THOUSANDS of festival-goers enjoyed some late summer sunshine as Hawarden hosted the fourth annual Good Life Experience over the weekend.

Launched in June 2014, the boutique festival was started by four friends – broadcaster, musician and writer Cerys Matthews, record industry and arts consultant Steve Abbott and retailers, farmers and authors Charlie and Caroline Gladstone who use their estate to stage the event.

This year’s line up included Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, BBC Wildlife presenter Kate Humble, songwriter Michael Head, Masterchef winner and Wahaca founder Thomasina Miers, Roger Phillips, the world’s leading mushroom expert, and author Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Sunday Times columnist and writer India Knight also joined the bill this year to talk about her love of dogs.

Music was provided by bands and artists including British Sea Power, Amber Arcades, Joan Shelley, Jeb Loy Nichols, Pictish Trail and Michael Chapman.

In addition to its line-up of music, poetry and food trucks other attractions included screen printing, guitar making, calligraphy, ceramics, sushi workshops, children’s cooking, bush craft, bug exploring, pottery, natural dyeing, bike building, knife making, boat building, stone masonry, leather working, knitting, spoon carving, metal pressing, carpentry, wild running and calligraphy, choral singing with Sills and Stitch, vegetarian cooking on a campfire with Anna Jones, bread making with Tom Herbert, pit cooking with Damien Clisby of Petersham Nursery and grilling with the Brazilian Chefs and eco-chef Tom Hunt.

Charlie Gladstone said: “The founders focus on absolute excellence across the weekend, making sure that they select every single thing on site personally, from the gin to the blacksmith, from the rope makers to the headliner performers.

“If the founders think something makes life better then it fits into the festival line-up. The aim is to create a weekend of genuine fun and discovery that is aimed at the curious minded. The weekend treats all ages with equal respect; it’s a great festival for first-timers, inclusive, welcoming and open-hearted.

“This year’s Good Life Experience was phenomenal. We sold out and everyone had an amazing weekend. Everyone on our team is now completely exhausted but we’re already making plans for 2018.”