Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival: My first visit to the Highlands camping music festival
It was my first time at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival - and here’s what I thought.
Three days of camping at a festival while having the chance to listen to my favourite artists only about an hour from my home all wasn’t in my plans, but I’d say that I have no regrets.
Having the chance to report on the three-day long Belladrum Tartan Festival right in the middle of the celebrations on Friday sounded like a dream come true after hearing so many great things about the festival from friends and fellow reporters.
And then, when a few friends told me they were camping for the duration of the festival, I thought it was the perfect chance to join.
So, in a spontaneous decision, I decided to swap out the far more comfortable bed waiting for me on Friday morning ahead of a long day of work for a thin sleeping bag in the middle of a cold campsite with hundreds of Belladrum fanatics.
With my only other festival experience being MacMoray - a two-day event where 10,000 people pack out a field in Elgin - I didn’t have many other experiences to compare it to.
But on Thursday with my backpack half the size of me filled to the brim with clothes, video equipment, my tent and sleeping bag, I made my way to Belladrum along with around 20,000 others.
As soon as I departed on my train from Elgin to Inverness, it was clear that I wasn’t the only one making the trip to the festival.
“You’re all heading to Belladrum, aren’t you?” the conductor asked a group of women, all kitted out in bright colours and bucket hats.
And this only continued when I boarded the dedicated D&E coach transporting festival goers to and from “Bella”, which took me on the last leg to the festival in Kiltarlity.
As the bus travelled around bendy Highland roads on the A862, there were laughs and chatter as groups of friends and families prepared to kick off their weekend at Belladrum. It was probably one of the only socially acceptable times for others to down cider and cocktail cans in a bus full of other passengers.
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I arrived in the evening and made the most out of my time by watching performances from The Pigeon Detectives, Torridon, and Dougie Burns and the Cadillacs.
Natasha Bedingfield was also a highlight, with the singer shimmering under the spotlight in her Stevie Nicks-esque dress singing classic tunes like Unwritten and Pocketful of Sunshine.
The crowd enjoyed every act too, swaying along to the beat as their favourite acts took to the stage.
Deciding to head off for a walk on my own, I came across “the Ice Stage”, which soon became my favourite place at the festival.
A cheery performance from the group Dougie Burns and the Cadillacs had everyone there dancing to their bluesy rock ’n’ roll tunes.
With 12 stages at Belladrum, it made me even more excited to explore and experience genres of music I hadn’t really been exposed to before.
READ MORE: Belladrum 2025 in pictures: Thousands gather for popular three-day Highland family festival
Putting up my tent in the dark around midnight while being overwhelmingly tired from my evening, I quickly became thankful that my friend with me knew how to do it and could help out. Afterall, it was my first time camping. This also came after navigating through the hundreds of tents all lined throughout the field we were on.
It quickly became clear to me why I’d previously heard Belladrum to be “the best” camping festival in Scotland. There were fields to suit many different people, including a general area, a family space and a field for campers who prefer the quiet rather than the hustle and bustle.
When I woke up ready for a full day of reporting on Friday, it was also a chance to try out one of the many food stalls around the festival grounds.
During the day itself, I witnessed flash mobs, an array of fancy dress costumes, impromptu bagpipe performances and a lot of new artists that I’m now a fan of.
C-MAT’s performance had thousands of festival goers captivated. I also managed to catch a brilliant performance from local glam rock band Bad Actress.
I spoke to attendees About what makes Belladrum so special. One person told me: “It’s so chilled. It’s a total family affair, it’s great, everyone’s relaxed and there’s no trouble or hassle.”
And I agree with every word.
Despite it being a family festival, I’d say anyone could find something they enjoy there.
Not only was Belladrum itself varied, but so were the attendees. Young and old, rock lovers and pop fanatics, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
So, when the iconic grand firework display ends Belladrum 2025 on Saturday night, I know the first-timers will be rushing to come back to the Highland festival next year.
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