Eden festival, is a magical place of creative beauty and wonder. Nestled in the Raehill Meadows alongside the bumbling Kinnel water just five minutes from Moffat on the A701 it is a stunning site, set among gorgeous trees and even more gorgeous people. At Eden festival time just melts away as your eyes feast on all the glorious spaces they create with beautiful décor and your heart beats wildly to the interesting sounds from the very many venues.

It’s so easy to wander through the well organised flowing fields and be stolen away from every intention to see this band or that band because there really are so many great things to do.

You could perform yourself (if you had steady legs and a fair ounce of courage or bravado) at the Thunderdome Stage, a crazy wooden arena type structure with a huge dance ring in the middle. All dance offs, held behind the ropes with much cheering and hilarity. There were a variety of acts and performances on the stage too but we only caught friends making fools of themselves and the Colonel Mustard and the Dijion 5 on the Saturday night, who were there usual outstanding great fun selves.

You can sit in a boat or an old classic car and watch a movie on the outdoor ‘drive in’ cinema, chill out at sonic henge where as well as stunning monolith rocks forming a circle, grass mounds hide speakers that spill out music while you chill looking over the viaduct that leads behind the Furry Chillum to the Glamping area.

We ventured up the hills to the glamping area with friends who had hired a bell tent. We were utterly impressed with the setting. Want to wake up every day on top of a hill with the festival sprawled out below you, a mansion regally watching behind you over a large pond, circled with rhododendrons and swans? Want real flushing toilets with hand washing sinks and showers? Want to wake up with the sounds of birds singing including a cuckoo? Then you want to Glamp at Eden. It’s an impressive quiet field (apart from the thump thump thump of the snake pit weaving up with the light wind) and although the walk feels like hard work at the end of a long day, it’s well worth it to wake up there the next day. A stunning scenic spot.

So much for kids to do at Eden, craft marquees, Big Wheel ride, face painting, learn forest skills, chill in the children’s library adorned with comfy cushions, singalong sessions, puppet shows (if you are not scared of puppets) and fairy dancing. Just to name a few!

There was even a parade which marched around the festival site, through and round the Garden of Eden maze and back through the site again. Nothing better than watching smiling dancing children, pleased as punch with the carnival creations and fancy dress outfits.

There were craft activities for adults too, including wood turning, painting and learning from a black smith. Of course it was much nicer to sit in the middle of the Eden Labryinth and soak up the calming energy while it all went on around you.

Friday was spent mostly wandering with all the children, losing the children and then finding the children. Usually with more glitter all over their grinning faces and asking us to put henna tattoo’s on their little hands. Turns out they all want to be colourful hippies. So we explored with them, playing games, sitting around and chilling out while we waited for them to come back from some workshop or other, while the distant sounds of either the Furry Chillum or the main stage kept our feet tapping and our shoulders moving.

King Charles was his usual sultry rocky sexy self. Banging out old favourites and new tunes much to the large crowds delight. Next up was Congo Natty who came on afterwards and played a much more reggae dub bass sound. Playing a couple of Bob Marley songs and putting a shout out to the recently passed Mohammed Ali, which sent the crowd wild. Great vibes to come down to at the end of the night.

We finalised our evening by wandering, wobbling, shaking and grooving all over the various tents inside the Snake Pit, from the Vishnu Lounge, to the Lost Disco, to the Chilli Dhu and the Voltans Psychedelic tent. We went all over and danced right through the lot, with no idea of time, or artists just appreciating the good music, good friends and laughing all the way to the end. We found the last of us watching the sun come up from the communal camp fire, listening to the sounds of some African drummers and lovely lilting singers. Before we knew it, tomorrow was already today.

Our Saturday started late morning once snoozed, fed and almost recovered by dressing up for the Myths and Legends theme that was suggested by Eden this year. Mermaid, Wood Nymph, Shield Maiden, Fire Goddess, Fairies, a Minotaur and a Lion. It all made perfect sense to us!

But it took forever to get ready, forever to navigate our own pictures and the picture requests of the onsite photography crews so we missed the utterly amusing Mr Motivator. However we reached the main stage area in time to see many exhausted and fallen bodies from his exuberant and energetic workout and were secretly quite glad it hadn’t happened to us. We may have sweated off our make up and glitter!

We chilled in the Garden on Eden, admiring the Willow Eve until we were ready to go and support the incredible Dumfries Community Choir. With nothing to back them but a solo guitar it was impressive the sounds they threw out. There songs were fantastic, the crowd sung along, there was even a little homage to for David Bowie in their medley. The crowd went mental, there was emotion and even tears on a grown man’s face. When the Dumfries and Galloway Choir left the stage they went into the Garden of Eden and planted a fertility tree with Eden Festival Founder and Co-Director Adam Curtis. A magical moment.

