Cloudspotting Festival – Clitheroe, England 2026
Overview
The Cloudspotting Festival is an intimate, award-winning micro music and arts retreat nestled deep in the ancient Gisburn Forest within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, near Clitheroe in Lancashire. Launched in 2011 as a small-scale family adventure blending live music, interactive arts, and woodland immersion, it has since earned acclaim as the UK’s ultimate back-to-nature escape for around 300-500 attendees, winning Best Small Event at the 2017 Lancashire Tourism Awards. Organized by a passionate team including the late Matt Evans and Helen, the festival emphasizes sustainability, community, and wonder, with all profits supporting eco-initiatives and local causes through partnerships with the Forestry Commission and Creative Lancashire.
This three-day solstice celebration transforms a secluded 16th-century farmhouse clearing at Stephen Park into a magical haven of eclectic sounds—from folk and indie to world beats—alongside family workshops, starlit campfires, and forest foraging. It’s a haven for first-time festival families or those weary of commercial crowds, fostering cross-generational bonds through choir sing-alongs, drumming parades, and silent stargazing. Though paused since 2021 amid challenges, whispers of revival echo in successor events like Seek Out and Gisburn Gathering, hinting at a 2026 return that promises even greener vibes and bolder surprises amid the whispering pines.
Event Highlights
- Main attractions, activities, or performances: Two live music stages hosting quirky solo acts, emerging bands, and headliners like Jesca Hoop or past gems such as King Creosote and Clinic; late-night DJ sets in the Cabin in the Woods, plus open mics and enchanted forest acoustics for immersive, woodland-synced tunes.
- Special traditions or features: Midsummer solstice timing with a Peoples’ Choir anthem debut, volunteer-led carnival parades, and kids-as-advisers input shaping the program; eco-audits for carbon reduction, beer festivals with local ales, and a non-commercial ethos uniting all ages in harmonious revelry.
- Unique attractions for visitors: Forest art trails like the Sorrowful Stag quest blending theater and scavenger hunts; multi-sensory kids’ takeovers with pizza-making and milkshake labs; stargazing hubs, mountain biking loops, and a food court of wood-fired pizzas and vegan falafels amid ancient trees.
About This Event
- Founded in 2011 by Playhappy Promotions as a micro music, food, and beer gathering on the River Ribble’s banks, relocating to Gisburn Forest for its secluded, family-safe seclusion in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- Hosted at Stephen Park, a rambling 16th-century farmhouse amid acres of Forestry Commission-managed woodland, offering natural seclusion, trails, and eco-harmony for up to 500 guests in a low-impact haven.
- Focuses on alternative, emerging, and established acts across folk, indie, and world genres, with interactive elements like songwriting workshops leading to main-stage spots, emphasizing diversity and cross-cultural dialogue.
- Award-winning for its intimate scale and family inclusivity, evolving from riverside roots to a solstice staple that inspires sustainable living through waste minimization and carbon audits.
- Paused post-2021 due to personal and economic hurdles, but its legacy lives in successors like Seek Out (2023) and Gisburn Gathering (2021), with community calls for revival highlighting its irreplaceable forest magic.
- Committed to environmental stewardship and accessibility, with free PA tickets, volunteer-driven operations, and a ethos of “enlightened beings dancing across ages” that champions mental wellbeing and nature connection.
Why Attend
Cloudspotting beckons as Lancashire’s whispered woodland secret, where the rustle of ancient oaks scores indie anthems and family drumming circles, crafting a three-day cocoon of creativity that’s worlds away from festival frenzy—ideal for tots discovering fiddles or elders reliving folk firesides. It’s a guilt-free escape where kids co-curate the magic, from stag hunts to choir crescendos, all wrapped in eco-glow that leaves you lighter, with zero corporate gloss but endless authentic sparks. Affordable and intimate, it’s the recharge where strangers share solstice toasts, proving small-scale spells big memories under unpolluted skies.
More than melodies, it’s a lineage of Lancashire’s wild heart, fueling forest guardians through green policies and community pulses that outlast the echoes of Jesca Hoop’s voice. In 2026’s anticipated bloom, expect bolder beats and greener glades, turning potential rain into rhythmic rituals—perfect for souls seeking solace in the trees, emerging bonded and bewitched by Bowland’s timeless embrace.
