USEFUL INFO

how to find us

directions

If you use Google maps the site is on there marked as ‘Almscliffe Valley’ – if you search for that it should take you to the site entrance.

The closest permanent landmark to the festival site is the Square and Compass pub in North Rigton, postcode LS17 0DJ for other Sat Navs.  From the little roundabout by the pub go up Rigton Hill, heading uphill. As the houses run out the road goes downhill through some trees. After a national speed limit sign the road bends round to the left. Continue 150 yards further and the site entrance is on your left just before a ‘priority over oncoming vehicles’ road sign. The fencing and gate at the entrance are painted sage green so you’ll know you’ve reached the right place!

///what3words site entrance location:      ///shelters.natural.sideboard

Google Maps / Apple Maps site entrance location: 53.942950, -1.579923 
Type that into the search in either app on your phone and it will centre on the site entrance.

The site is called Almscliffe Valley and is marked on Google Maps. 

by taxi

If you are being dropped off / picked up by a taxi you can reasonably expect this to be at the site entrance (marked on Google maps as Almscliffe Valley).

If it’s only possible to be picked up from a physical landmark then the nearest one is the Square and Compass pub which is a ten minute walk from the site. Please be aware that this walk is along a fairly narrow, tree-lined, un-lit country lane so it’s not exactly ideal!

In any event, if exiting the site Friday or Saturday night, please do so as quietly as possible. The farm have had a couple of complaints this year so there’s some sensitivity around this.

Alongside Uber, local firms are:

Premier: 0113 288 8855
Harrogate Cars: 01423 810777
Freedom Taxis: 01423 595959

arrival / parking

Please familiarise yourself with the site map further down this page. Please take note where you will be camping, where you need to park / where to drive and finally where the entrance into the festival area is.

Please observe a dead-slow, max 10mph speed limit as there will be children around. NO CARS IN THE CAMPING OR GLAMPING FIELDS AT ANY TIME, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Please aim to arrive between 10am and 3pm on Friday. The darker blue arrows on the site map are the route to follow. You will be met by a team member at the entrance to the camping field where you will collect wrist bands. You can then proceed into the camping field, pull over to unload your stuff and then continue on to park in the parking field. Not all camping pitches are equal with some on a slight slope and it will be first come first served so arrive early if you’re keen to secure a decent pitch. We will have marshals in the camping field but please pitch up considerately as we have lots of tents to fit in! We do politely make a firm request that everyone be on-site by 3pm at which times the marshals finish. If you are only able to arrive after that time, still follow the above instructions but please drive very slowly / carefully.

Please aim to arrive between 10am and 3pm on Friday. You will be met by a team member at the entrance to the camping field where you will collect wrist bands. Please then follow the darker blue arrows through the camping and parking fields to the area for campervans / caravans.

Please aim to arrive between 10am and 3pm on Friday. The darker blue arrows on the site map are the route to follow. You will be met by a team member at the entrance to the camping field where you will collect wrist bands. You can then proceed through to park in the parking field. From there, please carry your stuff down to the glamping field. The bell tents will have name tags on them.

Arrival instructions as above for  full weekend campers.

Please can you have completely vacated your pitch by 11am the following morning to make room for Saturday-only people and have departed by 11:30am.

Arrival instructions as above for  full weekend campers, only there will be no one handing out wristbands on arrival. Please arrive between 9:30am and midday, get pitched up and collect your wrist bands from the merch stall in the seating tent. 

Please collect wrist bands from the team member at the entrance to the camping field and then follow the darker blue arrows straight into the parking field to park up. Please arrive between 11 and 3 if possible.

Please follow the darker blue arrows straight into the parking field to park up and then collect wrist bands from the merch stall in the seating tent. Please arrive between 9:30am and midday.

site map

Kids Safety

This is a private event that you attend in the knowledge that your kids are entirely your responsibility at all time and that there will be no other liability in the event of any accidents. PLEASE READ THE INFO BELOW AND BRIEF YOUR KIDS ACCORDINGLY.

1. The site is set 200m down a track off a fairly quiet country road so we’re well away from cars. Whilst we are keeping vehicles on-site to an absolute minimum there will unavoidably be some as follows:

  • Bands coming and going both days
  • Saturday AM: Friday single-night campers leaving and Saturday single-night campers arriving
  • Saturday AM: Toilet company on-site early to service portaloos throughout the site.
  1. The event is private and invite-only so all attendees will be friends or friends-of-friends. There may be the very occasional horse rider skirting the perimeter but it should only be attendees and suppliers on site, everyone wearing a wristband. If you spot anyone without a wristband please bring it to a team member’s attention.
  1. Water hazards. There is a stream running along the northern fence line of the site. It’s very small and in summer won’t have much water in it. There’s a drop down to it of around a foot or so at the points it’s accessible. In the north-east corner of the site there is a very small bridge that crosses the stream and it runs a little deeper here.

