The gentleman’s guide to the UK’s summer festivals

Ah, festival season, a time of year that brings boundless joy to many music lovers all over the world. And, for the other half, makes a great excuse to update their Facebook with countless staged photographs and pseudo-edgy status that, they hope, will prove they’re as cool as they were back when they were 16 and everyone started discovering festivals.

But if you’re serious about having a weekend that has the potential to be one of the best of your life, and you’re serious about music (and the plethora of other activities that are now happening at festivals all over the world), you need to figure out the best places to spend your time and money. Do you want purely music? Do you want a bit of culture mixed in? Art? Activities? For a start, the likes of Reading, Leeds and V Festival are not the types of places a gentleman wants to be seen at –but hopefully we didn’t have to tell you that. Here’s where to head instead:

(Photo: SWNS)

Why? The moment you walk into Glastonbury, you understand what all the fuss is about. The lights, the people, the all night entertainment and the performances from some of the greatest musicians on earth all totally surpass any expectations of the festival that you might already have had. Glastonbury, despite the rain, truly makes for one of the best weekends – for reasons that can’t really be explained until you experience it for yourself.

Best for? Partiers and music-lovers. Most people go to Glastonbury from the Wednesday/Thursday to the following Monday so once you’re there, you’re in it for the long-haul. A word of advice: spend the money on a tipi. The campsite has access to showers, decent food and your tipi will more than likely have an actual bed. Plus, when you split the price between 6-8 of you, you’re not even adding that much extra cash to your total sum.

Where? Glastonbury, Somerset

For more information, visit here.

(Photo: Mark Hemsworth)

Why? Imagine everything about England and the English countryside that you know and love and add to that mix some of the best musicians, craftsmen and artists and you’ve nailed Wilderness on the metaphorical head. Run by the same people as Secret Garden Party but with a slightly older (and dare we say it, classier) clientele, Wilderness is the very definition of a small festival done right.

Best for? New-comers and creatives. If you haven’t been to a festival before, or it’s been a long time since you’ve set foot inside one, Wilderness is the perfect place to start. And you don’t need to be a hardcore music lover to go here because there’s plenty of other activities to be getting on with, like eating insane food or witnessing a live art show. This truly is England at it’s finest, gentlemen.

Where? Oxfordshire

For more information, visit here.

(Photo: The Good Life Experience)

Why? If you’re looking to get outdoors and actually experience England for what it is, the Good Life Experience is the place for you. It’s an incredible mix of both unknown and known musicians, activities that will keep even the most creative and artistic gentlemen intrigued and access to some of the best food (and chefs) in the country – all set in the heart of the incredible countryside in rural Wales.

Best for? Gentlemen with a sense of adventure. There’s a lot about this festival that will make you step outside of your comfort zone – in the best possible way. Whether that’s learning how to cook incredible food on a campfire, listening to Ben Fogle talk about life in the great outdoors, or learning how to actually make accessories directly from the gentlemen at Albam.

Where? Hawarden, North Wales

For more information, visit here.

(Photo: Visit Wales)

Why? If you want to experience all of the music, parties and atmosphere of a bigger festival but aren’t brave enough to head into deepest darkest Glastonbury quite yet, Green Man is the only place to start. With a line-up as solid as that of it’s slightly better known competitors and a setting that’s about as beautiful as the English countryside comes, you’d be far fetched to find a festival that beats this one.

Best for? Every type of music fan out there – whether you’re a hardcore and loyal follower of every band playing, or have just set out to see what all the festival hype is about. You won’t be disappointed with Green Man.

Where? Brecon Beacons, Wales

For more information, visit here.

(Photo: Elliot Franks)

Why? Latitude is one of those festivals that you will have heard people talk about time and time again over the years and if you’re not familiar with exactly what it does, you need to check it out. You won’t come across any of those hideous Reading or Leeds revellers in deepest, darkest Suffolk and we promise that everything you do and everyone you see will only surpass your expectations for this awesome festival.

Best for? Easing in gently. Yes, Latitude definitely has its fair share of partiers and plenty of places to do so, but it’s also the perfect place to start out if you’ve never experienced a proper festival before. It’s gentle, in the best possible way, and has a line-up and a setting to rival all others.

Where? Suffolk

(Photo: Bestival)

Why? When an entire festival (and the people that attend it) have a theme to stick to every year, it’s pretty clear that it’s going to be well done. And when thousands upon thousands of people every year commit to travelling all the way to the Isle of Wight, you can also trust that it’s going to be worth it. Bestival needs to be firmly on every festival goers bucket list.

Best for? The adventurous, the partiers and the music fans alike. Bestival genuinely has a little bit of all the good stuff and we promise that every gentleman will come back for more year after year.

Where? Isle of Wight

(Photo: Festival Number 6)

Why? Mark our words: this year will prove the rise of festivals like the aforementioned Good Life Experience and this, Festival Number 6. Weekends that are as much about music as they are about craftsmanship, going back to basics and that are there in praise of the great British countryside. So if you’re looking for all of those things, Festival Number 6 is where you need to be.

Best for? The eccentric and those open to explore more than just music at a festival.

Where? Port Meirion, Wales

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