Sisters Sophia and Camilla Minden, raised in the Lake District, have launched the Sondering, a death-themed arts festival that treats mortality as something to be explored joyfully rather than avoided. The idea grew out of their childhood habit of ceremonially burying dead animals and, more significantly, Camilla's diagnosis with late-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma at 20, which forced her to confront funeral planning and prompted a shift towards embracing life fully.

Debuting this weekend on a working farm near Rydal with a capacity of just 300, the festival combines live music (folk, reggae, opera, electro-punk and a DJ set with an "emoshpit"), theatrical performances and workshops ranging from clowning to shroud-making, alongside guided wild swimming in Rydal Water. Highlights include a sunset singing session in Rydal Cave and a Sunday procession along the historic Coffin Route from Rydal to Grasmere, carrying a communally woven willow coffin filled with notes of remembrance into St Oswald's Church for a musical performance. Organisers say the event is aimed at both the death-curious and the bereaved, blending ritual, grief and celebration.