May 1st. Summer is here.

I set my clock this morning for 3.30 but I was awake by ten to anyway and just as well really as my 4am pickup turned up at 3.45. I really regret not putting my camera with my other stuff last night because I just couldn’t put a hand on it this morning when I was groping around in the dark and I had to leave without it, and missed capturing an amazing sunrise over Hastings.

We sat in the café on the West Hill a short while before dawn drinking coffee to ward off the stiff cold wind for as long as possible but the dancing had to start before the sun made its presence too much felt. There were a staggering number of people – in my opinion – and a number of staggering people. It amazes me that so many people are prepared to get up at the crack of dawn – or in reality quite a bit before – to go and stand in the half-light……..on a hill overlooking the sea……….in a stiff breeze and very cool temperatures. And then to strip off their coats and dance! But this is Hastings we are talking about and Hastings is a place where strange and bizarre are the norm and anything goes. (Not that Morris dancing at dawn is unusual on May Day but in more conservative areas it must be viewed as the province of the deranged whereas in Hastings it is pretty much par for the course). Which is why I was there too I guess. I hanker for the strange and bizarre. There were four groups dancing and of those four groups two managed to get two sets dancing (one set is six, so two would be twelve) which is a spectacular sight at sunrise. The final dance, with everyone joining in, had about 80 dancers which was quite a sight to behold against the back drop of the sun exploding like a bonfire over the East Hill.

Yes bonfires do explode - with the right combustible material!

I have a badge that proclaims ‘I danced at dawn – May 2007’ - and the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and I still have the day to play with.

So a very happy May Day to all.