Camping. Where and why?

[Bisque]

Kidney Mead is pretty cool & lively but on a slight gradient & fills up extremely quickly.

I liked Dairy Ground a couple of years ago, near to South Park. Quieter than Kidney Mead & had a convenient covered Chinese/sausage & chip type food hall with plenty of benches. Perfect for breakfast & having somewhere to sit when there was a drizzle. Also has a small supermarket where we got some Coca-Cola for our rum. Best of all was the free lock up that we picked booze & items up from almost every time we walked past.

Not sure what its like there now with the addition of Arcadia.

Camped in Oxlyers along the North hedge that divides the Other Stage with Silver Hayes. Was alright. Wasn't kept up by any dance music & there was water tap at the end of the hedge row. Lock up wasn't to far to walk to get to but unlike the one in Dairy Ground, it usually wasn't in the direction I was travelling in.

[Dr Glasto]

Camped in Pennards for years and years and loved it, but it fills up too quickly for us these days (we're always in a group with at least 4 tents) and I also can't face lugging my stuff that far from Gate A anymore.

Tried to go for Big Ground in 2013 but it was full by the time we got there (10am Weds) so camped in Lower Mead and didn't really like it. I didn't feel like it was close enough to the action to warrant how cramped it was. Also the toilets were apalling as they were the John Peel stage ones so got a LOT of use.

2014 we had a particularly large group arriving at all different times so couldn't risk going for the more popular sites. In order to guarantee space we went for Darble. It was actually lovely - loads of space, clean toilets, enough of a slope to prevent floods (in wet years) but flat enough to be comfortable. The ground around us just soaked the rain right up and, as it's on the outskirts, there was no-one trampling the ground into mud. It was all very civilised and felt like doing a 'grown-up' version of Glastonbury which, since we're in our thirties now, was kind of nice.

The only problem was that Darble is just a bit too much of a trek to the central/east side of the site - mainly because you have to go around the houses a bit to get across the main site road. I don't really mind a long walk back to the tent because you can just do it as a drunken bimble, but it was annoying that there was no direct route into the action.

We're going to plump for one field over this year and try Woodsies. When we walked through last year it seemed like a lovely community atmosphere and it's that bit closer to everything.

[Tyonks]

The areas around the Park seems to come in for a lot of criticism but both times i've been i've camped either side of the main path cutting leading from The Glade across Pennard Hill. Arrived both time around 8/9am on the Wednesday morning and had plenty of room to pitch up our tents. Both times had 4 or 5 tents to pitch. Didn't fill up too quick either. Doesn't get too muddy due to lack of through traffic as long as you're not right next to the path. Loos nearby too which is handy.

Although should be noted, my brother camped just beyond Park in Dairy Ground in 2011 and I'm surprised he escaped without trench foot down there!

Was noisier last year due to Arcadia but after getting absolutely steaming I can sleep through an earthquake so no worries there for me!

Only downside it is a trek to John Peel. Powered it over there from our camp site last year to see who the special guests were. Lost track of time and it turned to be a long hard, fast walk... just to find out it was the bloody Kooks! I ended up crashing out by the cash points due to sheer lack of energy and moody apathy at the Kooks haha.

[yellowsnow]

Seeing as the new map is up I thought I'd give it another look. Still undecided where I want to camp! Will be coming through gate A so don't want to walk too far but don't want to be too far from everything... trying to figure out the centre of the site (I think it's the Other stage.. and I see a lot of bands there usually) so I'm thinking Oxlyers or somewhere close.

Is Bushy Ground annoying to camp in due to the no access area between there and Silver Hayes?

Edited April 20, 2015 by yellowsnow

[russycarps]

I'm taking a massive tent this year and coming by train, so being close to gate A is vital. Has anyone camped in Darble? I presume it's pretty spacious there? Is woodsies busy? The closest I've camped to that part of the site is row mead so am clueless.

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[ravermum]

I'm taking a massive tent this year and coming by train, so being close to gate A is vital. Has anyone camped in Darble? I presume it's pretty spacious there? Is woodsies busy? The closest I've camped to that part of the site is row mead so am clueless.

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Scroll up a few to Dr Glasto's post about Darble and Woodsies. We'll be camping there too as coming in by coach late Weds afternoon. I think it's a walk to some stuff but plus sides of being easy to find a spot there, possibly a bit more pleasant and a short walk from Gate A.

[russycarps]

Scroll up a few to Dr Glasto's post about Darble and Woodsies. We'll be camping there too as coming in by coach late Weds afternoon. I think it's a walk to some stuff but plus sides of being easy to find a spot there, possibly a bit more pleasant and a short walk from Gate A.

cheers! dont know how I missed that first time, it was precisely what I wanted to know. I think I will go for woodsies. It's a long way from the park stage, but so be it.

