LIVE music from pop and rock legends, world-class theatre, banquets by celebrity chefs and and soaring temperatures helped to make the weekend’s Wilderness festival a highlight of the summer.

About 30,000 revellers, artists, performers and crew transformed Cornbury Park near Charlbury into a freewheeling circus of music, food, drama, comedy and art.

And the consensus from festival-goers was that it was a vintage year – helped in no small part by glorious weather and a spectacular setting.

Highlights of the weekend included sets by Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant – who treated the crowd to classic rock tunes Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog – Oxford band Glass Animals, Crystal Castles and Goldie – who performed his seminal album Timeless backed by the Heritage Orchestra.

Also playing were electro-swing hero Parov Stelar, Tourist, Elias, Georgia, and alternative rock band The Flaming Lips, who closed last night’s action.

Other attractions included wild swimming in the lakes, luxuriating in hot tubs, joining early morning cross-country run, watching a performance of Shakespeare in the woods, and perfecting one’s taxidermy skills – with the option of creating a two-headed mutant rat to take home and place on the mantelpiece.

Chef Raymond Blanc was yesterday leading an army of chefs preparing a pair of long-table banquets each for 400 festival-goers, and hailed the event as "brilliant".

The proprietor of the two-Michelin star restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons, in Great Milton near Oxford, praised the festival, saying: "It is a total celebration of life, music and food.

"It has been fun, eclectic and I’ve so much loved being a part of it."

The much-anticipated festival spectacular was provided by Cirque Bijou with a display of high wire walking and pyrotechnics.

Spectators included Holly Reading from East Oxford who said: "It has been amazing. I have had the best time."

The festival took place on the Cornbury Estate, owned by Lord and Lady Rotherwick. Lady Rotherwick described the event as "unbelievable" – particularly praising the late night dance music sets in the estate’s Hidden Valley – part of the last remnant of the ancient Wychwood Forest.

Talking in the backstage Aynhoe Bar, run by James Perkins of Aynhoe Park, she said: "It’s been absolutely wonderful. The whole family have had a great time – especially the children and my mother – who is 82 and has been grooving away in the Valley. We all love it – and this year has been absolutely fantastic."

After his set, performing with the Heritage Orchestra on Saturday night, drum & bass DJ Goldie said: "Wilderness is brilliant. We’ve had a great time. It’s been amazing playing with these guys, we’ve all put a lot of energy into it."

Among the revellers at the four-day event were the Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney, explorer Simon Reeve, radio presenter Jo Whiley and TV personality Jonathan Ross.

Revellers joined in the festival spirit by donning fancy dress – this year’s theme being gold.

Gold suit-clad Annabel Cochraine, from Charlbury, who has been coming to the festival every year, said: "We absolutely love it here – and get busy on our fancy dress from the minute they announce the theme.

"It’s been a fantastic Wilderness. The weather is gorgeous and everyone is beautiful."

Becky Webb from East Oxford said: "Wilderness is an amazing festival. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s creative, fun and chilled out – but everyone makes an effort to look fabulous.

"It’s the best!"