Restricted Forest
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The stone castle stage set among the pines with the crowd gathered in front of it.
The Castle Realm emblem: a purple crystal spire on a silver shield.

SpiritGuardian of the Castle

The Empress Castle Realm

Crowned amongst the trees, The Empress guards the Spirit of the forest, where thousands come together as one.

Enter the realm

The Empress cut out of her photograph: a dark crown, a black corseted gown and both hands on a staff.
The Empress, guardian of the Castle Realm: a dark crown, a black corseted gown and gold gauntlets on a staff, photographed in the pines.

The guardian

The Empress

The Empress is the keeper of the forest's Spirit. Her strength doesn't come from standing above the crowd, but from bringing it together.

Crown, corset, staff. You know when The Empress is holding court, thousands of strangers, shoulder to shoulder, singing the same words as one.

The four realm masters standing either side of the mirrored monolith in the woods, the festival's padlock emblem above them.

The Castle Realm · The Spirit

The Empress

The Empress was not born to the forest. She arrived already crowned, and the trees are said to have bent the path towards her. Where she stands, the Castle rises.

She rules on one principle: alone, a crowd is just people. Together, for one night, they are something closer to a kingdom.

This is the Spirit of the Castle, thousands of strangers standing shoulder to shoulder, hands in the air, voices becoming one beneath the towers. For a few hours, the difference between them disappears.

Ten years she has held her ground. This year, the Empress intends to remind the forest exactly whose kingdom this always was.

The stage

Through the day

Day

The Castle stage from the back of the clearing in daylight, the grey gatehouse between the pines, banners either side and the crowd spread in front. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1096.
A saxophonist on the castle stage with flame jets firing behind her against the pines.
Performers on the Castle stage deck in daylight, the crowd close in front of the arch. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1140.
The stone castle stage with the crowd's hands raised in front of it, a chequered flag above.
Hands raised in front of the Castle stage in daylight, the DJ's name on the screen inside the arch. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1329.
A giraffe statue beside the stage, white smoke jets firing into a clear blue sky above the crowd.
The stone castle stage with the crowd in front and a chequered flag flying above the towers.

Dusk

The Castle stage at dusk, red light and smoke inside the arch, the crowd silhouetted in front. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1701.
The stone castle gatehouse at dusk: two crenellated towers, the arched windows carrying the padlock crest, banners hanging either side and lasers fanning out over the crowd.
The castle stage washed gold, performers out on the deck in front of the arch and the padlock banners lit either side.
The Castle stage at dusk, the screen glowing green inside the arch under red crossbeam lights. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1855.
The Castle stage at dusk lit red and blue, the crowd turned toward it. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1864.

Night

The Castle stage at night, lasers fanning from the towers, the DJ's name lit on the screen. Source frame RestrictedForest2026-1950.
The castle stage lit red at night, the screen glowing green inside the arch and the crowd packed to the front of it.
Blue-lit gateway stage with the DJ booth centre and only a scattering of people in front.

Keep exploring

The other three realms

Buy TicketsAll four realms

Orrell Hill Woods, Saturday 26 June 2027. Over 18s only.