Luxury Festival Camping with Lotus Belle
Posted by Ben Viall on
It’s been a busy winter and not much time for blogging! Normally at this time of year I would be making my way due north from New Zealand for the festival season in the UK, but this year I’m having a hiatus. It’s been hard to be honest (I love my festies!) but Lotus Belle is busy so it’s best (to quote Ram Dass) to “be here now”
For those lucky enough to be north right now and enjoying a blissful European summer I have a few suggestions for you for festivals!
Wilderness Festival kicks off Friday 9th and runs till Sunday 11th August 2013. It’s held at the fabulous Cornbury Park, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3EH, England.
It’s a fantastic location and it’s surrounded by a lovely lake, which is perfect for bathing in and getting rid of that cider hangover. I thoroughly recommend investing in the additional tickets for glamping add-ons like Bathing Under The Sky and the banquet. Bathing Under the Sky is an amazing outdoor hot tub set-up, which you can rent privately with your friends. They change the water for each session and its chemical free! You can also take your own bubbly along and really live it up, under the stars or as your late-afternoon pampering for a night dancing in the fields!
I rate Wilderness so highly for a mixture of music, people and food that I found it very hard to peel myself away for Green Man Festival. And I was, literally, peeled away as I work on Green Man Festival! My boss woke me last time to leave Wilderness and drive to Wales at 6am so we could prep. I was not impressed. But arriving at the breath taking Brecon Beacons, in Wales is so stunning and it’s always worth it once I get there.
Green Man from the 15th-18th August is like walking back in time in a way. It’s the friendliest loveliest place and small enough to not get lost and always find your friends. The set-up is easy to navigate, but big enough to always find something new and interesting. There is a real sense of community there, stronger than many other festivals. I have gotten to know many traders over the years and, like me, they all rate Green Man among their favourtites. These friends include the fascinating world of Fairy Love helmed by the amazing and inspiring Shelley Fairy Love. They specialise in all things fairy and it’s easy to escape into their magical realm and come out bursting with a new look and fairy love! Rosa Bloom is another awesome stall I always look forward to visiting. A touch of burlesque meets circus glam, the talented Rosa Bloom’s standout pieces include her famous frilly knickers and sequin leggings.
Live music memories include Laura Marling, Van Morrison, Mr Scruff, We Were Evergreen, Beirut and Joanna Newsom. There is something so spectacular about seeing the sunset behind the hills, while watching a gig on the main stage. The natural amphitheatre feels like it was purpose built for these very occasions, thousands of years ago.
