Thursday night

[juliadevitt]

So the Woods stage is to be opened up on the Thursday for The Shins, Teleman etc. Has this happened before?

We usually have something to eat at camp and then a wander aorund site and then try and squeeze into the Tipi, so it will be a real bonus to have some great

music on the main stage, with plenty of space.  I like the atmosphere on the Thursday however, whilst it isn't yet full to capacity but I suppose this will mean most

people arriving on day one now.

 

 

 

[paulwa]

Hi juliadevitt, no the Woods stage has never been used on Thursday before. Like you say, for the last maybe 5 years or so they've put several bands on in the Tipi Tent, so there is some history of live music played on the Thursday night. Maybe they still plan to announce more bands for the Tipi as well as the Woods stage, which the poster seems to suggest. We shall have to wait and see. I think you're right that it could change the dynamic, encouraging more people to arrive earlier.

Edited July 21, 2016 by paulwa
added info

[shoebox]

I Tweeted them yesterday to find out if there were plans to open the gates any earlier due to, potentially, more people arriving, but it's still 2pm. Guess I'll be queuing in order to secure my usual spot then!

[paulwa]

Last year there seemed to be a fair queue when gates opened, but not so bad a little later in the afternoon. I'll still need to get there ASAP though. Hoping for cloud cover on Thursday as there's nothing worse than pitching your tent in the heat and starting the weekend wet with sweat. What's that... showers? No, never noticed them.

[shoebox]

I'm naturally sweaty, so I'm usually dripping after the 3 hour drive from Kent. A sweaty erection is expected, regardless of the weather.

[artbrut_architecture]

1st time attending EOTR, really looking forward to it!

Given what I've read here does that mean avoid getting there for 14:00 and aim for 16-00-17:00ish? 14:00 opening-up doesn't give much time before the first band is due to play though with moving everything and setting up etc. Is it far/easy from when you've parked up to the camp site?

[shoebox]

10 minutes ago, artbrut_architecture said:

1st time attending EOTR, really looking forward to it!

Given what I've read here does that mean avoid getting there for 14:00 and aim for 16-00-17:00ish? 14:00 opening-up doesn't give much time before the first band is due to play though with moving everything and setting up etc. Is it far/easy from when you've parked up to the camp site?

I've always got there at 2pm, queued for a bit and got the tent up by 4. From memory, the gates to the main arena are meant to open at 5pm (they never do, there's always a delay), and I would say the earliest the bands have ever started on the Thursday has been 6pm.

Parking is not far from the entrance and you can camp virtually as soon as you get in if you so desire. I normally slog up the hill a bit and camp near the Tipi Tent. There are trolleys for hire if you have crap loads of stuff.

[artbrut_architecture]

That's great, thanks for the information. Think I'll follow your plan of aiming to get there for 14:00 and setting up the tent further on.

If I need to use a trolley, something has gone badly wrong...

[lamstonite]

Is there usually a queue/wait for the trolleys? We came Friday afternoon last year and unsurprisingly there were plenty of trolleys available.

We didn't need one but are bringing a bigger canvas tent this year so will probably grab one if we can. 

Any idea how much they are, or is it free?

[paulwa]

Trolley's are usually provided by Mr. Trolley for about £5 per half hour used. A cash deposit is needed too.

Or you could choose to do what we did and lash together a lawn mower handle with a go-kart. We look like tits, but it does the job and has lasted a few years now!

[shoebox]

We normally take a massive tent, so the trolley is essential for us. But with just two of us going this year, we'll only have smaller, pop-up tents, so we may make do without one. That said, the beer does get VERY heavy by the time you get half way up the hill, and I'm too lazy to keep going back to the car.

The queues for the trolleys have never been bad, always managed to get one straight away.

[jamesrfisher]

This hill that is being mentioned, what is it and where is it?

[paulwa]

There's a short sharp dip in between the car park and the campsite. First you head down and the far side is a little steep, but only about 10m in length. Needs a bit of muscle but not stamina. It's the one section where it's useful to have two people pulling your cart, if possible.

Once you're over that there's a more gradual climb towards the Tipi Tent area that @shoebox mentions, but I tend to take a right turn at this point and camp by the bushes at the edge of the general camping field (middle-of-the-night toilets).

Edited July 25, 2016 by paulwa

[jamesrfisher]

9 minutes ago, paulwa said:

There's a short sharp dip in between the car park and the campsite. First you head down and the far side is a little steep, but only about 10m in length. Needs a bit of muscle but not stamina. It's the one section where it's useful to have two people pulling your cart, if possible.

Once you're over that there's a more gradual climb towards the Tip Tent area that @shoebox mentions, but I tend to take a right turn at this point and camp by the bushes at the edge of the general camping field (middle-of-the-night toilets).

Thank you, likely to be in family as taking our 2 year old with us

[paulwa]

16 minutes ago, jamesrfisher said:

Thank you, likely to be in family as taking our 2 year old with us

Then you might even consider Family Camping, which is straight after the Wristband Exchange and before you even get to the hill (which I've marked with a red circle). See attachment.

Edited July 25, 2016 by paulwa

[jamesrfisher]

Excellent, yes i meant likely to be in Family Camping, so just the hill every day on way in!

Edited July 25, 2016 by jamesrfisher

[paulwa]

30 minutes ago, jamesrfisher said:

Excellent, yes i meant likely to be in Family Camping, so just the hill every day on way in!

At least it'll be mostly downhill after the excesses of the day!

[shoebox]

Never camped in Family, but I have friends who have done so. They said it was incredibly rocky. I don't know whether the surface has changed at all or Family has moved since they camped there, but be warned.

[lamstonite]

If what I thought was the family camping bit was the family camping bit then there wasn't a great deal of flat ground either. Looked like they were camping on the right hand side of said short dip.

[buddiepaul]

We camped in the family area a couple of times, before heading to the campervan/caravan fields.  It was quite rocky, with lumps of flint around.  A quick sweep of your intended spot to remove the offending articles, and maybe an extra tarp underneath your tent should do the trick. 

[jamesrfisher]

3 hours ago, buddiepaul said:

We camped in the family area a couple of times, before heading to the campervan/caravan fields.  It was quite rocky, with lumps of flint around.  A quick sweep of your intended spot to remove the offending articles, and maybe an extra tarp underneath your tent should do the trick. 

Thanks. Will have a look at it and may stay in general camping, we have done both at Latitude without any issues

[jamesrfisher]

Feeling excited as my email with the etickets has arrived!

[Born in the fifties]

2 hours ago, jamesrfisher said:

Thanks. Will have a look at it and may stay in general camping, we have done both at Latitude without any issues

James, if you are going to stay in general, you could always join us Happy Campers (can't remember if you're on FB?).

[jamesrfisher]

1 hour ago, Born in the fifties said:

James, if you are going to stay in general, you could always join us Happy Campers (can't remember if you're on FB?).

Thanks for reminding me,I have asked to be added to the Facebook group

[Fareham Grecian]

I have camped in the Family area for the last five years, with a couple of friends, despite none of us having kids, just because it tends to be quiet for a (relatively) early bedtime and I am an early to bed, early to rise type. It does have stony areas but is generally fine though quite slopy.