Love Trails, Gower peninsula
The beaches, tidal islands, woodlands and coastal paths of the Gower will play host to this music and running festival, now in its third year. The main guided trail runs start and finish at the festival site – 14th-century Weobley Castle on West Castle Farm – and range from 5k to 55k. Each run is split into three pace groups (visitors get with one trail run per ticket). There are lots of other running sessions, plus events such as a beer-mile relay, midnight and sunset runs, and running combined with coasteering, rock climbing and surfing. There’ll be workshops on race fuelling, neuroscience and endurance, and barefoot basics; talks from athletes and therapists; plus wood-fired hot tubs to ease aching legs. Music comes from Hackney Colliery Band, the Correspondents, DJ Luck and MC Neat and others.
• 4-7 July, adult £149, 13-17s £89, 6-12s £39, under 6s free (includes camping), lovetrailsfestival.co.uk
RunFestRun, Wiltshire
This new festival has running routes around the 40-hectare Capability Brown-designed parkland of Georgian Bowood House, in the village of Derry Hill, near Chippenham. Curated by radio presenters Chris Evans and Vassos Alexander, the music lineup features Razorlight, Faithless and The Coral. Colin Jackson, Steve Cram, Christine Ohuruogu and Paula Radcliffe are among the sporting legends giving talks, along with other athletes, writers and chefs. Runs range from a 2.5k fancy-dress Big Bug Run and an after-dark neon glowstick 5k, to mixed-terrain 10ks and half-marathons.
• 31 May- 2 June, adult £142, 6-16s £67, under-6s £12, family (2+2) £357 (including camping), runfestrun.co.uk
Runstock, Northamptonshire
Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to complete a lap challenge around a 5k off-road running course through the grounds of 17th-century Boughton House near Kettering. From single-lap joggers with children to 80k ultra-runners, athletes collect different-coloured wristbands with each lap they complete. Along the route, runners can stop off at activity zones including inflatables, slip’n’slide and an assault course. There will also be a festival village for the post-race party, with live music, food and drink stalls, and children’s activities including zorbing, ziplining, climbing and more.
• 8 June, adult event entry £80, 5-12s £50, family (2+2) £240, spectators £5, children’s weekend play pass £15, and camping from £25pp or from £55 for a family of four, ratracerunstock.co.uk
Love Fit, Kent
Getting physical, day and night, Love Fit mixes fitness with forest parties in the grounds of St Clere Estate, just outside Sevenoaks. Three days of action combine workouts with free-spirited festival vibes. Festivalgoers can book up to four classes a day (from 1 July), plus one hot-tub session for the weekend. Fitness partners include Kobox, offering boxing in the dark (fight club meets night club), Another_Space spinning, Fierce Grace hot yoga, Mad Fitness HIIT workouts and standup paddleboarding with Island Feather. There will also be DJs and live bands, health and nutrition talks, vegan food stalls, treks, climbing and wild running.
• 19-21 July, adult £146 (including camping), lovefitfestival.com
Boardmasters, Cornwall
Boardmasters returns to the north Cornwall coast this August – it’s been running since 1981 – for another five-day feast of music and action sports. Taking place on Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay in Newquay, the event includes pro-surfing competitions, skating and BMX displays. The music lineup includes Florence and the Machine, Wu-Tang Clan, Foals, Dizzie Rascal and Jorja Smith. There are also surfing lessons (ages 8+), standup paddleboarding, kayaking, guided coastal running and a children’s field with circus workshops and family yoga. Organisers also work with Surfers against Sewage and the RSPB to help keep the festival environment-friendly.
• 7-11 August, adult £197, under-7s £5 (including camping), boardmasters.com
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