Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers Busk at The Sidmouth Folk Festival

Each August huge numbers of dancers and musicians head to Sidmouth for the annual folk festival - a week long event which celebrates our national heritage of music, dance and song.

This year I was able to play my piano accordian at the festival for the first time for many years as our local morris side - the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers from Combeinteignhead - went along to dance on the "prom" on the traditional Sunday outing for local performers.

We were so lucky with the weather as our dancers began at 11 am for a morning session, followed by a lunchtime break in the pubs, and then an early afternoon seesion soon after 1pm. It was lucky because soon after we finished playing our music and dancing on the prom around 3pm the heavens opened!  The crowds put up their umbrellas and scattered for shelter in nearby cafes and ice cream parlours. Our dance spot was opposite the Bedford Hotel just a short walk along the prom view shown here so we were able to dash for cover ourselves.