SOTS Coming of Age Event
What is it?
To celebrate 21 years of the School of the Sword we’re holding a special weekend celebration event between 18th – 20th August 2023. There’ll be classes, food, on site accommodation and even an evening river cruise and al fresco BBQ.
Where’s it all happening?
The event takes place at Longridge activity centre on the banks of the Thames in Marlow.
We’ll be taking over a large section of the site including a number of fields, the training centre and bunk house.
Where do we stay?
There are two options for onsite accommodation.
Option 1 – Camping – we’ll be taking over part of the site including both camp spots and outdoor training spaces. Toilets and showers are available on site.
Option 2 – Bunk house – Option 2 is we’ve rented out the onsite bunkhouse, this is made up of six rooms each with 2-3 bunk beds, the bunk house also has it’s own facilities.
In both cases the accommodation covers both Friday and Saturday night.
What’s the food situation?
A continental Breakfast, Buffet lunch and (on the Saturday) boat based BBQ dinner are all included within the ticket price.
For the Friday evening we’ll be heading to a local pub for food and drinks (self funded).
Bacon sandwiches and upgraded coffees are also available on site for an additional fee.
If you have any specific dietary requirements please let us know when booking and we’ll ensure options are available.
There’ll be plenty of activity going on however so do bring snacks, water and additional supplies where needed to keep yourself going. There is also a Sainsburys, M&S and a Lidl within Marlow for additional requirements.
Are family members / non fencers welcome?
Yes! While much of the event is fencing focused, Saturday afternoon from 3 onwards will be open to families, partners and those of a non fencing persuasion. Enjoy the sun by the water and, depending on interest, family games and challenges.
The Saturday evening river cruise is also open to families and partners and we’d love to see them.
Make sure to purchase additional tickets for any non event attendees joining the river cruise.
What’s happening during the day and what’s being covered?
We will be running a series of training sessions and workshops covering both the core weapons of the school’s different chapters and some of the more unusual variations. We’ll also have open sparring areas and other activities.
The exact timetable and instructor list is still being finalised but will include instructors from all of our 4 chapters.
See the timetable here
How much does it cost?
In honour of the 21 years of the school, the School is subsidising the below tickets to enable as many as possible to come join the celebration.
Option 1 – Event attendance, 2 nights camping, 2 breakfast, 2 lunch, Saturday cruise, welcome drink and dinner – £100
Option 2 – Event attendance, 2 nights Bunk house accommodation, 2 breakfast, 2 lunch, Saturday cruise, welcome drink and dinner – £120
Add ons – Additional Saturday evening guest for the river cruise & dinner – £40
How do I get there?
The event takes place at Longridge Activity Centre, Quarry Wood Rd, Marlow SL7 1RE
There is onsite parking (though this is limited so please do car share if you can)
Marlow also has a train line that connects to Maidenhead, it’s then a 15 minute walk from the station to Longridge
There are also buses such as the 800/850 which runs through Reading/Henley/Marlow/High Wycombe
Where can I get tickets?