[ravermum]

I hear ya. I was thinking the same thing but what can you do when you're in at Gate A with a shed load of stuff to carry in one go. And you're welcome.

[Harry3]

Dairy Ground looks really tempting but Id have to walk from gate C.... eerrggghghhghg

[jamesrfisher]

Dairy Ground looks really tempting but Id have to walk from gate C.... eerrggghghhghg

Why? Try parking on the west side. We come from the east side and have camped in Baileys since 2008. The last straw was in 2009 parking around puple 2 and coming in gate B, now that was a walk. Since then have parked in west side, so much easier.

[chazwwe]

First time last year and camped in Woodsies last year quite far up the hill due to our coach getting in late on the Wednesday afternoon and us all being shattered to walk any further, it was nice, not too far a walk from Pyramid/Other and a lot of the bands I wanted to see early in the morning were in John Peel anyway. Not the livlyist of campsites I've ever been a part of, but the neighbours were nice and we shared a few drinks.

How fast does Oxlyers fill up? It's not that far of a walk from Gate A, so thinking about heading there this year.

[russycarps]

First time last year and camped in Woodsies last year quite far up the hill due to our coach getting in late on the Wednesday afternoon and us all being shattered to walk any further, it was nice, not too far a walk from Pyramid/Other and a lot of the bands I wanted to see early in the morning were in John Peel anyway. Not the livlyist of campsites I've ever been a part of, but the neighbours were nice and we shared a few drinks.

How fast does Oxlyers fill up? It's not that far of a walk from Gate A, so thinking about heading there this year.

was there plenty of space in woodsies when you arrived then? I'll probably be getting there around 2pm or so. Does it eventually get rammed? or is there space throughout the week?

[FuzzyDunlop]

I'm taking a massive tent this year and coming by train, so being close to gate A is vital. Has anyone camped in Darble? I presume it's pretty spacious there? Is woodsies busy? The closest I've camped to that part of the site is row mead so am clueless.

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We camped at woodsies last year. It was full by the thursday night, but plenty of room before then. It's flat too, which is a bonus.

A trek to the SE corner and West Holts though.

Our mates arrived at 5pm last wednesday and was fine. They camped next to us. we didn't "save them anywhere"

Edited April 20, 2015 by FuzzyDunlop

[Jakkkkobz]

Camped Pennards Twice and Oxylers once, but looking to camp the other side of festival around Pyra for a change. Any recommendations for a livelyish field?

[russycarps]

We camped at woodsies last year. It was full by the thursday night, but plenty of room before then. It's flat too, which is a bonus.

A trek to the SE corner and West Holts though.

Our mates arrived at 5pm last wednesday and was fine. They camped next to us. we didn't "save them anywhere"

cheers. I think that is my preferred destination then.

[chazwwe]

was there plenty of space in woodsies when you arrived then? I'll probably be getting there around 2pm or so. Does it eventually get rammed? or is there space throughout the week?

At the top right near the gate there was a few small spots near the middle. People were still setting up in small little spots around mid day on the Thursday down the bottom end of the field. So I presume you'll be just fine

[EZYSEY]

We'll be pitching our tents up in the East Camper van field as theres some with camper vans and some without but we all want to stick together. Did the same in 2010 and its quite a good spot. Close to SE corner where we always finish the night and also plenty of room. Only annoyance is having to show your ticket stub every time you leave/enter the gate. Mine was in 4 bits by the end of the festival.

[Waapster]

If you want to go to Dairy it looks like gate D makes sense and orange car parks would be best? Can you choose these car parks or do you get put anywhere on the west side?

[Memory Man]

you dont get to choose where, just approach from the west and you'll get put wherever they are filling up at that time. you could end up closer to A or D.

it will be a trek regardless of where you are, unfortunately.

[Waapster]

you dont get to choose where, just approach from the west and you'll get put wherever they are filling up at that time. you could end up closer to A or D.

it will be a trek regardless of where you are, unfortunately.

Thx

[stuwilky]

Woodsies is rubbish. You really shouldn't camp there.

[Harry3]

Why? Try parking on the west side. We come from the east side and have camped in Baileys since 2008. The last straw was in 2009 parking around puple 2 and coming in gate B, now that was a walk. Since then have parked in west side, so much easier.

Theres never a queue at gate C and little to no queue to get in or out of the car park, is it the same for West/Gate D?

[dan05delaney]

Going for Oxylers again, goign to queue up over night at one of the gates, was fun last year

[Spindles]

Theres never a queue at gate C and little to no queue to get in or out of the car park, is it the same for West/Gate D?

It varies, it was a clusterfuck in 2010 at D, 2013 it was smooth and easy.

The one thing I've noticed is that while the festival is often beset by problems here and there, they never make the same mistake twice.

[dan05delaney]

Last years Queue at D was quite good and organised, one moment where people broke barriers but was no problems really, was quite fun