    There is also a pond in the glamping area. Much of the edge of the pond is reed lined and the level is currently low but it would nevertheless be possible to fall in, it still poses a drowning risk and it would certainly be difficult to get out of because of silt and weed.

  1. We will have open log fires burning in our fire pits both nights from around 8pm.
  1. Finally and perhaps the greatest risk, there is potential for injury around the bouncy castles and the inflatable slide which we would stress are NOT fully supervised.

    It is highly preferable if parents supervise their kids when they’re using these facilities. Given that in reality this won’t always be the case, we politely request that you VERY CLEARLY brief your kids on usage guidelines ahead of them being set loose! No shoes, nothing sharp and no food or drink on inflatables. Strictly no climbing the walls or on top. These rules, together maximum numbers and age limits will be displayed on signage for reference. Please wait your turn to avoid either inflatable getting too busy. Please be mindful of other children and please don’t start sliding down the slide until any kids at the bottom are out of the way. If the rules are repeatedly ignored we will have no choice but to deflate the inflatables for safety reasons.

It is generally going to be a safe environment but this is a private friends event and your kids are your responsibility both with respect of their safety and the safety of others. You checked a box when signing up waiving the organisers from any liability in the event of property damage, property theft, or for personal injury, disability or death. We’re just gently reminding you here of this ahead of the event as whilst the waiver covers everything, the greatest risk feels like it’s around kids.

What's On

There will be banners on-site displaying stage times and the schedule for all activities . The same info has been posted in the facebook group as pinned posts.

BINS / WASTE

You will find bins around the site. Please use these to help keep the camping and festival areas nice for everyone! Campers – bring some bin bags and please clean up after yourselves, leaving your pitch as you found it.

All bins are general waste but we politely request that no glass bottles be brought to site if possible. Waste will be taken after the event for sorting so that we can recycle as much as possible.

N.B. the skip is only for the use of the event team. If you have anything too big to fit in a bin, please take it home with you.

MONEY

Our food vendors all take cash or card. There will be merch for sale for adults and kids – again card or cash payments welcome. The one thing you will definitely need a bit of cash for is the kids tuck shop. We’d suggest a selection of coins as it’s unlikely kids will be operating a proper till / float.

PHOTO / VIDEO

If you end up posting any photos / videos to your social feeds please add the hashtag #hopestock25

I personally would love copies of any good photos / videos, so after the event it’d lovely if you could message me with any you’re happy to share!

We will have an official photographer and videographer working the event. Links to what they capture will be shared in the facebook group afterwards. Photos and videos may be posted on public facebook accounts and may be used on our website. If you’re not happy with you or your children being photographed / filmed, please make this request to the photographer / videographer at the time and they’ll be happy to respect the request.

THE BAR

The bar is open 12pm – 12:30am Friday, 10am – 12:30am Saturday. All attendees get unlimited soft drinks. Adult soft drinks are available from the bar at any time, kids drinks will be set out on a dedicated table. Those with an all-inclusive booze wristband get unlimited alcoholic drinks. Beer / cider is self-serve, everything else (cocktails, wine, fizz, spirits, shots) is via the bar. If a beer tap runs dry please inform the bar team so they know to change the barrel. No entry to the bar tent after 12:30am. After the bar shuts each evening bottles of spirits / wine will be left out if you wish to keep going! Your wristband indicates to the bar team whether you’re on the all-inclusive so make sure it’s visible. Please note there will be no alcohol available to purchase at the event and we politely request no drinks are bought to the site.

There may be some activities that encourage drinking. These are subject to consent – just say no if you’d rather not and this will be respected. On this note, we formally advise you to drink responsibly and stay hydrated. There will be water available in the bar tent at all times.

One final point on booze – I am having to estimate how much of lot of different types of alcoholic beverage a large number of people will drink over 2 days which is a lot of guesswork, albeit informed by previous years. We will have more than enough alcohol overall to see us through – I assure you of that – but some individual things will inevitably run out towards the end of each day just to forewarn you. It’s a one-off event and I can’t return stock so that’s just how it has to be. I’m sure you won’t struggle to find something else to sup on ;o)

We are being as eco-friendly as we can, using compostable and recyclable cups. We have plenty but not enough for continued single-use and want to discourage single-use anyway to keep it green so please re-use / re-fill where possible!

