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Dave Cornthwaite |
Following a summer series of SAY YES campouts where he invited his Facebook friends to become real friends and come wild camping somewhere near London with him, he started work on the first ever Yestival, an October gathering around a campfire in a field near Guildford where the air of positivity was palpable.
Shortly after Yestival, I met with Dave and asked him a few questions about the event and his forthcoming 1000 mile walk across the Middle East with his friend, adventurer and film maker, Leon McCarron. Walk The Masar
Since leaving behind a regular life as a graphic designer over 10 years ago, Dave has been on a mission to complete 25 Journeys of 1000 miles or more in non-motorised transport. This will be his 12th journey of Expedition 1000.
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Dave at the Adventure Travel Show 2013 |
1: Where did
the idea of Yestival come from?
Shortly after
I came up with SayYesMore in 2012, the cleverness of a gathering called
Yestival was attractive. That said, I'm on a constant mission to simplify my
life and organising a big event is not conducive to this!
Then, earlier
this Summer, I started two months of campouts inviting anyone to join me, and
by early August it felt like it was the right time - in terms of spirit,
community and audience - to make Yestival a reality.
The core
organising team was comprised of people I'd met over the summer, and although
the decision to go for it was taken just 8 weeks before, the bulk of the
organisation was done in just three, slightly stressful weeks.
2: What are
your favourite memories from the weekend?
There are so
many. On Sunday I took a moment to walk up the hill and sit by the SayYesMore
'Hollywood' sign, and just looked down on on the site, the tents, the
campground and almost 200 people. That was so satisfying, knowing that it just
took a decision (plus some hard work and a really good team) to create
something brand new.
Other moments
were Amy and Ella Meek wowing everyone with their young wisdom and stature, the
Land Rover Bar, endless conversations and smiles, being able to celebrate my
birthday in the field, and my parents being there - it's rare they directly
experience anything I've done or created so it was nice to give them a chance
to verify that they're awesome parents.
3: Yestival
felt like a great success, feedback on Facebook is very positive and everyone
seemed really happy – What, if anything, would you do differently next time?
It exceeded
any of our expectations, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The
second time will always be easier. We have some infrastructure now, costs will
hopefully be a little lower and we'll also be better placed to sell more
tickets (although we don't want this to turn into a huge festival). Little
things like being more clear with the schedule, having a bit more light on
central parts of the site, and getting some sleep before the festival starts!
4: What plans
do you have for future Yestivals?
Nothing
precise yet, except for - there WILL be future Yestivals. Globally, hopefully.
YesHQ builds
on the atmosphere we had at Yestival. The need for us busy modern humans to
spend time with other like-minded souls, to get into nature and be allowed the
time and space to think big. Our initial plans are to create a really creative
office and living environment both in London and just outside of London - in
the country.
6: You’re
heading off on a little walk across the desert soon; what sort of planning do
you do for a trip like that?
Well, a
little more planning than I usually would, just because we're travelling
through a fairly dynamic region and a decent sensitivity is needed for some of
the stories we share. At heart, we're walking 1000 miles so need a bag, a
stove, some camping gear and a way to share our stories. We'll also have guides
for certain areas, donkeys and camels depending on the stretch we're on, and
basically a willingness to be present throughout the trip.
7: What are
you looking forward to in the trip and travelling with Leon McCarron?
I'm looking
forward to walking out into the hills and camping. It's going to be glorious
experiencing a new part of the world, a region with so much old and new
history, learning so much at the same time as travelling slowly and meeting
people.
Leon and I
have known each other for about five years but this is our first journey
together. He's good fun, passive and the build-up to this has been incredibly
easy, which bodes well. I think we're both aware that this is a really
important trip for both of us, but at the same time we like to have a giggle
and don't take ourselves too seriously, which makes disarming the natural
stresses of these journeys easy. Plus, Leon's far more handsome than me, so he
gets all the attention and I get to sleep :)
8: What has
been your favourite mode of non-motorised transport?
SO HARD!
Stand Up Paddleboarding is a gorgeous way to travel, but I feel a little guilt
picking out any particular form. Skating down a long, smooth hill is a
beautiful feeling. The ICE Trike is so much fun. The Bikecar was unique.
Swimming was hard but life-changing. Sailing in the middle of the ocean opens
your mind like nothing else. So I have a lot of favourites!
9: What has
been the most surprising thing that has happened since you gave up your old
life?
I like this
question, I don't think it has been asked before. In a way, I don't live with
any expectations, so it's hard to be surprised. So many wonderful things have
happened, and the opposite too, but for a few years I've been surrounded by
incredible people with magical attitudes, and they've all rubbed off on me. I'm
dodging your question, but seeing 100 dolphins coated in phosphorescence
jumping by the boat in the Pacific, having that birthday 'surprise' at midnight
at Yestival, falling off my skateboard for the first time after 3600 miles,
just a couple of miles before the finish line. Man, endless unexpected
moments.
10: Would you
do any of the journeys again?
I'd paddle
the Mississippi again, but I'm not a fan of repetition, so there's plenty new
things to do before I need to go round again.
........ooo.......
Thank you Dave Cornthwaite for taking time out from your incredibly busy schedule to answer these questions for us. Good luck to you and Leon with Walk the Masar
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