Zombie Survival Weekender
Cirque du Zombie!
Zombie Survival experiences are cropping up everywhere at the moment, but the Zombie Survival Weekender has been scaring its overnight visitors since it first started in 2011.
The concept is simple - share some survival strategies and techniques, have a bbq and a few drinks, run round in the dark being chased by zombies and then finally crash into your tent at some point early the next morning! Each event has a particular theme and previous experiences included Zombie Island, Return to Zombie Island and Aftermath: The Beginning of the End. This time, the event went a bit more surreal: and as such "Cirque du Zombie" was created:
Upon arrival at a beautiful Welsh forest setting at Fforest Fawr we met up with the organisers and our fellow campers for the night. Some of the costumes were already quite amusing and we wondered if this event would actually be funny as opposed to scary. But before the scares we had to get through important things such as our safety briefing and rules meeting and carrying all our equipment to the camp site location. After collecting firewood and sorting out the site we gathered to look at all our survival kits, each going through what we had brought and why. This is where ZSW differs to many other events - everyone attending is given pre show homework to complete and although it seems a pain beforehand - it's a great way of bonding and getting to know the other campers. It was interesting to see what everyone else had bought that would aid our survival in case of a zombie apocalypse including such divers items as solar water distillers and an ingenious use of tampons!
Before dinner we gathered to discuss our survival tips and again we each took turn in sharing our knowledge with each other. Probably the lesson that sticks in mind the most this time was the one about about edible insects, complete with a tasting session. As the sun started to set we relaxed by the campfire with the BBQ and ghost stories almost forgetting that soon all hell would break out! It was time to put those survival techniques to great use as zombies would soon start roaming this forest. But who will survive??
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To reveal too much about the actual game that night would spoil a lot of the fun but it started with what seemed to be a simple matter of finding 16 key points around the forest. We were led to believe that the loser of our first mission would become "patient zero" for the night and the game would start from there on. Of course - that would be too obvious and predictable!
We soon realised that there was more to this game than expected and we were genuinely scared as a whole new threat appeared as if from nowhere! In a scene reminiscent of a horror movie, we heard a noise and panned our torch round to investigate what it was. What the torch highlighted made us scream in terror before we ran for our lives to get away. We then spent ages trying to get to all the final check points and survive the ever growing number of zombies stalking us in the dark.
One of the highlights of this zombie game was what happened once you were caught. Unfortunately both of us were caught the wrong side of midnight so our game of cat and mouse was about to change. Instead of being the hunted, we returned to the camp to be converted into full zombie make up, only to be unleashed once again into the playing arena as another zombie. This unique element meant that the odds of survival got less and less through the night as the ratio of zombies to humans increased exponentially. Imagine if you will, a massive game of British Bulldog, just with added brains and played in a pitch dark forest!
At around 3am a horn was sounded to end the game, with everyone returning to the camp for a debrief around the campfire. At some point we drifted off to our tents but we were all so hyped from the experience that none of us slept!
Zombie Survival Weekender is different to many other events and is not a game for the faint hearted. The surprise element, the feeling of being stalked by zombies at every turn, and the pitch dark forest all added up to some of the best fun (and scares) we've had for a while. Add in the chance to see some of the beautiful Wales countryside, camp out for the night and meet some really friendly other players, it was a brilliant event. Well worth a lot more than the current asking price of just £20.
We soon realised that there was more to this game than expected and we were genuinely scared as a whole new threat appeared as if from nowhere! In a scene reminiscent of a horror movie, we heard a noise and panned our torch round to investigate what it was. What the torch highlighted made us scream in terror before we ran for our lives to get away. We then spent ages trying to get to all the final check points and survive the ever growing number of zombies stalking us in the dark.
One of the highlights of this zombie game was what happened once you were caught. Unfortunately both of us were caught the wrong side of midnight so our game of cat and mouse was about to change. Instead of being the hunted, we returned to the camp to be converted into full zombie make up, only to be unleashed once again into the playing arena as another zombie. This unique element meant that the odds of survival got less and less through the night as the ratio of zombies to humans increased exponentially. Imagine if you will, a massive game of British Bulldog, just with added brains and played in a pitch dark forest!
At around 3am a horn was sounded to end the game, with everyone returning to the camp for a debrief around the campfire. At some point we drifted off to our tents but we were all so hyped from the experience that none of us slept!
Zombie Survival Weekender is different to many other events and is not a game for the faint hearted. The surprise element, the feeling of being stalked by zombies at every turn, and the pitch dark forest all added up to some of the best fun (and scares) we've had for a while. Add in the chance to see some of the beautiful Wales countryside, camp out for the night and meet some really friendly other players, it was a brilliant event. Well worth a lot more than the current asking price of just £20.
 One of the ScareTOUR party before! |
One of the ScareTOUR party AFTER!
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The following pictures used with permission of Hyper Hamlet:
The gang before zombification!
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Prepare to eat bugs!
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How to build a makeshift stretcher!
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ZSW creator Dom watches one of the skillshares
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ScareTOUR's Mark didn't stay human long!
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Another unlucky victim
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Bonding round the bonfire
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The Zombie Survival Weekender is now hibernating for the winter but will be back in 2013
You Review
In the last few days since getting home I have reflected on my time in Wales. Originally I was dubious if if the long drive would be worth it, but in the end I am so glad we did it. I had no sleep for 2 days, spent 10 hours driving, I ache from head to toe and I am more exhausted than I have ever been. But I have also spent 6 hours running/stalking people in pitch black woods, meeting new people and making fantastic new friends. I can’t wait for the next one in April, Emily and I will definitely be there, and I sincerely hope that many of you are too.
Finally, a HUGE thank you to Dom for organising everything, of all the Zombie events I have attended, this has by far been the best!
Finally, a HUGE thank you to Dom for organising everything, of all the Zombie events I have attended, this has by far been the best!
You Review
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