The Glastonbury Festival, held at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, is an iconic annual music and arts event attracting over 200,000 attendees. Most people flock to the Pyramid Stage to see headliners like Paul McCartney or Kendrick Lamar. However, the real magic of Glastonbury lies in discovering the secret corners and hidden gems scattered across the 800 acres of farmland turned temporary city.
This expansive guide will uncover some of the best-hidden bars, stages, and spaces that only the most discerning, longtime festival-goers know about at Glastonbury. Consider it your insider’s guide to exploring corners of the festival you won’t find in any mainstream publication.
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Navigating Glastonbury’s Hidden Realm
With so many hidden and secret venues scattered across the 800-acre site, knowing where to begin exploring Glastonbury’s fringe magic can be daunting, especially for first-timers.
Veteran festival-goers recommend starting the journey by picking up the annual Glastonbury brochure or program immediately upon entering. This contains poetic descriptions offering subtle clues hinting at unexpected spaces worth hunting down.
Longtime attendees also stress the importance of wandering aimlessly, especially at night. Stumbling randomly through fields and forests under the moonlight yields many surprise encounters. Embrace getting lost, go down unfamiliar paths, and fully immerse in the unexpected landscape.
However, before embarking deep into the hidden fields, here’s a primer on some of Glastonbury’s secret Otherworld areas that host much magic:
The Stone Circle – The ancient stone ring lying near the heart chakra of the festival often attracts drum circles, all-night revelers, and occasional strange rituals after dark.
Shangri La – This futuristic, dystopian-esque area comes alive when night falls. Themed venues, surreal tunnels, and art cars feature DJs, aerialists, and sometimes, celebrities mingling incognito.
Strummerville – Named for The Clash’s Joe Strummer, this hilltop hideaway high above the festival remains predominantly mellow while offering stunning sunset views.
Lost Horizon – A clothing-optional, makeshift spa/oasis tucked away providing a uniquely tranquil experience amidst surrounding intensity.
Within these niche areas, as well as The Park, Green Fields, and hidden woods, secret bars and stages await discovery. Some lie behind unmarked doors, others down winding dirt paths, many requiring insider intel or subtle clues to access.
Now, let’s delve deeper into uncovering some of Glastonbury’s most intriguing hidden gems.
Secret Bars and Music Venues
The Underground Piano Bar
Perhaps Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis’s favorite spot on the entire farm, the Underground Piano Bar is located in a clandestine corner of The Stone Circle field. This hidden gem features a candle-lit amphitheater built underground, centered around an antique piano.
Well-known musicians have been known to show up unannounced for surprise sets in the intimate space underneath the earth. Thom Yorke, Adele, Carl Barat, and Johnny Depp have all stopped in over the years. The obscure entrance pathway means only the most dedicated explorers or well-connected attendees gain access.
Longtime Glastonbury pianist Phill Brown reminisced to a newspaper about famous impromptu performances: “I remember when Robert Plant jumped up…the year Mick Jagger came down and ended up on top of the piano with his arms and legs wrapped around it, swinging from the chandelier.”
Clearly, this hidden piano bar constitutes one of Glastonbury’s secret cultural gems – a lightning-in-a-bottle venue where both transcendent musical moments and outright chaos can erupt without warning, lost to memory the instant they occur.
Part of the magic lies in stumbling unexpectedly upon the venue after wandering circuitous dirt paths, not quite sure if one is lost deep in The Stone Circle field or about to have a legendary Glastonbury experience.
Hidden Micro-Venues in Shangri-La
The vast, immersive area known as “Shangri La” becomes a sort of hidden realm unto itself after dark at Glastonbury Festival. This Futuristic zone encompasses themed stages, nightclubs, participatory art pieces, plus miles of explorable paths and tunnels underneath.
Within the winding walkways, however, temporary secret rooms, doors, and micro-clubs spring to life, especially when the thump of dance music emanates into the night.
“You truly never know what you’ll discover in Shangri La once the sun goes down,” explains Zoe, a 15-year Glastonbury veteran. “One minute you’re wandering a dark alley full of twisted scrap metal sculptures, the next you open the right shipping crate door leading to an underground rave.”
These hidden micro-venues appear suddenly yet briefly behind unmarked doors or down back-alley stairwells, only to vanish by sunrise, their exact locations lost to memory. Visitors willing to plunge into the catacomb-like environment may stumble unexpectedly upon surreal bars, tiny elevated DJ booths, and impromptu dance floors full of beautiful revelers.
This impermanent, moveable circuit of secret rooms and temporary spaces embodies the experimental ethos and intentional ephemerality of Shangri La. Embrace getting lost in the moment, explore each alley with fresh eyes, and prepare for new surprises year after year.