Date & Duration
- Dates: July 24 – July 26, 2026
- Duration: 3 days
Venue / Location
- Main venue: Stephen Park in Gisburn Forest, hosting music stages, camping fields, workshops, food courts, and art trails across its wooded clearing with forest trails and a central farmhouse hub.
- Notable areas: Enchanted Forest stage for acoustics, main field for parades and markets, Cabin in the Woods for DJ nights, and quiet family camping zones; all nestled in secluded woodland for easy, immersive wandering.
- Google Maps address: Stephen Park, Gisburn Forest, Dalehead, Slaidburn, Clitheroe BB7 4TS, UK
Ticket Information
- Tickets sold online via Skiddle or The Grand Venue website with e-confirmation; limited weekend camping, day passes for Friday-Sunday; advance purchase essential as they sell out.
- Admission is paid; under-2s free, kids (2-12) at child rates, teens (13-17) discounted; family bundles encouraged.
- Ticket pricing in USD: Adult weekend tickets range from a minimum of $140 (Tier 1 early bird) to a maximum of $140; day tickets from $50; kids weekend from $40, teens from $70.
- Special options: Free Personal Assistant tickets for disabled attendees (email for Access Form); live-in vehicle passes (~$40 extra, limited); car parking (~$13); glamping tipis (~$250 for weekend, book via email).
- Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult; non-refundable except for cancellation, with 4.5% admin fee; resale at buyer’s risk.
Booking with Euro Travelo
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Contact Information
- Email: helen@cloudspotting-festival.co.uk (general inquiries); spottingclouds@gmail.com (access, glamping, volunteers).
- Phone: +44 (0)7967 634683 (English available for bookings and support).
- Website: https://www.cloudspotting-festival.co.uk
- Social Media: @CloudspottingUK (Facebook).
- Key Staff: Helen (organizer); contact via email for coordinators.
- Press/Volunteers: Press via helen@; volunteer sign-ups through email or social event (20-hour minimum for free entry, roles from setup to cleanup).
- Note: Response time ~24 hours; English support primary; newsletter for updates.
Getting There
- Airports: Manchester Airport (MAN, ~50 miles/80 km south, 1-hour drive); Leeds Bradford (LBA, ~40 miles/64 km east, 50-minute drive); Blackpool (BLK, ~30 miles/48 km west, 45-minute drive).
- Public transport: Trains to Clitheroe Station via Northern Rail from Manchester (1 hour) or Leeds (1.5 hours), then B10 bus to Slaidburn/Tosside (limited, request stop at Stoney Bank crossroads—15-minute walk); festival minibus from Clitheroe available (~$10).
- Parking: On-site car parking with advance pass (~$13 USD for weekend); limited spaces, arrive early; blue badge spots near entrance.
- Other access: Taxis from Clitheroe (~$25, 20 minutes) or Settle (~$20); walking from Tosside village (2 miles uphill via forest paths); cycling on trails from Slaidburn.
- Road access: From M6 J36 north (A65 to B6478 via Long Preston/Tosside, then Hole House Lane—6 miles); from A59 south (via Sawley, twisty roads to crossroads, straight to forest—7 miles); satnav BB7 4TS, signposted second right in forest; expect rural delays.
Accommodation Options
- On-site camping: Included with weekend tickets (ground tents in family zones); limited live-in vehicles (~$40 add-on, 20-30 spots); glamping tipis (1-2 remaining, ~$250 USD furnished with beds/power); no caravans, fires in designated pits only.
- Hotels/guest houses: The Spread Eagle in Sawley (historic inn with pub grub, free parking, from $110 USD/night, 5 miles); Hark to Bounty in Slaidburn (cozy rooms, gardens, from $100 USD); book via Visit Lancashire for deals.
- Holiday cottages: Self-catering forest lodges near Clitheroe via Sykes (e.g., Bowland retreats with views/parking, from $140 USD/night for families); pet-friendly options in Slaidburn.
- Glamping: On-site tipis via organizers (limited, email to book); off-site pods at nearby Waddow Hall (en-suites, ~$180 USD, 10 miles).
- Other: B&Bs like Copy Nook Inn (rural charm, breakfast, $90 USD); Airbnb farm stays in Gisburn (groups, $120-160 USD/night); hostels in Clitheroe (budget ~$60 USD, bus access).
Reviews
- Whisper-thin woods turned wonderland—Jesca Hoop’s sunset set, kids’ choir magic, and forest feasts made it our family’s solstice soul-saver.
