Unfortunately, Freaks is no longer managing to meet four times a year for want of organizers. However:

Next Event:

Freaks Out of the Peaks, Scorton, N Yorks, 20th–22nd November 2026

We're having one of our occasional migrations, North to Scorton, a lovely North Yorkshire village (not Scorton Lancashire!), to take advantage of the offer to host it at the Ragged Robin practice venue. Apologies to those in the South, but we hope you can travel.

Address: Scorton Village Hall DL10 6DN, near Richmond, just off the A1, by the village green, which is a huge one way roundabout, marked with a cross on the aerial view. There is not much parking around the village hall, only on the road outside — please don't block the nearby houses or pavement, and beware of large agricultural vehicles passing — but at the weekend we can use the parking for Little Learners Nursery, just after Scorton Medical Centre, Stag's Way, DL10 6HB, circled on the aerial view. Please use that in particular for large vehicles.

There's everything for our usual format: Village Hall indoor camping with a well-equipped kitchen, nearby campsite, Air B&Bs or a Premier Inn, and a pub. The small village shop seems to have most things, and the local petrol station also has a shop.

The Farmer's Arms, the better of the two pubs will have reopened in time for drinks and meals, booking in advance recommended. You can take your own drinks in the hall, of course, and there will be a cask of real ale on an honesty box basis of £2.50 a pint.

Friday evening
Meet at the hall, open from about 4pm.
Saturday 10am–1pm
Practice in the hall.
Saturday lunchtime
Lunch — fend for yourself in the hall, or maybe the pub.
Saturday from 2-ish
Dancing in the village, or maybe hall if too wet.
Saturday evening
We'll have a meal together in the hall for those that wish. Please bring food to share. Afterwards, general merriment.
Sunday
Walk around the Scorton lakes’ Nature Reserve, ending up at The Crown in Brompton on Swale. There will be a Christmas market there, with Christmas lights switch-on, so it will be busy but they are happy to have us dance; please book if you want lunch there. Just two and a half miles to walk back to Scorton. There is a shorter route to the pub, and you can drive or cadge a lift with someone else driving if necessary.
We will need to clean the Hall on and be ready to vacate by 4pm. Please take all left-overs with you.

Cost

The cost is: £10 to sleep in the hall, plus £10 for the event, which may be reduced for this event. If anyone is just popping in for a while we'd be grateful of a donation. Please bring cash!

Notes

  • Tea/coffee and biscuits are provided
  • Dance and music notation are available from here (dances) or here (tunes) – feel free to suggest others. Please download these if you want them, though some paper copies might be available on the day.
  • If you have any good pictures, please send them to Freaks@freaksinthepeaks.com for the photo gallery.
  • If you're ‘indoor camping’ in the hall, bring a sleeping bag, camping mat or air bed etc. for under it, pillow, and whatever you need for comfort. Bring your own breakfast or prospect in the village.
  • Unless it's very dry, bring footwear suitable for a muddy walk and waterproof jacket.
  • See the contacts link. if you need to contact us in general before before the event.
  • If you have them, please bring rag jackets or similar, bells, decorative hat, sticks/hankies!
  • If you find yourself needing our constitution, it's here
  • Lastly, a reminder that everyone is welcome – especially beginners and musicians

Following Event:

Nothing organized yet, unfortunately — organizing volunteers welcome!

Inspired?

If you have been a few times and like Freaks then possibly you are feeling inspired to organise a Freaks, maybe somewhere near you, or simply somewhere Freaks has never been before, see our Tips for organisers (32Kb Word doc) or PDF version.