The Other Rabbit Hole at The Park
Located in The Park area, there is a well-known Alice in Wonderland-themed bar and venue called The Rabbit Hole, which usually sports a lengthy queue. However, veteran insiders reveal the existence of a second, secret Rabbit Hole hidden within the publicly promoted one.
Reputedly reserved for longtime festival faithful and returning visitors “in the know,” visitors seeking this hidden locale might pick up subtle clues from Park area brochures or whisper networks pointing towards the covert venue.
Rumors tell of encountering mysterious gatekeepers along the way who demand would-be visitors solve surreal riddles or explain why they deserve access. Answer convincingly though, and explorers can plunge down actual tunnels to experience weird, wonderful, and hidden happenings in a tiny secret bar tucked within the fabric of the main Rabbit Hole venue.
“I’d heard about it for years but didn’t actually find the secret Rabbit Hole until my third Glastonbury,” claims Marcus, 27. “The passage there felt intoxicating…almost like getting pulled through the vortex of a black hole. Amazing secret venue though – we caught an unannounced set by Michael Kiwanuka!”
So for those tired of the more mainstream production of the official Rabbit Hole, know that a deeper adventure may lie behind its costumed facade…if you can sniff out the obscure entry points.
Hidden Outdoor Spaces
Beyond secret bars and venues, Glastonbury hides playgrounds, sanctuaries, and stunning structures scattered outdoors across the green fields as well.
Strummerville
At the highest point on the festival grounds, deep in a woody grove above the Tipi Field, lies Strummerville – an enchanted, peaceful village named for The Clash’s late frontman Joe Strummer.
Centered around a 24/7 burning campfire, revelers sinking into cozy sofas sip cider while taking in intimate, acoustic performances on a tiny elevated stage. Strummerville offers stunning panoramic views across Glastonbury from its hilltop location, especially as the first blush of dawn saturates Worthy Farm.
Founded at the 2002 festival, Strummerville holds a special place in longtime Glastonbury-goers’ hearts. The Clash Barn stage uplinks video feeds from elsewhere onsite, allowing tired, aching feet respite to keep moving to live music. An adjacent stone relief quotes Strummer’s lyrics: “Without people, you’re nothing” reminding that humanity makes the music festival magic.
On the summer solstice in 2010, festival organizers even transported Joe Strummer’s ashes up the muddy path to Strummerville and placed them in a small informal shrine at the camp’s sacred heart.
So if looking to escape stimulation overload from the bigger stages for a spell, make the pilgrimage up through the Tipis to this hidden retreat – the perfect place to recharge one’s festival spirit.
The Stone Dragon
Venture west to the Dragon Field, in the mystical area neighboring the iconic Stone Circle, to come face-to-face with a spectacular 15-foot tall stone dragon sculpture hidden in the woods.
Hand-carved from locally quarried limestone, this stunning dragon frozen mid-roar stands guard near the Stones Circles, lending its form to a winding stream that flows from its mouth like fiery breath. Surrounded by an ancient landscape steeped in legend, the Stone Dragon possesses an unmistakably primal energy.
Some believe the towering sculpture is strategically placed above a convergence of Ley Lines running through the valley, perhaps marking an earth chakra point. Visitors fond of mythic quests might detect a wizardly aura as the path winds towards the dragon clearing.
In more mundane moments, the Stone Dragon simply delights children as a climbable oddity and conversation piece for adults, inherently sparking imagination in all who spy it looming suddenly between the trees.
Whether interpreted as a mystical guardian, a fanciful forest spirit, or an impressive art installation, the awe-inspiring Stone Dragon constitutes a can’t-miss discovery for explorers of Glastonbury’s living mythology.
The Glowing Tunnel Under the Railway Track
An enchanting hidden passageway lies tucked between fields, accessible only via a hands-and-knees crawl under the old railway track connecting Greenpeace Field to Green Futures.
Once inside, explorers will discover gorgeous glowing tunnel decorations, plus years of artwork, poetry, graffiti, and photographs left behind, making each visit feel like discovering a new imaginative world within the bowels of Worthy Farm.
Created initially as functional infrastructure enabling crowds to move between areas, the little 80-meter UnderTrack Tunnel took on new life in 2014 when artists Mark Anderson and Artgene transformed the drab concrete interior.
They embedded thousands of LED light filaments into resin shapes resembling giant crystals and galaxies adorning the ceiling, then invited passersby to contribute drawings, messages, and memories on the walls.