- Intimate indie bliss amid pines; drumming parades and vegan vibes healed the heart—tiny but towering, a true Lancashire legend.
- Stag hunts to starlit DJs, all eco-woven; affordable, all-ages alchemy that outshines big fests—whisked us back to nature’s beat.
Maps
Contact
Video
FAQ's
Is Cloudspotting suitable for families with young children?
Cloudspotting is a woodland whisper for wee wanderers, capping crowds at 500 for a safe, sprawling forest feel where under-2s roam free and kids (2-12) snag $40 passes, while the Kids of Cloudspotting advisers infuse every corner with tot-tested treasures like play-in-a-day theater, drumming carnivals, and stag quests that spark giggles from glade to campfire. The solstice rhythm syncs mellow acoustics with high-energy parades, ensuring no set swamps tiny eardrums, while quiet camping nooks cradle naps amid rustling pines—parents cherish the minibus shuttles, baby-change hubs, and volunteer "aunties" weaving a web of warmth. Eco-picnics and free water taps tame tummies, turning potential pandemonium into heirloom adventures; over a decade, it's morphed into Bowland's babe-beckoning balm, where families forge fiddles-first bonds under unfiltered stars. It's not kid-tolerant—it's kid-crowned, proving micro-fests mend multi-gen magic.
How do tickets work, and what's the refund policy for 2026?
Tickets sparkle via Skiddle or The Grand for e-zips and confirmations, with weekend gems (~$140 USD adults) bundling camping, day dips (~$50), and savvy family tiers slashing kid costs—Tier 1 early birds vanish like mist, so newsletter nudge is wise. Phones scan seamless, no print fuss, and resale's rogue but real (buyer's gamble); refunds? Rare for this resilient retreat, but full for full-cancellation (forest-proof), minus 4.5% admin, with past pauses pivoting to credits. Free PA passes for disabled (email Access Form) and teen tags keep it kin; under-18s need grown-up guardians. Team with Euro Travelo for shuttle sweets. The micro-magic means fair fares fund forest futures—snag yours before July's hush claims the haze.
What camping options and rules apply at the festival?
Weekend weaves include tent turf in hushed family hollows (ground-only, peg firm for breeze), with live-in vans (~$40 bolt-on, 20 spots—hurry!) and glamping tipis (~$250 luxe lairs, email chase); no caravans to cradle the clearing's calm, gates greet at noon Friday for unfurl. Pack-your-rubbish rite rules, hot showers/toilets abound, and raised pits spark solo suppers (no wild woods fires for wildlife wink)—free H2O quenches quests, reusables reign for green gleam. Stews steer spots for newbies, quiet veil post-midnight honors owls; no pets or glass guard the glen. It's sylvan simplicity, sans swamp slogs, where canvas cradles solstice dreams—book bells for bedded bliss amid the boughs.
What accessibility features are there for disabled visitors?
Forest's fold welcomes all, unfurling free PA passes (email for form, proof paves priority entry) and blue badge berths by the bole, with raised glades at stages for vista without vines. Wheel-woven ways (gravel-graced grass) lace to RADAR restrooms, hush-haven welfare with seats and solace, plus pony-pack shuttles from afar; aid hounds hail water wells and shade. Med-mavens mingle with first-aid flair, pyros piped pre-play, queues quelled by quick-paths—volleys versed in velvet aid, from arm to arbor. The wee wood wanders short, investments ink ramps yearly; kin kindle on the kind weave, letting limbs-loose luxuriate in Hoop harmonies and haze hunts unhindered—ping pre for path-plots or quiet quilts. It's Bowland's boundless beckon.
Can I bring my own food and drink, and what's the on-site policy?
Forage freely with picnic panniers (no glass shards for sylvan safety) to unfurl feasts on fern-floored blankets, syncing sups with stage sighs in that fey fete flow—campsite quaffs quench quietly, but arena ambrosia's bar-bound for kin-kindred licensing (ales ~$6, ciders for choir cheers). On-wood wares woo with Honest Crust's sourdough scorches, falafel flights from Luke's green, and Shake Magic's slurp-sirs (~$8-15), spanning spicy to sweet, vegan to Lancashire lashings—three free founts flush the flush. No blaze-barbecues (bowland bylaws), but the blend births banter-boards, outshining solo stews; whispers wax it's the weave that whets, twining twig-taps with twilight tunes for transcendent toasts.
