It’s been a week since we put the boot of our Q7 to the ultimate test and packed it full of camping gear. Heading across the country and into Wales for a long weekend at the Good Life Festival was both exciting and ultimately a little bit scary. We were stepping out of our comfort zones. Yes, we’d attended many a music festival, both with and without the kids, but this was something altogether different. Camp Good Life was unchartered territory for us city-loving, hotel staying, fast-paced folk.
Situated in the picturesque beauty of the Hawarden Estate, North Wales, the Camp Good Life has been running for years. Focussing on all things autumnal and slow-lived, it felt very much like saying goodbye to the last of the Summer sun and a celebratory welcome to the darkness and stillness of Autumn. This was the smallest offering, at around one thousand guests (it normally hosts seven to eight thousand people) it was intimate enough for you to start recognising faces and have a real community feel to it.
Although not billed as a music festival, the was no shortage of incredible DJ sets to provide the perfect backdrop to meals, workshops, and talks. There was also live music both in the day and night, though we managed to miss the majority of it! The music played well into the night, but not in a way that prevented families from getting kids to bed in the nearby bell tents, a short walk away from the main festivities.
There was a range of accommodation options at the Good Life Experience, including pitching up your own tents, camper vans or staying in nearby hotels. Our bell tents were of a decent size, with enough room to store the copious amount of unrequired ‘stuff’ we thought we needed to bring. We had two tents between the four of us, one did seem to be infested by spiders which made for an interesting start to our camping experience, but we sorted it.
Highlights from the Camp Good Life Festival
Wilde swimming in a private lake
Axe throwing classes
Live cooking master classes over open wood fires
Dance classes
Reasons to be cheerful talks
Live DJs
Makers Tent
Book shop
LEGO workshop
Spoon whittling
Popcorn making (over proper fire!)
Dog show
Free helter skelter
Hawarden Farm Shop
Fruits dotted around the festival picked fresh from the estate’s orchard
I definitely hope to be invited back next year and if not, I’ll book to come back on my own steam. Such was the experience. Everyone was so at peace. So down to earth and unassuming. It didn’t hurt that everyone seemed to be around my age. The last music festival I went to, I seemed to be a decade too old, which felt a bit odd! It was child and dog friendly, which meant the whole family could come and there was entertainment to suit their needs.
The dates for next year’s camps, taking place in North Wales and Scotland are now available, so do keep Good Life Camp in mind when planning your 2022 festivities!
