The Travelista

  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborations
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Travel
    • Destinations by World Map
    • Hotels
    • Airlines
    • Restaurants
    • Itineraries
  • Life
    • Yorkshire
    • Style
  • Motherhood
  • Inspire Me
    • Adventure
    • Beach
    • City
    • Culture
    • Mountain
    • Tropical
  • Shop
    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

A Weekend at Blogstock – The World’s First Blogging Festival

21/08/14 ᛫ 15 Comments

The world of blogging can be a strange place. Thousands upon thousands of creative, passionate (and slightly geeky) wordsmiths out there, all blogging about what they love. I am proud to be one of these people (including the geeky bit), but often feel like blogging is a very solitary thing. Which is why the genius people from Traverse events created ‘Blogstock’, the world’s very first blogging festival. Blogstock is designed for bloggers, PRs and anyone interested in blogging to meet each other face to face, as real human beings! What’s not to love?

I loved the intimate events in the tipi, where everyone had a chance to speak up and share their views. Image courtesy of Macca Sherifi

I loved the intimate events in the tipi, where everyone had a chance to speak up and share their views.

I was lucky enough to be invited to experience Blogstock courtesy of Hertz Car Hire. Hertz had selected a group of bloggers to enjoy their ‘VIP’ glamping tents, which meant all the camping gear I needed to bring was a sleeping bag (rather fortunate considering how comical it would have been for me to try and ‘errect’ a tent’). When I arrived I went off in search of my tent, which was labeled for ‘The Travelista’ and was filled with homely touches including cushions, a night lamp and camping snacks. The tents were large enough to stand up in and strong enough to take on gail force winds, meaning I had a perfectly cosy base for the weekend. So on to the weekend!

The Hertz VIP tents from the outside. Image courtesy of Macca Sherifi

The Hertz VIP tents from the outside.

Taking place just outside of London in the Borehamwood / Elstree area, Blogstock claimed a leafy expanse of fields perfect for any festival. Whilst it only took 1 hour by train from London, it certainly felt like a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of London and a real country environment. Being a Yorkshire girl at heart, I was in my element.

Virginia (from The Well Travelled Postcard) and I, deep in conversation! Image courtesy of Macca Sherifi

Virginia (from The Well Travelled Postcard) and I, deep in conversation!

The weekend consisted of a fascinating timetable of key speakers, workshops, debates and advice sessions. All of these events took place across different venues in a central hub including the Tipi, the fashion tent, the debate tent, the marquee and main stage.

The main marquee at Blogstock

The main marquee at Blogstock

Each blogger was able to plan their own timetable based on their interest, and there was no end of choice for travel bloggers. Some of my favourite bloggers spoke in their own sessions including A Lady in London and The Travel Hack. It was so inspirational to hear about their journeys as bloggers and their incredible tips which I have already put into practice.

The weekend line up!

The weekend line up!

The sessions I attended included ‘From Blogger to Writer; Improving Your Skills’ by renowned travel writer Andy Jarosz and ‘Using Your Blog to Further Your Career’ by Beverley Reinemann of Pack Your Passport Blog. With each session I took away something entirely new and was so fascinated to hear other bloggers stories and approaches.

Me, Virginia and Kirsten (from left to right), in the Tipi

Me, Virginia and Kirsten (from left to right), in the Tipi

Of course, as with any good festival, there was no shortage of booze on tap, and we were well stocked all weekend thanks to various drinks sponsors and beer tents. The finale of the weekend was the Big Blogging Debate on the main stage, where bloggers and industry professionals from the likes of Expedia came together to discuss ‘The Future of Travel Blogging’. The debate took place as the sun went down over the countryside as everyone enjoyed their sponsored rum of choice. Truly an awesome moment.

Enjoying the rum in the sun during the final debate of the weekend. Image courtesy of Macca Sherifi

Enjoying the rum in the sun during the final debate of the weekend.

