The best of British Summer — East London Mornings

Get your tents, wellies and glitter ready!

In partnership with Ketel One and The Botanist

While we might not have the perfect weather all summer long, there is one thing that Britain does best - festivals. There are festivals for any type of music, mindset and preferred location. In the recent years festivals become less about music (at least for me) and more about experience. It’s all about pretty camping, food, artisan drinks and the company.

Wilderness, Oxforshire 01-04 August 2019

After Festival No6 announced they will no longer bring everyone to the prettiest setting of Wales, Wilderness is by far my favourite festival. It always feels like for one weekend only all the best of London moves to Oxfordshire. Favourite restaurants have their residencies, best chefs cook evenings feasts, all fellow East Londoners walking around the camp in a happy dance-mad vibe and yoga teachers from Hackney balance on their SUP boards every morning.

Set in Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Estate, Wilderness offers the best foodie experience (I told you, I’m not into music! However if you are, Wilderness does bring big names like Bombay Bicycle Club and Groove Armada). Banquets and feasting requare a special mention. This year, festival brought Israeli chef Yossi ‘Papi’ Elad of Palomar and Barbary fame; Kitchen Table’s head chef James Knappett; Angela Hartnett (of London’s Murano), and the team behind Petersham Nurseries.

This year the festival offered an especially busy programme of activities, workshops, yoga classes, climbing sessions and even axe throwing. There was also an after-party ‘valley’ revealed where you could dance it away until first rays of sun. On the way back to the camp you can head to the lake for a morning dip.

And of course a word about famous Wilderness Sunday Cricket Match which has been running as long as the festival. Even if you’re not into cricket you’ll love this colourful and sometimes ‘nude’ match complete with fun commentary from the public.

Lost Village, Lincolnshire 22-25 August 2019

Lost Village is a creative project with a storyline that changes and develops, year on year. The festival is a surreal and intimate 4 day experience, in the heart of an long-forgotten forest near the village of Norton Disney, Lincolnshire. As you leave your tent you’ll navigate through hidden pathways, derelict houses, overgrown courtyards and even abandoned airports.

Music at Lost Village is more of a dance type and a good food element present here too. We joined the Tribal Banquet on Saturday for Neil Rankin’s zero-waste barbecue and open-fire cooked Mexican feast. How surreal is eating cheeseburger nachos, soft-shell crab tacos and mezcal sorbet in the middle of a northern woodland?!

Also need to mention Dishoom residency and their bacon breakfast naan that magically cured us from hangover that morning.