage therapists and shamanic healers offering beautiful experiences throughout the gathering. Having some cash with you means you won’t miss out if signal or card machines aren’t playing ball!

Kids

We're planning activities to help children connect with each other and with nature. More details soon.

Safety & Support at Campout

Your safety and wellbeing are important to us. While we hope your time at Campout is filled with joy, connection and adventure, please know that our crew are here to support you if you need us.

Information Hub & Campout crew. Our Information Hub is in the pub garden/Main Stage area, and you’ll see Campout crew and volunteers around the site — if you have a question or concern, are feeling unwell, need help, or simply don’t know where to go, please come and speak to us. We're here to help.

If you need emergency medical help. If you or someone else requires urgent medical attention, please alert a member of the Campout crew immediately. The pub is our main emergency point and has a landline telephone available should an ambulance or other emergency service need to be called. Our crew can help coordinate this and direct you to the appropriate support.

Fire & site safety. Please follow all fire safety guidance — see Fire & Cooking Safety above for details. There is a road running through the gathering site. It isn’t a main road, but vehicles may still be using it, so please remain aware of your surroundings and take extra care, particularly with children and dogs.

Looking After Each Other

Campout is a community, and we ask everyone to look out for one another. If you notice someone who appears unwell, distressed, lost or in need of support, please don’t ignore it. Check in with them or let a member of our crew know.

We are all here to create a safe, compassionate and welcoming environment — your wellbeing is everyone’s business.

If you’re unsure about something, please ask. We’d always rather you came and found us.

Behaviour & safety

This is a conscious, co-created event. Heavy drinking or drug use is not tolerated. Everyone is responsible for their own safety and that of their children, and fire safety is a shared responsibility. Concerns about behaviour are addressed through adult circles, and anyone compromising safety may be asked to leave.

Crew

Want to help create the magic? Apply to join our event crew →

And Finally…

Thank you for choosing to be part of Campout. Thank you for bringing your energy, your creativity, your weirdness, your wisdom, your laughter, your music and your beautiful human self.

We don’t know exactly what will happen over these four days — and that’s part of the magic. But we do know that something happens when people gather around a fire with open hearts and a willingness to connect.

So bring your tent. Bring your drum. Bring your dancing shoes. Bring your curiosity. Bring your whole, wild, wonderful self. And let’s see what we can create together.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Campout 2026. See you around the fire.

With love, The Campout Family

What’s allowed.

Allowed

  • Tents and campervans (no hookups)
  • Dogs — on a lead around the pub area
  • Cold food and coolboxes
  • Swimwear and eco toiletries
  • BYO camping gear, yoga mats, etc.
  • Kids (with parental supervision)
  • Participation and self-organised activities

And always: leave no trace — bring bags for your rubbish.

What to bring.

Everything you need for four days in the fields. Download the full PDF to print and pack.

Essentials

  • Refillable water bottle
  • Lawn chair
  • Tent, pegs & mallet
  • Torch (with extra batteries)
  • Sleeping bag or duvet
  • Groundsheet
  • Pillow(s), cushion & foam mat/airbed
  • Mobile phone and charger
  • Blanket/Rug
  • Loo roll
  • Wash bag & towel
  • Refuse bags
  • Clothes
  • Waterproof jacket/trousers
  • Warm/walking boots
  • Wellington boots
  • Plastic glasses
  • Bottle opener & lighter
  • Large water container
  • Warm pullover/fleece
  • Suncream & lip balm
  • Sunglasses & hat
  • Insect repellent
  • Earplugs & eye mask
  • Map & wet wipes
  • Yoga mat
  • Plates, cutlery, mugs
  • Cash for bar
  • Camping chair (straw bales will be limited)

Extras

  • Medical kit
  • Flip-flops
  • Drawing pad/paper
  • A pack of cards
  • Inflatable armchair
  • Swimming trunks for sauna
  • Fancy dress
  • A drum, for the opening ceremony drumming circle (bring a spare to share if you can)
  • Battery-powered fairy lights

If You’re Bringing Children

  • Toys & dressing-up box
  • Skipping ropes, batons, boules
  • Water squirters & swing-ball
  • Musical instruments
  • Drawing materials & paper

Final Check

  • Ticket confirmation
  • Mates

Top Tips

  • Bring something to sit on — a rug, cushion or foam cushions, or an inflatable option.
  • Bin liners: for sitting on, waterproofing socks in mud, and keeping rubbish.
  • A small torch — a white LED bike light is handy in your tent.
  • Sun hat for day, warmer hat for evening.
  • Umbrella (rain or sun cover) & a flag for your tent pole so you can find it.
  • Bring some cash — handy for sauna tickets and our massage therapists and shamanic healers if signal or card machines aren’t playing ball.

Clean up after yourself. We have to leave the farm exactly as we found it.

See you
in the fields.

Book Tickets