As well as seeing some familiar faces, I also got to meet some bloggers I have followed for quite some time including Virginia from The Well Travelled Postcard and Kirsten from Kirst Over The World. Going to Blogstock was a bit of a leap of faith, turning up in the middle of nowhere, by myself, having only met a couple of people. But the weekend made me realise how amazing the blogging community really is. Everyone is friendly, outgoing, creative, and all share a common love for blogging. As cheesy as it sounds, this instantly bonded everyone there and I went away with new perspectives, ideas and contacts. I absolutely loved my ‘glamping’ weekend at Blogstock and can’t wait to do it all over again next year.

Bloggers and industry professionals battling it out for the final blogger debate. Image courtesy of Macca Sherifi

Bloggers and industry professionals battling it out for the final blogger debate.

Thank you to Hertz UK for involving me in their #CampWithHertz VIP campaign and congratulations to Traverse for putting on such an amazing event.

Did you attend Blogstock or are thinking of going next year? If you enjoyed this post please take a second to comment in the box below and tell me your thoughts. I reply to every comment! X

All images courtesy of Author, Blogger and Photographer Macca Sherifi. Find more of his amazing work at maccasherifi.com or follow him at @backpackermacca

15 Comments

Related Posts

  • 5 Places Around The World That Have My Heart
  • The Travelista Featured in Marie Claire, October 2017
  • Reviewing The Inflight Beauty Sleep Set by Kiss The Moon
« Behind The Scenes of The Travelista with Blog Hop
Revealing The Latest Luxury Travel Trends in 2014 with Carrier »

Comments

  1. lruthnum says

    28th August 2014 at 11:37 am

    This looks amazing! I’m so gutted I couldn’t make it to Blogstock but already had another festival booked in that weekend! It looks like an amazing event and so much to learn from all these amazing bloggers – like you say, the blogging community is a pretty special one! xx

    Reply
  2. Packing my Suitcase says

    26th August 2014 at 10:32 am

    Thats pretty nice! I would love to participate in one of these events, it sound amazing 🙂

    Reply
  3. Paper Planes and Caramel Waffles says

    22nd August 2014 at 7:43 pm

    Oh how I wish I could have been there! Looks like everyone had a great time! Here’s to next year’s Blogstock!

    Reply
  4. Michael says

    22nd August 2014 at 1:30 pm

    So glad you enjoyed it Jess, looking forward to having you back there next year, and will keep you posted on other blogger events in the pipeline!

    Reply
  5. Virginia says

    21st August 2014 at 6:25 pm

    Brilliant round-up Jess and so pleased to finally meet you too! Here’s to lots more alcohol-fuelled blogger events and next year’s Blogstock!

    Reply
  6. Anna Roberts says

    21st August 2014 at 4:04 pm

    Amazing! What a cool thing to do (almost like, why has no one thought of this before?) I’ve been glamping & camping before & am definitely more at home in the former!

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      21st August 2014 at 5:04 pm

      Thanks Anna! It was such a great concept and exactly as you say,,, everyone went there thinking, why has nobody ever thought of this before? Plus, the glamping made it all the more enjoyable . You should come along with me next year! 🙂 xx

      Reply
  7. jessgetsaround says

    21st August 2014 at 1:03 pm

    Sounds amazing, I’d love to go next year.

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      21st August 2014 at 5:05 pm

      It was indeed Jess! Please do come next year, would love to meet you xx

      Reply
  8. Shikha (whywasteannualleave) says

    21st August 2014 at 12:26 pm

    I didn’t get to make it to Blogstock this time so have really enjoyed seeing people’s blog posts about how it went – sounds like it was a great event!

