REVIEW: Wild & Wiser 2026

There are some events you go to knowing exactly what to expect. Wild & Wiser was definitely not one of them – and that turned out to be one of the best things about it.

We headed along to Wild & Wiser ready to throw ourselves into the experience, meet some new people and, importantly, say yes to a few things we probably wouldn't ordinarily find ourselves doing on a weekend.

And that's exactly what we did.

What is Wild & Wiser?

Wild & Wiser is a Dorset festival bringing together wellbeing, creativity, nature, movement, conversation, food and connection, with a packed programme of experiences that allows you to curate your own day or weekend.

Rather than following one set schedule, you're encouraged to explore the programme, follow what interests you and try something different. The organisers describe it as a chance to "curate your own Wild & Wiser Weekend", with no pre-booking required for the main line-up.

For us, that freedom was a huge part of its appeal.

Starting with a gong sound immersion

One of our first experiences was a gong sound immersion – and this was definitely one of those moments where we decided to forget what we'd normally choose to do and just go with it.

Lying down and switching off while the sound of the gongs filled the space was a complete contrast to normal life – particularly when your usual weekend involves rushing between children, work, exercise and an endless list of things that need doing.

It set the tone for the day perfectly: slow down, stop overthinking it and try something new.

Finding joy – and our voices

Next came The Joy Rebellion, before we headed to Find Your Voice, Own Your Story.

These were completely different experiences but both had that same sense of encouraging you to step outside everyday life for a while, let your guard down and actually get involved.

There was plenty of laughter along the way, and one of our favourite things about the festival was seeing so many women doing exactly the same thing.

Nobody seemed particularly worried about looking silly or whether something was normally "their thing". People were there to experience it.

Into the Woods

Then it was time to head into the woods for a sensory forest bathing experience.

Again, this was something very different from how we'd normally spend our time outdoors. We're much more accustomed to running, hiking or generally charging through the Dorset countryside than deliberately slowing everything down.

Being encouraged to notice the surroundings, engage the senses and experience the woodland at a completely different pace was surprisingly lovely.

And with the September sunshine streaming through the trees, we couldn't really have asked for a better day for it.

Paella, sunshine and brilliant conversations

Of course, no Total Guide to Dorset review would be complete without talking about the food.

Lunch was a huge plate of delicious paella, enjoyed outside in the sunshine – and it also gave us time to do one of the best things about the whole event: talk to people.

We met so many interesting and inspiring women throughout the day.

Some had come with friends, others were involved in the festival, some were running businesses or sharing their expertise and everyone seemed open to having a conversation.

As people who spend a lot of time at traditional business networking events, it was refreshing to meet and connect with people in such a completely different environment.

There were no name badges, pitches or awkward introductions. Conversations just happened.

Our Wild & Wiser verdict

What we loved most about Wild & Wiser was that it gave us permission to do something different.

Modern life can become very scheduled. Work. School runs. Meetings. Exercise. Clubs. Family commitments. Repeat.

Wild & Wiser felt like the opposite.

For a 6 hours, we followed whatever looked interesting, tried things we'd never normally book ourselves onto, spent time outdoors, ate great food, laughed and met some genuinely brilliant women.

Some experiences pushed us slightly outside our comfort zone. Others made us slow down. Some simply made us laugh.

And that's probably exactly the point.

The September sunshine undoubtedly helped, but there was a genuinely warm atmosphere throughout the event and a real sense of women supporting, encouraging and learning from one another.

If and when Wild & Wiser returns to Dorset, we'd absolutely recommend keeping an eye out for it – particularly if you fancy escaping the usual routine and trying something you might never normally say yes to.

Sometimes it does you good to get a little wild – and perhaps a little wiser too.

Reviewed by Liz Hutchings and Emma Collins for Total Guide to Dorset.

About the Author – Liz

Liz is the Founder and Managing Director of Total Guide to, which she launched in 2012 with a vision to create trusted local digital guides connecting people with the best businesses, events and experiences in their area.
Now based in Dorset, Liz leads the growth of Total Guide to Dorset while overseeing the wider Total Guide to network, Total Marketing and Total Business Network.

A passionate advocate for local businesses and communities, Liz loves getting out and experiencing the places she writes about first-hand. When she’s not working, you’ll often find her exploring the Dorset coastline with her family, running, surfing or taking on her next outdoor challenge.

Through Total Guide to, Liz combines her love of Dorset with more than a decade of experience in digital publishing and local marketing, sharing genuine recommendations and first-hand experiences to help people make the most of the area.