We watched the soulful Hollie Cook on the Devorgilla Stage who was knocking out some funky tunes with her band and knocking the stage bouncers too by demanding that they let people from the audience up on stage. What a wonderful bit of participation, hula hooper and crazy dancers all because Hollie said to the security “don’t you dare try and stop them.” Lass has cahoonies as well a crazy voice. And the audience loved it and loved her.

We caught some of Ed Solo and Deekline in the Chilli Dhu dance emporium which was fast paced and rather mental but we were up for the drum and bass jungle reggae challenge but not for long because we then we swiftly hot footed it through the snake pit maze to the Lost Disco to get up onto the flashing disco dance floor and dance ourselves skinny to Shakti Mama Disco Diva. Boy oh boy, the usual twist and funk of her disco tunes was ramped up this year with some hard trance dance tunes and absolutely funky beats and big bass sounds. We were all dancing like number one fans as the sparkly Diva DJ danced even harder in her DJ booth. That’s the way DJ’ing should be done, with the DJ dropping the moves every time the beat is dropped. Wearing nothing but a disco ball bra and disco sparkly halter neck top and leggings she was immensely amusing, no-one noticed the torrential rain which although came down in sheets, made no difference to the dancing feet, the grinning faces, the pointing arms and no spirits were dampened. Best set of the weekend!

We kind of danced to Mayawaska after Shakti Mama. More like planted feet in the increasing gluey mud and swayed even though the music was hardcore and pumping, we were all out of energy. A slow wobble home was intended yet we found our noses tantalised by the smells wafting over from the Pizza Oven, so it was a quick bite to eat, some super cups of coffee and a quick shimmy back to our base camp to shed the soaked clothes and sit under blankets giggling until 5am.

Sunday was dry and the sun came out so there was much we could do again without getting too wet. We hung out in the Garden of Eden again while our friends with kids took part in the auctioning of their children’s paintings. So much fun standing at the back, bumping up the price, until they noticed of course! Ha ha ha

By 12pm we had eaten breakfast and lunch and purchased a beer from Rabbies Tavern where we sat on one of the big wooden celtic bench seats and waited for our scattered group to assemble. Listening to the Taverns sounds from Trytich and Flo and then Wise L Leather Monk and then Steve Wharton on the wee Timrous Stage. All rather pleasant while we topped up the blood / alcohol levels.

We then sauntered back to the Devorgilla Stage to take our positions for the fantastic flying stage show that is the Colonel Mustards and the Dijion 5. Always uplifting, lyrics hilarious and they come with dance instructions which are really really easy to follow. My favourite being when the whole audience just walks to the left of the arena and then walks to the right. It’s quite amusing to see, so simple yet people do walk in their own distinctive style. Hilarious.

Accompanied by two giant puppets and a bare chested man in a crash hat riding a unicorn, it makes for a terribly sensible start to any day. And why not.

We sat around and watched Danial Meade and the Flying Mules play their rock and roll set. Very traditional and enjoyable, especially watching people properly do the twist and rock and roll moves. We sang along and clapped while eating wonderful vegan pakoras and dalpuri.

Then we went for more walks across the boardwalk to the Boardwalk stage and took in some reggae sounds before wandering around to the Lost Disco again to catch Bob Todd banging out the groovy disco dance tunes and then a quick skip to the Furry Chillum to catch the awesome Craig Charles. What a set! But boy oh boy was the tent packed. The whole place was rammed and it wasn’t long before, in our costumes, we all over heated and had to take a spot outside before we flopped from the heat. Craig Charles spun some incredible mixes, old school, new house, pretty much a bit of everything in a funky jump around style.

All in all Eden was an utter pleasure. Apart from the intimidating police presence at the gate, which was brought about by the impressive sell out numbers of 8,000 revellers, yet on site you would not know it, it was all very laid back. There was still plenty of green space, hippy places and smiley cheerful faces. I walked round and round Eden all day every day and it was just beautiful. Well thought out, well decorated and well put together.

I may have said this last year, but I will say it again because it’s true. If you can’t get into Glastonbury, go to Eden Festival. It might not be as mammoth and huge but it is perfectly formed and exactly the vibe you find at the Grandaddy of festivals. Just like Glastonbury, Eden caters for everyone. It’s is eclectic in its venues and in its music. It’s creative, impressive and peaceful. 

Review and Photographs by Lou Hyland