OTHER IMPORTANT INFO

i) Well behaved dogs are welcome but strictly must be kept on a lead in all areas at all times

ii) We have 4 food vendors plus a coffee van and Mr Whippy so a range of food will be available (to buy) at any given time with plenty of options for kids and those with dietary requirements. Payment can be made by card or cash. You’re obviously welcome to bring your own snacks / food should you wish but no takeaways to be ordered to the site please and…. point iii)…

iii) No fires or BBQs at all (camping stoves off the ground are fine)

iv) Water – there is one tap located within the festival area delivering safe drinking water (see the plan for location). This one tap is to serve everyone so please use it considerately and avoid unnecessary water spillage onto the ground as it could get boggy! You might want to bring a water container to fill up.

v) Kids activities are split between the Teepee and Kidzone marquee. The latter hosts face painting / glitter tattoos both days, which is very much for adults too! From 6 / 6:30pm both evenings we will be screening kids TV programmes and movies on a large TV. Please ask your children not to change DVDs themselves. It’s expensive hired-in equipment and we ask that only adults operate it. Thanks.

The circus skills workshops that take place both days are drop-in sessions for up to a maximum of 24 kids at a time.

vi) I’m intentionally repeating myself in stating that the inflatables are the biggest hazard. They are essentially unsupervised. Children use these subject to your permission and at your own risk! Please, please ensure they are properly briefed in terms of rules. By the nature of this activity there is the potential for injury. You shoulder this risk if you allow your children to use them and our formal recommendation is that you supervise their use of these facilities at all times to oversee both their safety and that rules are being observed. In checking the liability waiver on the sign-up form you agreed to indemnify the organisers of any liability in the event of an accident.

vii) After hours – amplified music will stop at midnight both nights to be fair to those camping with kids as well as nearby residents. For those wishing to carry on there will be an after-hours acoustic jam around the fire pit. You are very much encouraged to bring an instrument / percussion!

viii) If you wish to leave the site at any time during the event that is fine. Please observe the dead slow 10mph speed limit when exiting. If you are leaving the site Friday or Saturday evening please do so quietly, being respectful of local neighbours!

ix) In the event of a serious accident there is medical emergency info displayed on the wall of the bar tent. A number of attendees with first aid training have volunteered to be available if initial first aid is required in the event of serious accident. We will also have a gazebo located near the tepee as a quiet area for treatment, with a first aid kit available for use by our volunteers.

x) Our site hire gives us the use of 3 fields: the main field which is split into the festival area and glamping, the parking field and the camping field. All attendees need to stay within these 3 fields please at all times (as well as the arrival track of course). All adjacent fields are strictly out of bounds and the farm have been very clear that they are not to be entered. Please brief your kids accordingly!

xi) We have a Whatsapp group designed to help you locate your child if you don’t know where they are. Join it via this link:  https://chat.whatsapp.com/D4RrbIjNtaIEXGC7u5ODmx

xii) Wine and beer tasting session will take place in the seating tent. Both sessions were pre-registration and are fully subscribed.

THINGS TO BRING

A dozen things you might want to bring!

 

1) An instrument, percussion, uke, kazoo, tambourine etc. for fire pit sing-alongs after midnight

2) Cash for your kids to spend at the tuck shop (and stock for them to sell if they have a shift!)

3) Fancy dress headwear / mask for the festival parade (6pm Saturday in front of the stage)

4) Body wipes / festival wipes (there’s no showers!)

5) A yoga mat for Rise and Shine Saturday morning

6) Power banks – there’s nowhere to charge phones

7) Something to sit on in the festival area

8) A poem you love or that you’ve written to read on poetry island Saturday morning

9) Bin bags for rubbish if you’re camping

10) Warm clothing for the evening

11) Torches to help find your tent in the camping field after dark

12) Sun cream and/or waterproofs depending what the weather delivers

DEPARTURE

There will be breakfast available from our caterers Sunday morning but outside of that the plan is to pack up and go home. Please can glampers have vacated their tents by 11:30am. Everyone to have vacated the site completely by midday please. Once again, no cars in the camping or glamping areas please. Campers can pull up alongside the green fence in the camping field (as on arrival) to load up.

the important stuff

Frequently Asked Questions

You can sign up any time between now and the 30th June 2025 / until the event sells out. We need to know final numbers by then to allow us to finalise logistics and start buying booze!

At the point of sign up you’re welcome to pay in full or a 50% deposit will secure your place. The balance payment is due by the 31st May 2025 please!

