Love Trails Festival returned to the Gower Peninsula this July for what founder Theo Larn-Jones calls “our biggest adventure yet,” and the numbers back him up.
Powered by Garmin, the world’s largest trail running music festival drew 5,000 participants to Wales’ stunning coastal hills, where they collectively covered 413 kilometres of trails before dancing into the night.
While traditional music festivals are reportedly shrinking or disappearing altogether – over 100 UK festivals are at risk of closure, according to the Association of Independent Festivals – Love Trails is selling out months in advance, and expanding.
The festival will host its first international edition in Croatia this autumn and is already teasing more overseas adventures for 2026.
According to Larn-Jones, it’s part of a wider cultural realignment: “People still want to go to festivals and party, but they don’t necessarily want to get totally messed up in the process."
"The truth is, hangovers just aren’t so fun anymore, and it turns out the endorphin rush from a trail run can replace the other kinds of highs.”
Stats seem to agree. Garmin Connect data from 2024 shows a 16% global rise in ultra running and a whopping 65% spike in track running.
Meanwhile, Strava reports that running club participation grew by 59% last year, and Gen Z is four times more likely to bond through movement than clubbing.
Wellness is in. Booze is out.
Love Trails has carved its niche by offering “connection over competition.”
While 3,000 attendees took part in six official race events over 189km, others joined 40 UK run crews on guided social runs, wild swims, and hikes to secret beaches.
Evenings were for DJ sets, wood-fired hot tubs, and surprise acoustic gigs in the woods. One moment you’re running a 27K coastal route, the next you're barefoot dancing under the stars.
What started as a “wild idea among friends” is now a global movement. “We’ve grown into the largest trail running music festival in the world,” says Larn-Jones. “And the proof is in the pudding – we sold out six months before announcing the lineup.”
The lineup featured big-name acts like Ibibio Sound Machine, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and The Nextmen, among others.
“The combination of nature, movement, and celebration creates a feedback loop of energy,” says Larn-Jones. “You run, you get the runner’s high, and then you ride that high straight into dancing.”
As traditional festivals struggle with rising costs and increasingly saturated lineups, it seems the real headliners of 2025 might be trail running shoes, electrolyte tabs, and the unbeatable high of shared movement.
Head over to Love Trails to find out more about next year's festival.