    Reply
    • thetravelistablog says

      21st August 2014 at 5:06 pm

      Hi Shikha, so nice to hear you’re reading all the blog posts. It was an AMAZING weekend and very inspirational! The rain didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits 🙂

      Reply
    • Travel Candy says

      23rd August 2014 at 2:50 pm

      I wish I could’ve been there, as a new blogger I’m dead keen to meet those more seasoned than me!! Plus, I like rum. 😉 xx

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Travel Tuesday: The Blogstock Edition says:
    28th July 2015 at 10:03 am

    […] Jess had a slightly more glamorous experience than I did, thanks to a VIP tent (jealous). Take a look at her fancy camping and read about her Blogstock experience. […]

    Reply
  2. Blogging Masterclass: Blogstock 2014 | Blog Surgery says:
    25th September 2014 at 3:42 pm

    […] The Travelista Blog […]

    Reply
  3. Reads for the Weekend - That Adventurer says:
    22nd August 2014 at 5:17 pm

    […] The Travelista : A Weekend at Blogstock A fun post on Blogstock: The World’s first blogging festival. This festival looks like so much fun and a great way to meet and learn from other bloggers! Pretty jealous of the VIP Glamping tent as well! […]

    Reply

Spark a conversation! Cancel reply

Jess is an an award-winning travel blogger based in Yorkshire, navigating the world as a new Mum to baby Theo. Blogging about adventures both local and global.

Read More

Booking.com

Subscribe

Never Miss a Post!

Latest Posts

An Indulgent Escape at Columbia Beach Resort, Cyprus

14 of the most Instagrammable places in Leeds

3 Day Itinerary: A Family Friendly Durham Mini Break

Follow on Instagram

Ad Formal night on board Enchanted Princess 💫 Ad Formal night on board Enchanted Princess 💫

It’s tradition that on every Princess cruise there is at least one formal night, where guests get to dress to impress. There are live bands, dancing, indulgent dinners and lots of fun people watching. I loved seeing how much effort everyone made, with their sparkles, sequins, tuxedos and bow ties. 

TIP: So if you’re heading on a cruise be sure to pack at least one fancy outfit to look the part! 

Did you know about this cruising tradition? It’s such a fun excuse to get dressed up. A nice change to my usual uniform of leggings and a jumper 🤣

@princesscruises 
@traverseevents 
#discoverwithprincess 
#enchantedprincess
Ad I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom Ad I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom ✌🏼

Yesterday we hopped off the ship at Rotterdam and spent the day in Amsterdam on a shore excursion with a river cruise and 3 hours free time. We also found the best kept secret in Amsterdam, especially for foodies. Head to my stories to see what we got up to ⚓️

If you’re curious about any aspect of cruising leave a question as a comment and i’ll let you know! 💓

@princesscruises 
@traverseevents 
#discoverwithprincess 
#enchantedprincess
Ad On board and ready to roll! I’m cruising on E Ad On board and ready to roll! I’m cruising on Enchanted Princess for the next 5 nights and will be exploring Bruges, Amsterdam and Guernsey. 

Follow my trip on stories and see what I’ve been up to so far. ☺️⚓️

@princesscruises 
@traverseevents 
#DiscoverWithPrincess 
#EnchantedPrincess
Hi guys 👋🏼 I’m so excited to share that th Hi guys 👋🏼 I’m so excited to share that this Sunday I’ll be setting sail with @princesscruises for my second ever cruise.

Some of you may remember I experienced a cruise for the first time back in 2018 with Princess Cruises, embarking on an epic 10 day adventure around Russia and Scandinavia (swipe right for throwback photos). 

This time our 5 day cruise will be departing from Southampton and calling at Rotterdam, Bruges and Guernsey. 3 new entirely destinations for me to explore and share. I’m especially excited to see Rotterdam as it’s my Grandma’s home town and the place of my Dutch roots. 🇳🇱 

We also get a “sea day” which gives us time to enjoy all the luxurious facilities on board our ship, #EnchantedPrincess.

I’ll be travelling with some fabulous fellow content creators including @kirstyleannetravels @charliepauly @laurenacliffe @bonnierakhit @joshuanueva. Be sure to give them all a follow to see the same trip from different perspectives. 