Check the ‘What’s On?’ page where performance and kids activity times will be announced nearer the time.

FRIDAY 29th AUG

10am – 3pm Arrival / pitch tents. 
12pm Bar opens
12pm DJ
1pm – 7pm Live music 
12pm onwards Kids activities 
7:15pm – 12am DJS
12:30am Bar closes
12:30am After hours acoustic session around the fire pit. Bring an instrument!

SATURDAY 30th AUG

9am onwards Kids activities
10am DJs
11am Bar opens
11:30am – 7:30pm Live Music
6pm Festival Parade
7:45pm – 12am ‘Rave In A Field’ 
12:30am Bar closes
12:30am After hours acoustic session around the fire pit. Bring an instrument!

SUNDAY 31st AUG

10am – 3pm Event team break down and clean up
12pm Campers to have vacated the site by this time please (from midday onwards suppliers will be onsite breaking down fencing, staging etc. so we need everyone to be out of the way for then please)

Check out the pinned posts in the facebook group. There will also be signage at the event detailing timings. 

Arrival is any time between 10am and 3pm on Friday. Campers can drop off kit in the camping field before proceeding to park in the parking field. Glampers please parking the parking field and then locate your bell tent. Please observe a dead slow max speed limit of 10mph at all times when driving within the site for the safety of children. No vehicles permitted at any time (including Sunday) in the camping and glamping areas.

For safety of children playing we politely ask everyone to be on site by 3pm Friday. If you are only able to arrive later, please let us know in advance and drive with extreme caution. 

Saturday only campers, please arrive on site by 10am Saturday morning if at all possible and drive dead slow, being mindful of children playing.

Full arrival info detailed further up this page.

•  Picnic blankets, camping chairs etc. for sitting around outside.
•  Baby wipes / festival wipes!
•  Toilet rolls
•  Warm clothing for the evening – we’re on higher ground and there’s no indoor space so it’s likely to be chilly in the evening!
•  Cash to pay for purchases from food vendors and for kids to spend in the tuck shop.
•  Sun cream / hats.
•  Campers: a torch is a must and also some sort of battery powered lighting for your tent.
•  Power banks for charging phones.
•  Baby wipes / make up remover for kids getting their faces painted.
•  We’re in a field so suitable footwear – walking shoes etc.
•  Wellies and changes of clothes for kids in case they get wet.
•  Dancing shoes :o)

There is one tap on site that provides safe drinking water and is located in the festival area next to the bar. Please help yourself to water at any time and consider bringing suitable containers to fill for your requirements.

Please try not to let the tap run onto the ground to avoid making the area around it boggy.

Yes of course. We have a mix of standard plastic festival toilet as well as nice ‘luxury’ units in the camping areas (because we’re nice like that). The latter are likely to run out of water towards the end of each day so please be sparing with your use of water from them. There will be a supply of toilet rolls but it may run out so we’re advising everyone to bring a couple.

So it turns out that portashowers are bloody expensive so no, there will be no showers unfortunately. 

As a festival style alternative we very much recommend the bath towel size ‘festival wipes’ available from Home Bargains and also from Amazon here.

In a word, no. There is no electric hook up for any form of camping and there’s nowhere within the festival site to plug into. Therefore please bring power banks for phones and make sure any lights etc. are battery powered.

Hopestock is an invite-only, friends event with no public ticketing which means we are able to keep it as private event. The most notable difference to you is probably the lack of security which, alongside a couple of other savings, helps us keep our pricing affordable (the margins are impossibly tight for a small event where we have to bring everything in!).

There are a few key things to be aware of:

i) Everyone in attendance is at most once removed, from me (John) the organiser and it’s a friends event (hence we don’t feel the need for security).

ii) There is no dedicated medical tent e.g. st John’s Ambulance. We do have a plan and first responder volunteers in the event of medical emergency though. This is detailed in the arrival info above and there will be medical emergency info displayed on the wall in the bar tent. We also have a first aid gazebo on site with fully stocked first aid kit.

iii) In terms of risk / liability we’d suggest you see the event in the same way as a big gathering round your friends’ house. You accept the risks around personal injury and loss in attending. As a friends event I’d hope that is a given but just to cover ourselves we ask that you tick a box on the sign-up form to show that you formally agree to waive the organisers of liability in the event personal injury, damage to property etc. should that arise at the event.

iv) We don’t sell tickets. We ask you to ‘sign up’ to attend and the cost of your attendance is your contribution to the running cost of the event. I will not hold my friends to ransom so if you want to cancel any time up till the 1st June 2025 you are free to do so and will get a full refund. If you cancel after the 1st June you will get refunded most of what you paid. After that date we start buying things for the event (drinks etc.) that are specific to the number of people coming so we will retain a modest amount to cover this. If the event can’t go ahead for whatever reason, the likelihood is that we will look to reschedule in which case you can transfer forward to the new date or get a refund.

