Last weekend, I ticked another item off my ‘30 Things to do Before I’m 30‘ list; I took a day off from my day job/real life, hopped on a train to Oxfordshire, and spent the weekend in the blissful Cotswolds countryside at Wilderness Festival with my friends at Hunter.
Now I’ve never been to a festival before, but I’m fairly sure this wasn’t your usual music festival. Set on an aristocrat’s rambling country estate (complete with manor house, rolling hills and meadows and two large lakes), it was a celebration of art, nature, creativity and music. Of course there were bands (we listened to The Temper Trap as the sun set) and an obligatory sea of pop-up tents in a neighbouring meadow*, but there were also literary lectures, philosophical debates, art and craft classes, yoga, horse riding, rowing, vintage markets, a prohibition-era speakeasy, midnight masked balls in the woods and spectacular banquets (Yotam Ottolenghi’s feast was really rather special). The whole weekend had an air of magic about it; from the thespians nestled in the woods telling tales of magical far-off lands, to the festival-goers lazing about in the long grass with flowers in their hair as the sounds of a New Orleans jazz band floated on the warm breeze from across a meadow and over a dale, I felt as though I had stumbled into a real-life reenactment of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Along with my friend Dearne, I mostly spent the weekend wearing floaty white dresses, raspberry wellies and flowers in my hair (and dreaming of running off to be a ‘Temperley Bohemian’ more often), pondering the meaning of life and happiness, splashing about in the lake, treasure-hunting at the vintage stalls and dancing the charleston to a jazz-age brass band at 1:00am.
Beneath that golden light and restorative air of a summer’s day in the English countryside, I felt as though all my cares in the world melted away. I can’t wait to return next year!
What is the most wonderful festival or celebration you’ve ever been to? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
Love, Miss B xx
* I’m slightly terrified of camping (I need a shower and a fluffy bed), so we stayed at the charming Bear Hotel in the postcard-perfect Woodstock just down the road.
Thank you Hunter for the most magical weekend!
Love this post. How fun! That flower cat mask is brilliant
Kate
http://www.thrillofthechaise.com
wow, looks like a great time! Good for you getting the 30 before 30 list checked off!
So beautiful! Sounds like an amazing festival, I would love to go there someday!
This is beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful themed festival! I’m with you on the camping, I love spending the day outdoors but need a bed at the end of the night!
My favorite celebration I’ve been to has to be Oktoberfest in Munich! It was unforgettable, well, maybe a little forgettable after the amount of beers we drank!
This is amazing post. I just love the photos….they do look like A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
http://www.apfaboulous30s.blogspot.com
Your pictures are fantastic and this festival looks so magical. I really must try and go the next time I am in England.
Wow you look amazing ! And I love those flowery crowns !
Beautiful pictures!! Good for you that you were able to cross that one off your list.
xo Andrea
Wonderful and Marvelous
I almost can’t cope with the gorgeousness of your photos! So beautiful! It looks absolutely perfect
x
Like you I’m not a camper – a holiday in a tent in the rain many years ago put paid to that – and I’ve never been to a festival but I think I could manage this – looks gorgeous, as do you!
Oh I like this post b! I’ve never been to a festival before either but if my first could be like this, I would be there in a jiffy. Lovely post.
This looks like so much fun, reminds me of the Secret Garden Party festival I went to not that long ago…..although it looks like you had a lot less mud! Lovely pics too!
http://paulatasker.squarespace.com
Love these pictures!!!
What a fabulous event and thankfully it looks like you had good weather
XOXO
princessmartha
The colours are inspiring me to design a new floral wallpaper for my bedroom! xx
I went to the Wilderness too – great fun. I loved how 100 people could go but have 100 different experiences as there was so much to do – my highlights included the Ottolenghi feast and learning the Lambeth Walk. Oh and the camping wasn’t too bad for a festival, and there were even porta-showers, but like you I prefer a hotel – or at least a yurt!
I’m secretly obsessed with flower crowns–there’s something so whimsical and magical about them. Looks like a lovely time!
-Alyssa
The Glossy Life
This sounds magic, like a living Antonia S.Byatt book and I had no doubt you’d manage to look stylish and fabulous even in wellies at a festival (well, the non-camping situation might have helped with that, I’m as terrified as you are at the idea!).
Considering going myself next year, you know, for my 40 before 40!
This just sounds like heaven!
I hope you had a wonderful time, but how could you not’ve done?!
This festival just looks amazing, and it’s SO CHEAP! I’m going to Leeds fest soon, I’m so excited but I won’t be able to wear white dresses that’s for sure! xxx
Tooo cute!! Loving the floral headpieces! Looks like such a fun time!
xx
Giovanna
http://www.oliveandanarrow.com
Magical! Just beautiful…
tiffanyphipps
I love your blog! The photography is so cool. You had created your own distinct style on the blog.
That looks and sounds like my idea of a festival! I’m not into camping either so I’m completely with you. What a beautiful weekend!!
This looks like a wonderful, magical weekend! I would love to spend a day in the English countryside, although first I’ll have to get over to England…
P.S. I just found your blog (via Glitter Guide) and it is lovely! Your photography is amazing as well!
You stayed at The Bear, oh my gosh you should have said as I have family friends in Woodstock with the most gorgeous house you could have stayed at! Had no idea it was close by. I stay at The Feathers opposite The Bear every few months – amazing. xx
South Molton St Style
Beautiful post!
You’re sooooooo cute!!!!!
What a blissful time you described! Wish they had something similar occurring near my neck of the woods.
You are absolutely gorgeous! And I love your boots haha but that sounds so nice! Wish they had something like that where I lived.
What a gorgeous post. The flower diadem suits you. It sounds like a magical festival a far cry from the mood and corporate ruin of most festivals. Love the pink Hunters on you. The Temper Trap are an excellent band. Their song Sweet Disposition particularly means a lot to me – they played it at my friend’s funeral. x
Just stumbled upon your blog and I’m obsessed! You take such beautiful photos. The wilderness festival looked like it was my idea of a great time, hope you had so much fun!!
XO,
Elizabeth
I am so happy to have stumbled upon your blog- this festival sounds like pure magic! I love England so much.
I was in Stockholm for the Midsummer Festival which was so lovely-all the floral garlands made me feel transported to another time =)
xxoo Sal
bluebonnetsforsal
You seem to do camping, the way I would do camping.
Looks like you had a great time.
Lots of love from South Africa<3
What gorgeous photos! Looks like a wonderful weekend
Enchanting photos!
WOW, you look really adorable wearing your fuschia pink Wellingtons, they are such a sexy colour I love them.
Julia
xx