OVER the last decade or so, Camp Good Life (formerly known as the Good Life Experience) has brought a very unique type of music festival to Hawarden. 

Taking place on the picturesque estate of former Prime Minister William Gladstone, campers wake up to the sight of not one but two castles in their midst while orchards, lakes and a cricket pavilion provide the kind of backdrop that even Glastonbury would struggle to equal.

Crowds relaxing at Camp Good Life

Think bonfires, harvest, mellow mist, apples, lingering wood smoke, foraging, strong booze and giant feasts and you're getting somewhere near to describing the vibe on offer - and that's before you take in an eclectic music policy and a select group of speakers and writers all ready to share their wisdom on everything from stone circles to screen printing. 

Friday evening (September 16) seems all about acclimatising and with a crowd capped at 1,000 it's pretty easy to get to know each other around the camp fire or at the bar ahead of the festivities on Saturday.

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With a small arena and plenty for the kids to do (mine especially loved the art classes and watching the brave firewalkers), the adults can relax with a beer in hand and enjoy the likes of music journalist Jude Rogers discussing her new memoir or the fabulously named Ukranian chef Olia Hercules mixing activism and live cooking. 

Children enjoy Camp Good Life

Everything pauses at 5pm as an obelisk draped in messages from festival goers is wheeled through the festival site and ceremonially burnt on the site of Hawarden's medieval castle - it's a beautiful and poignant moment as we bid farewell to what has been a wonderful event. 

Then it's time for the music and Welsh singer-songwriter H. Hawkline impresses with his hypnotic indie folk before the crowd are surprised by secret package MadMadMad who unleash a wave of punk funk on the festival's tiny but beautifully formed music tent. Even better is a rare live appearance from the enigmatic Cherry Ghost whose acoustic versions of songs from his top ten album Thirst For Romance leave his die hard devotees swooning and newer fans wanting to investigate more. 

Cherry Ghost at Camp Good Life

Sunday sees those with sore heads grateful of the excellent coffee and cheese toasties on offer while also appreciative of author and Saint Etienne member Bob Stanley's amusing talk about his new book, Let's Do It: The Birth of Pop. Even more soothing is the lovely Welsh harp of Cerys Hafana.

The finest music performance comes late afternoon as the festival prepares to wind down. Not that you would know it from Liverpool singer songwriter Michael Head's stunning and energised renditions of songs from his 40 year career.

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Backed by his brilliant Red Elastic Band of musicians, tunes like Comedy, Byrds Turn To Stone and Meant To Be only grow more poignant with the passing years with their tales of lovelorn struggles etched all over Head's face. 

A fond farewell then to the Good Life but with organisers promising to return next summer with a series of smaller, boutique events in the same setting hopefully it is only a fleeting passing. 

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