On Sunday we went to Kendal Calling 2025, a major music festival at Lowther Deer Park in Cumbria. It was our first time going as a family and it was wild – in the best possible way!
Nicely timed for the event’s 20th anniversary, we had a brilliant time and enjoyed some of the closing headline set… well, what we could do before the kids were falling asleep.
After a trek from the car park we saw a series of compost toilets.
Naturally, the kids wanted to go. “Where’s the flush?” asked my six-year-old as she peered into a toilet seat with a hole underneath. “There isn’t one,” I said. “All that down there, turns into soil.” “That’s disgusting,” she added. To be honest, I was just delighted that there was loo roll.
After surviving our first toilet adventure, we went for a mooch around to check out what was where. There was music everywhere, people dancing in wellies, food stalls that smelled amazing, and a giant ferris wheel spinning in the middle of it all.
But it was the sound of “Baby, now we got baaaaad blood” that had my youngest demanding to know where Taylor Swift was. So it was straight to the Parklands tent for the aptly named Taylor Swift Social. Banging tunes, kids on shoulders and loads of young families singing along at the top of their voices.
Next to the food stalls. Well, the nippers couldn’t believe their luck. Even with demands like “no courgette”, no “slimy cheese”, no “weird food” and “nothing spicy”, they were completely satisfied with the ample recipes on offer.
After a quick churros and choccy dip stop we discovered a whole mini festival – Kids Calling.
There were games, crafts and people in funny costumes. We made fairy wands and robots out of rubbish – empty bottles, old boxes and bits of string.
A little lad next to us glued some toilet roll tubes together and said it was a rocket. It looked more like a mashed-up trumpet, but we all clapped anyway.
After that, we joined the Kids Parade. All the children walked through the festival playing drums, blowing whistles, and showing off their recycled creations. People clapped and cheered and took photos. It was like being in our own mini carnival.
Later, we tried the rides. The ferris wheel was fun and slow, with amazing views across the festival. But then… my eldest wanted to go on the giant spinning ride. Mum said she’d go with her. Big mistake. Off I came with stuck out hair and wide eyes. Think Marvin from Home Alone.
There was nowt like feeling right at home when the melody ‘Eggs, sausage, chips and beans’ could be heard blasting out at lunchtime, from the Lancashire Hotpots, performing their traditional Sunday slot. And the crowd were loving it, with a congo going around outside.
Those who were prepared to drop the cool cred and have a laugh were thoroughly rewarded.
Throughout the day the music got louder, we were dancing away to the Inspiral Carpets, the lights got brighter and the crowds got bigger.
Tea was a delightful array of vegan street food for me and amazing pizzas for the gang. Fuel before we headed to the main stage for Skindred.
If there was ever a band built to help close a festival, it was this Welsh crew. Mixing pounding metal guitars with reggae grooves and a whole lot of swagger, they had every pair of arms waving.
Leadman Benji Webbe had the crowd in the palm of his hand belting out tracks like “Nobody” and “Warning” but the best bit (for the kids) was when shirts came off and were being hurled around heads for Newport Helicopter (basically Webbe hurling his mic round his head) – absolute pandemonium but very, very fun.
There were people dressed as mermaids, skeletons, unicorns, bananas, and even a man in a full lobster costume who gave us a high five. People were parading about with huge puppets on sticks, which were pretty cool.
By the end of the weekend, our boots were muddy, we smelled like churros and sun cream, and were very tired – but we didn’t want to leave.
We managed to hang on for part of the amazing set by the Prodigy – and as soon as Liam Howlett and Maxim stormed the stage, it was clear why they’ve dominated the UK’s live dance scene for decades. With flashing strobes and thick red light, the kids were absolutely loving laughing at the dry ice as it swallowed the crowds who dared to brave the front row.
Kendal Calling was great. There were toilets that turned into soil, churros for breakfast, and dancing after bedtime.
Next time I’m bringing multiple pairs of socks, wipes, and maybe my own toilet.
Keep your eyes peeled for next year’s festival running from July 30 – August 2, 2026: https://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/splashes/2025
