Yes, there was a hot tub/jacuzzi, hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam room. Clean warm accommodation with easy access. Quiet areas and plenty of fresh air – but no mobile signal, bliss! But not to detract from the fiddle competition, workshops, tutorial sessions and impromptu tunes and music. The Stackpole Centre had it all – somewhere to stay, learn and relax before the Welsh Celtic Fiddle Competition in Pembroke Castle 5 miles away.

Back to the workshop. Twelve people attended for two and a half hours and learnt four tunes with Christine Cooper and myself. Half an hour was spent tackling open floor questions, mainly on the technicalities of bowing, then the most important question was asked: What were the judges really looking for?
“A good performance and entertainment”, I replied.

For the next 24 hours, strains of fiddles being tuned, warmed up and practiced floated about the nooks and crannies of the centre. There was no competition for solitude or privacy. Young fiddlers helping each other and friends being made. The staff were enthralled at being serenaded as they worked, whilst accompanying adults prepared food and foraged in the herb gardens to create some fine ‘cawl’ for later on.

BBC Wales Today and S4C P’nawn Da were at the castle from 2pm as were Derek Smith and Blanch Rowen, my partners in adjudication. Young fiddlers, Patrick & Jamie, gave interviews then we all returned to relax, polish up both performances and looks!

Local band, Redwing, entertained a filling marquee in the beautiful setting of Pembroke Castle before and during the competitions. Gemma Neath, Robbie Godwin and Patrick Rimes put on award winning performances: two juniors had already dropped out. It was a big thing to get up in front of 200 people and make their instruments sing. Robbie claimed a very close second to Patrick who shone through just that little bit more. I expect there will be a big fight on next year!

Ten people competed in the open, all giving an evening’s entertainment and that was the buzz word afterwards. People have been entertained and subliminally educated in Welsh folk music. Yes we heard ‘Ar lan y môr’ but not ‘Sospan Fach’. We judged first and second place fairly quickly but we had to whittle third from three competitors and finally made the announcement. Christine Cooper took first; Mike Lease, a second; and Helen Blackburn from Ceredigion, third.

The evening’s music carried on back at the centre with some two dozen people turning up with cakes and drink to accompany a feast of ‘cawl a chanu ffidil’ and other instruments. We’d forgotten about the ‘cawl’, but it was ok, having simmered gently on a low heat for ages – just like our folk music: to be served piping (or should I say fiddling) hot!