Have you ever thought of doing a cruise or are you already a cruise covert? Hope you can all follow along 🚢 💫

(1st photo from my recent Abu Dhabi trip, taken at @beirutsurmer) 

This upcoming trip is a paid campaign so all posts / stories during the trip will be marked as ad. This post is not part of the campaign.
(Ad - press invite) Me and my boy 💓 I hope ever (Ad - press invite) Me and my boy 💓 I hope everyone had a lovely early May bank holiday. Ours has included an incredible meal at @billsrestaurant in York to try out their brand new menu. Swipe for some serious #foodporn 👉🏼

I took Theo and my parents so we were able to sample lots of different dishes (as well as the kids menu) and we were all so impressed with both the quality of the food and also the service. 

The menu is a very international so you can pretty much eat your eat around the world in three courses (or stick to one type of cuisine). But either way there’s definitely something to appeal to everyone around the table

Here are my recommendations from Bill’s new menu;

Starters
✔️ Cheese and truffle fondue with sour dough bread - hands down the best of the 3! Ridiculously good
✔️ Burrata and chargrilled red peppers - insane creaminess in the Burrata, my Dad loved it
✔️ Crispy calamari with roast garlic and basil aioli - a staple starter for me! You cannot go wrong 
✔️ Bill’s sticky duck salad - so light, fresh and flavoursome 

Mains 
✔️ Bill’s sea bass thali - What I ordered. An Indian feast on one plate with so many elements. Loved it!
✔️ Halloumi shawarma - a strong choice from my Mum, I kept stealing her halloumi 
✔️ Miso salmon and aubergine - My Dad raved about this. I was also tempted to order it

Dessert 
✔️ Chocolate and salted caramel tart 
✔️ Eton colada 

The kids menu was also great at £5.95 for two courses and a side, and lots of great / tasty / healthy options beyond the classic kids menu dishes.

Thanks to the team at York Bill’s for such a great experience ✨

Which of the above dishes sound like a bit of you? 🤤🍽
(Ad - press trip) If you’re in search of a luxur (Ad - press trip) If you’re in search of a luxurious family-friendly hotel / holiday this summer, I have a great recommendation for you.

New on the blog is my review of @columbia_beach_resort, which I visited with my family in March with @jet2pics. Find my full review via the link in my bio. 👆🏼#Jet2Cyprus 

Whilst this was a press trip, I researched and selected the hotel myself, and it didn’t disappoint. A few reasons why I chose Columbia Beach Resort:

🍋 It’s part of @smallluxuryhotels 
🍋 Spectacular beach front location
🍋 Beautiful aesthetics whilst also child-friendly
🍋 30 minute transfer from Paphos airport
🍋 Excellent Trip Advisor reviews on food and service
🍋 Kids clubs for babies to age 3 and ages 4-12 (free for 4-12)
🍋 Small play area and shallow children’s pool 

This holiday was part of an Indulgent Escapes package with Jet2Holidays, which come with lots of additional benefits such as:

🌥25kg baggage allowance per person
🌥 Private transfers to and from your hotel
🌥 Priority lane passes through security
🌥 A round of complimentary drinks on board your Jet2 flight (including beer and wine)
🌥 A luxurious gift on arrival at the airport (ours was a beautiful leather travel wallet)

All of these little extras really added up to make our journey so much easier and more enjoyable, especially the priority lane pass at @leeds_bradford_airport and the private transfers on arrival. The driver even had a toddler car seat so we didn’t need to worry about bringing one along with us. I was so impressed.

Hope this review comes in handy for some of you! Check out the blog post and feel free to ask any further questions about this hotel in the comments ☀️

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Subscribe for Travelista updates and newsletters

Latest Video

  • 3847likes
  • 19680followers
  • 10040followers
  • 2030subscribers

Copyright © 2022 · Design by Gatto

Copyright © 2022 · The Travelista on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQ
  • Contact