The event finances are formally handled by a partnership made up by John & Helen Hope. We take on the financial risk of running the event and when you pay us to attend, please consider your money safe. There are no legal terms and conditions to cover this – we consider the holding of funds and the issue of any refunds where required to be done in good faith in the spirit of this as a friends get together.

This is covered in the points above but just to re-iterate for absolute clarity, Hopestock is a private event and you and those in your party attend at your own risk. When signing up you will need to tick a check box to waive the organisers of responsibility for any personal injury or property loss or damage that you may incur.

We urge particular caution with regard to your children around water hazards, vehicles, fire and on the bouncy castle / inflatable slide. 

For those with all-inclusive booze wristbands we will have: self-serve, hand pull real ale from our friends at Ilkley Brewery + keg options from Vocation; large self-serve ice boxes full of craft beer / ale / stout / cider; bag-in-box ‘proper’ scrumpy cider; a manned bar serving cocktails, spirits & mixers, wine and fizz. Adult soft drinks are available from the bar at any time, kids drinks will be set out on a dedicated table.

Please try and re-use cups where possible to minimise waste and try to use the recycling facilities.

We have 4 food caterers on-site serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from Friday lunch through till Sunday breakfast. All will have kid friendly options & veggie / vegan options.

In addition to these 4 we also have a coffee van serving coffee, tea and pastries & Mr Whippy.

All caterers will be taking card and cash payments.

As is standard at festivals you are welcome to bring your own food and snacks. No BBQs or open fires please. Raised camping stoves allowed. The field must be left as we find it!

You will find bins around the site. Please use these to help keep the camping and festival areas nice for everyone! Campers – bring some bin bags and please clean up after yourselves, leaving your pitch as you found it.

All bins are general waste but we politely request that no glass bottles be brought to site if possible. Waste will be taken after the event for sorting so that we can recycle as much as possible.

N.B. the skip is only for the use of the event team. If you have anything too big to fit in a bin, please take it home with you.

Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead at all times in all areas please.

Please ensure your children are aware that there is no footwear and no food / drink allowed on the bouncy castle and inflatable slide. Also no climbing on the higher parts of the inflatables on account of the risk of falling. Please also be aware that these ‘activities’ are unsupervised. Children use these subject to your permission and at your own risk! By the nature of the activity there is the potential for injury. You shoulder this risk if you allow your children to use them and our recommonendation is that you supervise their use of these facilities at all times. In checking the liability waiver on the sign-up form you agree to indemnify the organisers of any liability in the event of an accident.

Yes and there is no additional cost for parking. See the site map.

Almscliffe Crag is a local scenic spot / viewpoint from where you’ll have a great view down onto the festival site. If you’d like to get away from the festival for a couple of hours, or perhaps you’re coming without kids and are looking for a Saturday morning activity, then climb the crag! It’s a bit of a scramble in places but pretty easy even for children. There is parking here, less than 5 minutes drive from the site: https://goo.gl/maps/5xzraKfm52LRYcNS9

Sorry but no – the field needs to basicially be left as we find it on arrival so no fires or BBQs are allowed. 

For those travelling from outside of Yorkshire it may be possible, on request, to arrive on Thursday afternoon / evening if you’re using your own tent and wanting to make a proper break of it. Please note that toilet facilities may not yet be in place and you may be asked to help out a bit! Please speak to John if you’re wanting to do this.

Both Friday and Saturday night we will have a curfew for amplified music of 12am as imposed by the site owners and to be fair to those camping with kids.  

We’d encourage those with guitars or any percussion to bring them for our after hours acoustic session around the firepits. 

There is no dedicated medical tent e.g. st John’s Ambulance. We do have a plan and first responder volunteers in the event of medical emergency though. This is detailed in the arrival info above and there will be medical emergency info displayed on the wall in the bar tent. We also have a first aid gazebo on site with fully stocked first aid kit.

For those with kids especially we’d recommend bringing along first aid basics like plasters, alcohol wipes etc.

In the event of a more serious injury the nearest A&E is at Harrogate District Hospital, HG2 7SX

Email info@hopestock.info or message me via facebook messenger or Whatsapp.