Buzz Tatlock, 1971
Most of the five days I was there are a bit of a blur (understandable I suppose). I travelled down from Leeds on the train to Castle Cary hopped on a bus which stopped at the end of a lane and was told the festival is down there mate. By this time it was starting to get dark, when suddenly a guy appeared out of the gloom and said are you BUZZ? Nodding he said to follow him through a hedge, over a field ,past another hedge and into the Pyramid Field, the stage was still being erected and was starting to shine silver. Pointing to a polythene creation around a tree in the top left corner of the field (it is still there but much larger now) he said "your mates are in there" before vanishing into the night. The next morning I went for a wander and found him and his friends around a camp fire. I asked how he knew me and he laughed and said that all he was told was to look out for a pixie! (it must have been the green tights and red pixie hat that gave it away) turned out they were from Nottingham.
The rest of the festival is a bit of a blur (natch) but apart from a swim in a pond someone found up Pennard Hill and a subsequent picnic on fresh baked bread, farmhouse cheese and milk bought from a farmers wife, my first sight of GURU MAHARAJI, dancing in the mud to Fairport Convention and Family, it was the journey home that is worth mentioning.
On the morning after, as everyone was leaving it turned out all the cars going North were all packed to the gills with at least five to a car so I said no problem I will hitch.
Walking out of the car park a car pulled and offered me a lift to the motorway. I had only been at the service station slip road for less than minute when I was offered a lift to Towcester. Dropped off in a layby I was again given a lift to the M1 services. Walking down to the exit I heard a voice call BUZZ. It was a friend from Leeds. I was dropped off at the top of my road, went in ran a bath and then flopped out to some music. The time then was about two thirty. At sometime after four the door open and the rest of the bedraggled mob stumbled in. To say many gobs were smacked is an understatement! They had to make multiple stops on the way home the stretch limbs etc. And there was me all clean and sparkling (and very stoned ). I just smiled and went to put the kettle on.
PS.The Nottingham crew became good friends and occasioned many a trip up and down the M1.