Taking full advantage of the beautiful surroundings of Cornbury Park, in which Wilderness is set, there will be an incredible variety of outdoor activities for all ages this year. Immerse yourself in free activities such as wild swimming, biking, cross-country runs and boating, along with croquet lessons from Croquet East and Wild Medicine Walks with Rachel Corby, who has trained with an Ecuadorian Shaman. 

There will be pre-bookable classes in the Brazilian martial arts/ dance hybrid Capoeira, long-bow archery and horse riding lessons from Durham Farm Riding School. Alternatively, you can bring out your inner survivalist, taking up fly fishing with the expert Steve Ward and his team of instructors, or enrolling in the Hunter Gather Cook workshops, in which self-styled survivalist and “Treehouse Diaries” author Nick Weston will teach participants the art of going into the wild to taste and gather a variety of plants, preparing dishes cooked from the ingredients gathered. There will also be overnight camps in Wychwood Forest for younger Hunter-Gatherers between 8-12 year olds, and Den Building with the Eden Project, where children will learn to build their own shelters in the woods.

On a family tip, there will be activities galore on offer as well, which are sure to enchant people of all ages and dispositions. For starters, Storystock is back this year, spinning a bevvy of stories with magic and puppetry, as is the Discover Children’s Storycentre, which will allow young story builders aged up to 11 years old to enter a labyrinth designed to inspire curiosity and imagination. Similarly, the Charles Dickens Museum will transport families into the Dickensian wonders of Victorian England with their one-off workshops, while the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre will recreate the evergreen classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for the 50th anniversary.

Also on hand to provide extra magic are Hullabaloo Arts, a gloriously ragtag group of artists who initiate, organize and facilitate art workshops, events, parades and festivals onsite, Angel Gardens, who will be creating bespoke family spaces with campfire stories and fire shows at the festival, the famed youth theatre collective Tap Tap Theatre, hailing from the South West, Mortimer Nannies who will be offering a boutique babysitting service, the internationally acclaimed family circus and street show troupe The Flying Seagulls and even ping pong in the sun!

Throw in late night revelry, processions and fire shows, tented theatre and promenade performances from Shakespeare’s Globe and Victoria and Albert Museum, and talks, debates and literary arts curated by the Huffington Post, and you have a wonderfully multifaceted festival experience that is singularly and distinctively Wilderness.

Wilderness is the proud winner of: Best New Festival 2011 – UK Festival Awards , Best Small Festival 2012 – Live Music Awards, Best Extra Activity 2013 - UK Festival Awards

Wilderness Festival August 7 – 10th 2014 Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire Weekend Tickets: £143.50 +BF, Children aged 10: £5 more information and ticket links here.  Prebook outdoor pursuits here.