Luke’s August 2025 Update!
What a month it’s been! Early July brought us Fire in your Soul but it also saw the official launch of NestaValley.co.uk, and what a way to round the month off — with the incredible Lake Paradiso Festival. We welcomed amazing artists from all over the world, including the incredibly talented Incognito, the legendary Roni Size, our the radio DJ icon Trevor Nelson, the soulful Terri Walker, and many more DJs… including yours truly as The Chemical Prodigies!
It was a weekend of pure fun and sunshine, and we’re already buzzing to bring you the next edition in 2026, so watch this space and get your Early Bird tickets.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. The Nesta Valley Camp experience has been extended for another month, which means even more time to enjoy everything our beautiful site has to offer. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you can soak up the Lakeside Sessions — live music, DJs, delicious food and drink, plus the Wild Valley Spa with massages, sauna, cold tubs, yoga, breathwork, and more.
We were thrilled to be featured in a glowing review by Bristol 24/7, and we couldn’t agree more with their praise. https://www.bristol247.com/festivals/reviews-festivals/review-lake-paradiso-a-soulful-summer-escape/
With the summer holidays in full swing, the site feels more magical than ever. So why not jump in the car and come visit us at NestaValley.co.uk? This is also the proud home of The Community Farm and The Story Farms, where we’ll be serving up the finest organic meat and veg, you can even walk away with a bountiful box of vegetables.
Meatbox is welcoming a new member of staff in Jon Worsley, a famous dart player from Chepstow, who is looking forward to going back to his roots and becoming a butcher again, pop in and say hello to Jon or order a box of meat online at www.meatboxshop.com, check out this code for a discount.
See you by the lake!
⸻
Bristol Life magazine: Q+A with Luke Hasell from July edition
Luke Hasell isn’t your average farmer. From running an organic farm in Somerset to founding much-loved Valley Fest, he’s spent years bringing people together through food, music and nature. Now he’s launching Fire In Your Soul, a new kind of festival set around a lakeside woodland, with deep wellness, climate storytelling and connection at its heart. We caught up with Luke to find out what inspired it, why now and what to expect from this soulful summer gathering.
1. Launching a brand new festival in 2025 feels bold – what inspired you to take that leap, especially in the South West where there’s so much on offer?
It does feel bold but also absolutely the right time. There’s something stirring in people at the moment. After years of feeling disconnected from ourselves, each other and the natural world, I believe we’re all craving deeper connection. Fire In Your Soul was born out of that need – a space where people can come together and regenerate, not just party. The South West has an amazing festival scene and I’ve loved being part of that with Valley Fest. But this is something different.
2. You describe Fire In Your Soul as more than a festival – a space for regeneration and reconnection. What does that mean to you personally and why now?
Personally, it’s everything. Regeneration isn’t just a farming principle for me – it’s a life philosophy and Fire In Your Soul is a space where people can slow down, reflect and realign with what really matters. It’s about lighting that spark again, whether that’s through music, movement, sharing stories, or simply sitting by the fire under the stars.
3. You’re a regenerative farmer by trade. How has your experience working with the land shaped the ethos of the festival?
In every way. Farming regeneratively teaches you that everything is connected – soil, food, community, wellbeing. The way we treat the land mirrors how we treat ourselves and each other. It’s about being in the right relationship with the earth. We want people to come here and feel that – to walk barefoot, breathe deep, eat food grown nearby and remember that we are nature, not separate from it.
4. The setting of Fire In Your Soul – Nature’s Spectacular – feels almost sacred. How did you find this spot and what role does place play in shaping the energy of the weekend?
We planted the woodland in 2004 in memory of my Father, it is actually registered as Martin’s Woodland, 27,500 trees and it has grown into this magnificent sanctuary of peace and tranquility. It is spectacular by name, it’s secluded by nature and there’s a stillness to it that’s hard to describe. It holds you. The setting is a co-creator in the festival – it shapes the pace, the intimacy and the calm. We’ve designed every element to honour that land, from low-impact infrastructure to the way we invite people to interact with the space. Nature is the headliner, really.
5. You’re bringing together a powerful mix of artists, wellness leaders and environmental thinkers. How did you go about curating such a diverse programme?
We wanted a mix of voices – creative, grounded, radical and reflective. People who are not just talented but deeply intentional in their work. There’s music from artists like Madame Gandhi and Bethany Ley, wellness leaders like Jack Witts and Lilia Sinclair as well as powerful environmental storytelling through EarthSonic. Everyone involved shares a commitment to healing.
6. There’s an incredible emphasis on deep wellness – breathwork, saunas and even midlife transitions. What made you want to bring these into the heart of the festival experience?
Because wellness isn’t an add-on – it’s the core of how we thrive. We’re not interested in surface-level experiences or wellness as a trend. This is about real tools for real lives. Whether that’s breath journeys to release trauma, workshops on midlife transitions, or just taking a cold plunge to reset your nervous system. We want people to leave with more than memories, we want them to leave with transformation.
7. Climate storytelling is a key thread in the festival, from EarthSonic’s data-to-music project to Madame Gandhi’s nature-credited track. Why is this kind of cultural activism important right now?
Because facts alone don’t change hearts. Stories do. Music does. EarthSonic is turning climate data into sound and Madame Gandhi’s work is literally crediting nature as an artist – that’s revolutionary. It invites us to feel our connection to the planet, not just think about it. That emotional engagement is crucial if we’re going to shift culture and create action. This kind of cultural activism makes the climate crisis personal – and powerful.
8. Fire and food go hand in hand at Fire In Your Soul – tell us about the ‘root to flame’ dining experience you’re curating with Simon Dyer. And what’s your go-to when cooking over a fire?
There’s something primal and unifying about cooking over fire. It brings people together. Simon and I are curating zero-waste, seasonal meals cooked from the ground up – literally. We’ll be using produce grown locally and cooking in ways that respect the ingredient and the land it came from. My personal go-to is fire-grilled lamb with fresh garden herbs and flatbreads cooked on the coals – simple, soulful food that tells a story.
9. We’re living in a time where many people are feeling disconnected – from themselves, from nature, from community. What do you hope people walk away with after a weekend at Fire In Your Soul?
A sense of reconnection. I want people to leave with a spark reignited. Whether they’ve had a profound experience or just a few moments of peace and joy, I hope they take that feeling home and keep it alive in their daily lives.
10. Looking ahead, how do you hope Fire In Your Soul might influence how we gather – not just for festivals, but in our everyday lives?
I hope it sets a new tone – one of care, slowness and intention. We don’t need more noise. We need spaces that hold us, challenge us gently and invite us into community. My dream is that Fire In Your Soul inspires people to host their own fires, cook with their neighbours, talk to strangers and gather in ways that feel more human and connected.
11. Give us three simple reasons why people should come to Fire In Your Soul.
1, to reconnect with nature, with others and with yourself.
2, to experience world-class wellness and music in a setting that feeds the soul.
3, because now more than ever, we need spaces that nourish, not deplete.
12. (Bonus!) Apart from Fire In Your Soul and Valley Fest – what’s your favourite festival in the South West?
Shindig is a real favourite. It’s got this incredible blend of creativity, colour and proper feel-good vibes. It’s the kind of place where you can dance your heart out, discover new sounds and still feel part of a big-hearted community. It reminds me that joy and connection go hand in hand – and that sometimes letting loose is exactly what the soul needs.
