Leeds Festival

Leeds Festival is one of the two great bank holiday weekend music festivals in England, and for anyone based in Yorkshire it is the unmissable one. Held annually at Bramham Park, a stunning country estate between Leeds and Wetherby, the festival draws around 75,000 music fans for three days of live performances across multiple stages. From Heath's Motorhome Hire in Pontefract, Bramham Park is just 25 minutes' drive north via the A1(M) — making it comfortably the closest major festival to our depot.

The festival typically features a headline-quality lineup spanning rock, indie, hip-hop, dance, and alternative music. The Main Stage hosts the biggest names, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday headliners performing to enormous crowds as darkness falls over the park. The Festival Republic Stage, the BBC Radio 1 Stage, and the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage offer a broader range of genres and emerging artists, while the comedy tent, the alternative stage, and late-night dance tents ensure there is something happening at every hour of the day and night.

The atmosphere at Leeds Festival is raw, energetic, and unapologetically loud. The crowd skews younger than many festivals, and the energy in the arena during headline sets is extraordinary. But there is more to the experience than the music. The food stalls have improved dramatically in recent years, with wood-fired pizza, loaded fries, vegan burritos, and speciality coffee sitting alongside the traditional festival fare. The bars serve a decent range of beers and cocktails, and the general infrastructure — toilets, water points, medical facilities — is well managed for an event of this scale.

Camping is a central part of the Leeds Festival experience. The campsite areas surround the arena and range from general camping to boutique options with pre-erected tents. However, the real advantage for motorhome visitors is clear: a proper bed, a working kitchen, a private toilet, and a warm, dry space to return to at the end of each day. Festival camping in a tent can be brilliant, but it can also be exhausting — and a motorhome removes that uncertainty entirely.

Motorhome and campervan tickets for Leeds Festival are available through the official festival website and typically go on sale alongside general tickets in early spring. The motorhome camping area is separate from the general campsites, offering a quieter and more spacious environment. Electrical hook-ups are not always guaranteed, so check the specifics when booking. Arrive on Wednesday or Thursday to secure a good pitch and give yourself time to settle in before the music begins on Friday. The festival site opens to campers from Wednesday morning, and the early arrival gives you the chance to explore the layout and find your bearings.

The drive from Pontefract to Bramham Park is straightforward — north on the A1(M) to Junction 44, then follow the festival signage. On arrival days, expect queuing traffic from late morning onwards, so aim to arrive early. Bring enough food and drink to be self-sufficient for the full weekend, though top-up shopping is available at supermarkets in Wetherby and Tadcaster, both a short drive away. Earplugs are essential for sleeping — the bass from the late-night stages carries a long way. Wellies and waterproofs are non-negotiable regardless of the forecast.

Bramham Park itself is a beautiful setting. The Grade I listed Palladian mansion and its formal gardens provide a surprisingly elegant backdrop for a rock festival, and the rolling parkland gives the site a sense of space that more confined festival venues lack. If you arrive early or stay late, a walk around the estate is a pleasant reminder of the countryside that surrounds you.

Leeds Festival is a rite of passage for music fans in Yorkshire, and attending in a motorhome from Heath's gives you the best of both worlds — the full festival experience with a comfortable retreat waiting for you at the end of each night. At just 25 minutes from our Pontefract depot, it could not be more convenient.