Hilcot

I used to work at the Kilkenny, a pub a few miles east of Cheltenham. I lived just down the road in a pretty remote area that was between Andoversford and Withington. No shops, not many houses, lots of sheep. I loved exploring that area on my own, but it still took me a little while to find Hilcot. I was surprised that no one had mentioned it to me, that people didn't rave about this mythical place. I would. Do.

Hilcot is a tiny hamlet consisting of just three houses. Even so, it is divided into Upper and Lower Hilcot. It is set in a sunken bowl surrounded by hills and so shielded from the outside world. I found it completely by accident, trying a new path and so was absolutely amazed when I emerged into this lovely little alpine spot with a pond and a stream.

It is one of my favourite places in the world and I'd like to live there one day, please (along with San Pedro, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala). I was on a train back to Cheltenham in or around  '98 and met a guy called Matt who had been at uni with me, the University of East Anglia up in Norwich. We shared similar tastes in music and turntables, but hadn't hung out too much. I asked him where he was living and he said Hilcot. He'd sort of been adopted by a family who lived there - an old friend from school, a changing of circumstances.

Thus ensued a meeting of minds and much talk of Chicago and Detroit, of filtered disco and afro-germanic electro. For me, Dopplereffekt will forever be associated with magical Hilcot, weirdly.

This photie taken by my housemate Kim!