In our increasingly busy, hectic work lives, finding a little space to create some peace and quiet has never been more important. It’s no wonder the wellness industry is booming, offering everything from cryotherapy to massage in an attempt to offset the stress of a 9-5 job.
The same goes for festivals. These days, punters want more from the events they pay for. Gone are the days of sitting in a muddy tent the size of a coffin, eating crisps for breakfast and trudging from stage to stage until your feet were red and raw: these days, people can choose to enjoy their music with a healthy dose of morning yoga, spa treatments and gong baths.
“We’re seeing overall that everyone is making better choices when it comes to balance,” says Pip Roberts, who heads up the Energy Garden wellness area at Lincolnshire boutique festival Lost Village. “Particularly at Lost Village. Whether it’s thinking about what they’re eating or not going out so late at night. It means that everyone can sleep and eat in a way that’s conducive to feeling good.”
What, you’ve never left a festival feeling refreshed? Get ready to do that and more: here’s our pick of the best festivals offering spa treatments in the UK right now.
1. Lost Village
Get ready to unleash your zen at one of the UK’s most vibrant festivals. Set in the heart of Lincolnshire, Lost Village not only features a killer line-up of electronic artists, it also finishes at a sleep-friendly time (2am) and has a range of places to recharge your batteries.
Topping the list is the Energy Garden, which offers weary partygoers the chance to take part in yoga and meditation, sound baths and breathing exercises, all with the aim of releasing stress for the day ahead. And yes, there’s also a spa, offering massages (great for kneading away all the aches and pains of the day before), as well as hot tubs and a sauna.
If that sounds like your thing, why not keep the chilled out vibes going and then head to the Creative Workshops for a range of calming activities. Top of the list: candle painting, dream catcher weaving and carving.
22-25 Aug; more information here
2. Wood Festival
Tucked away in the heart of the National Forest, the Timber Festival is a three-day extravaganza of music, art and ideas. Alongside the music programme, the focus is on wellness: as well as yoa and sound baths, there are other options including an ecstatic dance workshop and a session on mindful movement. And is there anything more relaxing than listening to a panel on tree planting in the heart of the British countryside?
As expected, the ethos here is firmly eco-friendly: guests are encouraged to use public transport to get to the festival, and there are perks on offer for those going green in particular. And while this year’s festival has already taken place, there’s still plenty of time to book for next year.
More information here
3. Wilderness
Wellness, but luxurious. Wilderness not only offers top-notch music and food (good food is an important part of the equation, of course), but also offers visitors the chance to check into the Sanctuary, which is billed as “a soul-nourishing paradise” for all things health-related.
It’s divided into four distinct areas: The Studio, which offers barre, pilates and boxing; The Shala, which is all about breathing exercises and ‘musical journeys’; Mindful Space, which focuses on calmness; and Wellbeing in the Wild, where people can try forest bathing and wild yoga. And that’s before all the workshops on ‘devotional dance’ and sacred rage have even started. You’ll leave feeling more relaxed than when you walked in.
More information here
4. The Great Retreat
Get away from it all in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for an event that describes itself as “a retreat/bootcamp with a festival vibe”. There’s some music, but the real focus is on reconnecting with your body.
There are special yoga and fitness programs every day (including sessions on topics like “how to reduce self-sabotage”), but there’s also a Talk Tent, where discussions are held on how to live more productively, and a Forest Station where adults can connect with their inner child and make things. All at once now: ahhh.
May 23-26, 2025; more information here
5. Love Paths Festival
Wales seems to be the place to be for all things healthy – as well as the Big Retreat, there’s Love Trails, which must be one of the few festivals that combines both music and trail running. As well as guided trail runs (which you can do with dedicated guides), there’s yoga, wild swimming, a ‘run to rave’ session and a pub crawl run. The 2024 music line-up also includes heavyweights Joy Anonymous and Stornoway, among others; all in all, a lovely weekend away.
July 10-15, 2025; more information here
6. Soul Circus
Relax by day, party by night: that’s the central theme of Soul Circus. Set in the rolling Cotswolds, the festival’s extensive list of holistic treatments will pump wellbeing into every pore of your body (there are beauty treatments, herbal therapies, yoga flows and mindfulness workshops) – but when the sun goes down, the DJs come out and guests are encouraged to party until sunrise. And don’t forget to recharge in the spa the morning after, with a plate of locally sourced food. Yummy.
August 15-18; more information here
7. Green Man
One of the most family-friendly music festivals around, Green Man’s inclusive ethos makes it the perfect place to unwind, whether you’ve got little ones or not. As well as a stellar line-up that this year includes Jon Hopkins, Sampha and Ezra Collective, you can also head to the Nature Nurture zone, hidden away in a grove of oak trees, for a range of massages and health treatments, visit the Literature area to discuss all things literary and head to the Courtyard to sample a range of locally brewed beers.
Best of all, you can purchase a Settler’s Pass, which allows you to camp in the Green Man area for a whole week with like-minded people, exploring the beautiful surrounding mountains and fields, and then enjoy communal barbecues after sunset.
August 15-18; more information here