FAQs & Contact | Sacred Arts Camp

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring with me?

Tent, mattress/airbed, bedding,
May can still be a little chilly at night (temperatures have been as low as 5°C) so bring extra bedding and clothes to put on if needed.
The weather can range from heavy rain to a heatwave so bring appropriate clothing to cover a range of different types of weather.
Wellies
Cooking and eating utensils & mug
Water bottle
Tea/Coffee will be available from the cafe but you may wish to bring your own to use when the cafe is closed
You don't need to bring the whole range of large pots, fire and wood-cutting tools as there is always some sharing in circles.
A bowl for washing your own hands and dishes with hot soapy water.
Matches
Water carrier
Loo rolls
Torch
Fold-up chair
Suntan lotion (if you like to be optimistic about the weather!)
Hot water bottle (if you're not so optimistic!)
If you need your mobile phone, you will need to make your own arrangements for charging it (e.g. USB power pack) - there are no facilities on site.
Earplugs (if you prefer not to be woken by the dawn chorus or prefer to go to sleep earlier in the evening - some members of your circle may enjoy late night chats around the fire)
Bring musical instruments if you have them.
If you have a stove in your tent or vehicle you are required to bring a fire bucket/blanket.
Leave behind alcohol, drugs, dogs, electronic music and electrical items (there is no electricity on site).

When can I arrive?

Unless agreed with the Admin Coordinator, there are no arrivals before 12noon on Friday 24th May. Arrivals are normally between 12noon on Friday and Sunday evening. The gate willl be closed to new arrivals after this (unless an exception has been arranged beforehand)..
Departure must be by sunset on the final Saturday. For further details see our Arrivals/Departure Policy.

What do I do on arrival?

Stop at the gate dome, check in and be welcomed by our lovely gate team.

If you have any questions either on arrival or during the week then you will be welcome to ask the gate team (though most people on camp will also be happy to asnwer any questions you may have).
Those aged 13 or over will be asked to sign up for Karma Yoga (see below) - you don't have to sign up straight away (you may wish to look at the programme first to see when you will be free) but we ask you to sign up within the following 2-3 days so we can get all the slots filled.

After you have booked in, you'll then need to join a circle.
This can be a little daunting for some, especially the first time but just have a wonder round and see if you are drawn to a circle and just ask if you can join,. Try not to feel rejected if the answer is 'no' as some people prefer not to allow their circles to grow too big. Everyone finds a circle so just keep looking and you'll soon find a circle that you are welcomed into.

If you need any help putting up your tent, or if you need any other assistance, just ask - there will usually be at least one person in your circle who will be happy to help.

What is the programme this year?

A copy of the programme will be giiven to you as part of the signing in process at the gate dome. The programme doesn't start until Saturday evening so if you are arriving before then, you have plenty of time to arrive, settle and explore the site.

Can the Sacred Arts Camp be reached by public transport?

The site is conveniently located 3.5 miles, from the nearest railway station - a short taxi ride of 15 minutes .

Buses between Oxford and Reading stop at the end of the lane.

I am unable to bring a tent or other equipment with me or need assistance to attend camp - can you help?

We may be able to help support those who might struggle to attend the camp. For more information on this visit our Support to Attend page.

Can I bring my car on site?

Vehicles can access the site for setting up and taking down (unless adverse weather conditions prevent it). We ask everyone to then place their cars in the car park until after the closing ceremony on the final day. All vehicles (apart from live-in vehicles) must be moved to the car park before the end of Sunday.

Are there hot showers?

Hot individual showers are available all day.
Please make sure you use the hot water mindfully to ensure the water remains hot for those that use them after you (e.g. turn off the water while soaping down)

Is food provided?

There will be a minimal shop and cafe facility - See Facilities page for more information

Camping is in circles and each circle works out its own way of doing things. Often people make their own arrangements for breakfast and lunch and have a rota for cooking for the evening meal. People on special diets can cater for themselves individually if that is easiest.

What does it mean when you say the camp is 'closed'? Can I leave?

One of the many joys of the camp experience is that we all arrive together from our diverse backgrounds and lives outside of camp to begin a journey together for the whole week. This gives a sense of common purpose and enables a safe, nurturing atmosphere in which we can all relax and benefit fully from a wonderful experience.

It is with this in mind that camp tickets are sold for the whole week and we ask campers to make that commitment. Sometimes unexpected things happen and people do need to leave early, we recognise that this can't always be avoided.

If anyone fancies a trip off site, there are several towns in the area and the River Thames is close by.

Can I bring a caravan or campervan?

Live-in vehicles are only allowed on site by prior arrangement. We encourage all participants to enjoy the feeling of connectedness with the natural world by camping close to the earth. However we do realise that caravans/campervans may be necessary for some participants. We aim to position them along the hedge line and therefore have restricted capacity. You must commit to arriving on Friday and not leaving until after the closing ceremony on the Saturday morning. All refrigeration units must have a valid safety certificate.

Please make sure that you tick the relevant box when you book your ticket on line. Any unregistered live-in vehicles will remain in the car park.

What is karma yoga and why is it necessary?

Sacred Arts Camp is a community created by the people who attend.
There is a team of people who organise and support Camp on ‘Working Tickets’, however, there are still many areas that need extra support.
It is an important part of the camp's ethos that everyone contributes in some way to the running of Camp. To this end, we ask adults and teenagers (13 years and over) who are not on working tickets, to share in this by gifting 4 hours of their time to Camp working for 2 x 2 hour ‘Karma Yoga’ sessions. This could be, in the cafe, shop, chopping wood for showers, helping with kids'; activities, cleaning the showers, etc.
If you have caring responsibilities on Camp, you are not expected to do Karma Yoga.
You choose your preferred area and times of work on arrival at Camp when you sign in at the Gate tent.
Please note once you sign up to a particular Karma Yoga slot, the team you are supporting will be relying on you. If you are unable to do your Karma Yoga for some
reason, please speak to the Karma Yoga co-ordinator and rearrange your time slot.

‘In Karma-Yoga no effort is ever lost' - Bhagavad Gita

What happens if I get unwell at camp?

We have a team of first-aiders who are available during the day. However your circle is your first port of call for support, medication & nurturing.
The local GP surgery is less than 4 miles away and contact details for them and nearest hospitals are available at the Gate.

Can I stay in a local B&B and still attend the Camp?

If you wish to arrange to stay in a B and B, we would suggest that you have a small tent in a circle so you have a base on camp and then arrive at the camp daily.

See our welcome guide for more information

If you can't find the information you need or have any questions then we would love to hear from you. If you would prefer to speak to someone, send us a telephone number and we can call you back. We would expect to respond to your email with in 24 hours.

"Beautiful location. Restful and spiritually nourishing people and events.  Marvellous! " - Tim