An Insider’s Guide To Wilderness Festival

Now the Glastonbury buzz is over, it’s all eyes on Wilderness: the Cotswolds festival which combines music, food, arts and wellness across four days of ‘wholesome hedonism’. Set in Cornbury Park near Charlbury, the event is often billed as the UK’s poshest festival (hence the Poshstock nickname): boutique glamping is double the size of the general camping, and the line-up includes everything from woodland feasting lunches to champagne hot tubs and wild saunas. That’s not to say the music isn’t a key part though, with acts set to perform this year including Wet Leg and Basement Jaxx. Secured a ticket? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 2025 festival.

What Is Wilderness Festival?

Established in 2011, Wilderness was created by the team behind Secret Garden Party and Lovebox, with the aim of creating a new kind of festival that emphasised wellbeing, nature and creativity. Since then, it has grown in popularity and size – although 14 years on, it still has a boutique feel, meaning wherever you’re camping you’ll never be too far from the action. This festival isn’t just about catching the headliners, there’s also an extensive programme of talks, workshops, food events, fitness classes, spa treatments and more. The festival also boasts its very own lake, where guests go to swim and relax during the day.

With its Cotswolds postcode and elevated vibe, it’s no surprise Wilderness has long been a hit with celebrities. Jodie Comer, Florence Pugh, James Norton, Eleanor Tomlinson and Sophie Turner have all been spotted at the festival in recent years, and no doubt the 2025 event will be suitably starry.

When Is Wilderness 2025?

The festival takes place from 31 July – 3 August 2025.

Things To Do At Wilderness 2025

Watch Live Music

This is a festival, so of course there’s plenty of live music to enjoy, and Wilderness is known for having a diverse range of music genres on offer. The headliners for 2025 are Basement Jaxx, Supergrass, Wet Leg, Air, Orbital, Aurora and Berlioz. Elsewhere, don’t miss performances from Gentleman’s Dub Club, Craig Charles and Låpsley.

Go To The Wilderness Cricket

This bizarre event is a staple of the festival, having taken place every year since its inception. It’s essentially a silly cricket match with questionable umpiring, where festival goers have the opportunity to strip naked and run across the pitch during the game. Guests can sign up to play at 9am, ahead of the first bowl at 11am – or if you fancy a bit of streaking, the world is your oyster. Alternatively, just grab a drink, find a spot and watch the madness unfold.

Eat At A Banquet

The feasting banquets are always a highlight, where top chefs prepare al fresco feasts in the woods. This year, live fire chef Ben Quinn is hosting a dinner party, complete with a five-course menu spotlighting local ingredients, paired with drinks. There’s also a (sold out) supper club with Angela Hartnett, featuring dishes like lamb and pea arancini, potato gnocchi puttanesca, and whole roasted chicken with focaccia. New for this year is Wilderness first-ever BBQ experience, which sees esteemed Indian chef Rohit Ghai sizzling up kala masala chicken with roasted potato wedges, and kasundi mushrooms with rice lentil kedgeree.

 

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Dance At The Valley

Those keen to party through to the early hours should head to The Valley, a forest ampitheatre that comes alive after sundown. Performances here are quite the spectacle: think disco balls and laser beams, with a focus on electronic music – the programme for 2025 includes Annie Mac, Isaac Carter and Confidence Man DJ.

Listen To A Talk

Talks are a bit part of Wilderness, spanning a wide range of topics. The biggest events this year are Jamie Laing’s live podcast recording for Great Company, and foodie tales with the FT’s restaurant critic Jay Rayner. But the line-up has something for everyone, from a discussion on how to survive the culture wars to a conversation about periods with Dr Hazel Wallace to a session on breaking up with your digital devices. 

Have A Drink At The Champagne Tent

The Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden is always buzzing (we told you it was fancy). Sip a glass of fizz while listening to music from DJs, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any A-listers, who tend to hang out here.

Relax At The Lakeside Spa

A revitalising afternoon at The Lakeside Spa is a must. You can book sessions in wood-fired hot tubs and saunas – with optional cold plunge tanks for those after a bit of hot and cold therapy. Alternatively, crank it up a notch at one of the sauna rituals, or learn the art of breathwork with one of the Wim Hof Method Workshops. And whatever the weather, no trip to Wilderness is complete without a dip in the lake – there’s nothing like a bracing swim to blow the cobwebs away. Treatments are also available here, including massages at MASAJ (relaxing or deep tissue).

Do A Workout Class

Fitness lovers are spoilt for choice here. Have a giggle at laughter yoga, dance around at disco barre, try your hand at some stand up paddleboarding, learn the art of handstands, or lace up and join one of the wild runs. 

Camping

If you opt for general camping, you’ll need to bring a tent and all your kit with you and pitch up in one of the campsites, set beside the swimming and boating lakes. There’s also a quiet camping area, plus a family camping site.

Meadow Camping offers pre-pitched tents, but these are unfurnished so you’ll still need to bring sleeping bags and so on. Alternatively, you can shell out on Boutique Camping, which is located right beside the arena and includes luxury showers, toilets and a pamper parlour.

How To Get Tickets

Weekend tickets for Wilderness Festival 2025 are still available, from £293pp for an adult or £45pp for a child. wildernessfestival.com