The collaborative art project, partially crowdfunded by past tunnel walkers, succeeds wildly. “That gorgeous little glowing wormhole from Greenpeace just makes you smile, especially after midnight,” explains Glastonbury first-timer Leila, 24. “It feels like a special secret shared between all us muddy, merrymakers!”
So squeeze through the gap when connecting footpaths, explore The UnderTrack Tunnel’s evolving underground art display, and leave behind one’s own ephemeral mark to become part of Glastonbury history.
Secret Sanctuaries
For those seeking a uniquely relaxing, restorative experience while onsite, there are a few hidden sanctuaries and clothing-optional spaces worth hunting down during the intensity of Glastonbury’s peak party periods:
Lost Horizon
Located at the very southern end of the festival site, the pop-up venue Lost Horizon provides a secret retreat during wilder moments elsewhere. Self-described as a “festival within a festival,” Lost Horizon functions as a peaceful, hidden oasis.
The clothing-optional venue encompasses a wood-burning sauna, massage parlor, outdoor stage, vegetarian cafe, and hot showers, run via solar power and wind turbines. Festival-goers praise Lost Horizon for the spiritual cleansing of body, mind, and soul offered through quietude, communal nudity, music, and camaraderie amidst the stimulation overload of Glastonbury proper. It’s worth the long uphill trek from the main drag.
“There’s just such a friendly, gentle, creative vibe in Lost Horizon. You can splash joyously under outdoor showers then debate philosophy or astronomy with fascinating strangers from around the world,” explains Willow, 28, of her Lost Horizon experiences. “No phones, no tech, no 24-hour party pressure….just wonderful souls celebrating freely together at one with nature.”
Lost Horizon first appeared in 2010, after the Green Futures field got rained out. Some enterprising hippies rented the land, set up tipis, and then welcomed equally rain-soaked passersby to join what became a muddy, clothing-optional oasis. Twelve years later, Lost Horizon now hosts hundreds of blissed-out visitors daily seeking refuge from stimulation overload elsewhere.
So if one feels overtaken by the hardcore festival madness onsite, know that a peaceful, hidden refuge lies just over the southern ridge awaiting.
Strummerville
While less exclusively a “sanctuary” compared to Lost Horizon, Strummerville explored earlier, does provide a decidedly tranquil atmosphere relative to much of frenetic Glastonbury.
With acoustic music replacing deafening electronica, seating replacing endless standing, plus panoramic views replacing claustrophobia-inducing crowds, Strummerville offers breathing room – both literal and metaphorical – when the going gets tough down below.
Hidden Hot Springs
Rumors also abound of geothermal hot springs hidden somewhere deep in obscure woods along Glastonbury’s periphery. Some longtime attendees even claim a few springs lie accessible underground through hidden manhole covers inside Shangri La.
Reportedly occurring due to natural aquifers permeating fault lines in the ancient landscape, finding these elusive warm healing waters brings bragging rights. Yet their precise locations remain closely guarded secrets, only revealed by loose-lipped veterans or through pure serendipity.
Regardless of veracity, the folklore itself – imagining weary, world-weary festival-goers finding restorative solace in custodial hot springs – feels poetically on-brand for Glastonbury’s visionary spirit.
So while inspiration erupts loudly from the lit stages, sometimes salvation lies subtly hidden for those tuned to nature’s quiet frequency. If your intuition whispers hot water might be near, trust your feet may lead towards sore muscle relief and tired soul revitalization.
Additional Secrets
The wonder of Glastonbury Festival expands yearly precisely due to the many secrets still waiting to be uncovered across the 800 acres of magical countryside.
Venture beyond the landmarks described here to blaze one’s own trail, find private groves for cloud-watching and forest bathing, discover miniature stone pagodas tucked into corners of The Sacred Space, or encounter impromptu tightrope walking classes upon meadows in The Common.
Maybe sipping morning coffee in the healing grounds, one glimpses a celebrity known only for their work…now wearing a wizard’s cloak and marching with other muddy druids. Perhaps wandering the darkest corners of Arcadia’s mechanical forest near sunrise, you stumble upon an unattended soundboard, pump up the bass, and throw an impromptu rave for thirty minutes before officials arrive, disappearing into the remnants of night.
Such are the moments, mysteries, and adventures awaiting intrepid, creative attendees wandering circuitous paths across Worthy Farm and her adjacent realms. Not all magic erupts loudly here – some of the most special experiences often whisper unexpectedly.
So pack lightly, move slowly, and open your senses to savor subtle details. Glastonbury offers guidebooks and planned entertainment, yes…but true soul revival comes seeking the unscripted and unknown.
That is where the real festival lives each year. That is where the memories await.
Now…which hidden paths call to you? Share in the comments below!
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