Where do you camp and why?

[Buddy Holly]

22 minutes ago, jimmillen said:

Oooh, how do you get that imagery? Is it paid for? 

Nope, just download google earth, find glastonbury, click the year in the bottom left (should be 1985) then use the slider that appears at the top left.

I think 2019 is the only one taken in the middle of the festival, there are a few others taken earlier in the week tho.

[yehbutnobut]

1 hour ago, nikkic said:

Top sleuthing!! 

That could be an option then. 

A mate has offered to take our tent, but he’s going to be in the camper van field so would be a big ask to get him to take our tent in and set it up for us. 

Depending how close he is to the gate in the CV fields (if he’s miles away then I wouldn’t bother) but might want to consider camping next to his camper, as there’s generally a bit of space within the pitch. We did that a few times before we got our camper.

[SophusBeuford]

Cheers guys for your input! Hopefully the coach gods are good to us and give us an early morning departure. Will defs speak to the campsite crews when we get there then! 

[EFC1996]

I always camp on Darble as it’s close to gate A, quiet and quite a long walk from South east corner so I’m always tired by the time I get back to my tent haha

[Edibles]

Where would be the best place to camp arriving Thursday via coach. Not fussed where,  just where I’d be able to pitch up no problems 

[Euphoricape]

24 minutes ago, Edibles said:

Where would be the best place to camp arriving Thursday via coach. Not fussed where,  just where I’d be able to pitch up no problems 

I arrived wednesday early evening in 2019, and was very limited in spaces to camp. Ended up in a small campsite just past cineramageddon, which ended up being perfect as quiet and close to the park and arcadia. Can't remember what the camping area was called..

Edited March 14, 2022 by Euphoricape
Addition

[Divein]

51 minutes ago, Edibles said:

Where would be the best place to camp arriving Thursday via coach. Not fussed where,  just where I’d be able to pitch up no problems 

If it was me I’d be camping at Darble or Pylon. 

[Pinhead]

Ultimately it doesn't really matter where you camp, only that you are there and can remember the way back 🙂

[waltere]

4 hours ago, Euphoricape said:

Can't remember what the camping area was called..

Based off that description I'd guess one of the South Parks

[Gingerfish79]

We hire a caravan for the shower and fridge facilities. Helps revive us each morning now that we’re all a bit older! However, trying to get into a sleeping bag on a tiny caravan bed at 4 in the morning can be hilarious.

 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

1 hour ago, Gingerfish79 said:

We hire a caravan for the shower and fridge facilities. Helps revive us each morning now that we’re all a bit older! However, trying to get into a sleeping bag on a tiny caravan bed at 4 in the morning can be hilarious.

 

I stayed in a pre pitched caravan once, my then wife insisted in sleeping in my bed with me (there was one double that another couple got) which meant I had to sleep on my side the whole time. The tiny bit of foam between me and the bed frame was next to useless, so I had an aching hip for the entire festival. Meanwhile my 6’4 mate had one of the bunk beds, there was a little hatch on the side he had to open and poke his legs out of to physically fit into it. He called his bed the coffin the entire time.

[Flysheet]

On 3/11/2022 at 6:46 AM, Avalon_Fields said:

I’d agree C is usually better, because closest to the gate are the CV fields not car parking, and that’s why B can be very bad with the overnight car parking close by. We did that one year but it wasn’t successful for us as to get in really early you had to join the overnight queue. 

2017 we were in the queue for C at 5am, somewhere back in the CV fields…got through the gate at 10 but still got a good spot in Cockmill 

[Euphoricape]

On 3/14/2022 at 10:53 PM, waltere said:

Based off that description I'd guess one of the South Parks

Found out its called Rigs Field.

[clarkete]

For the last few years ideally anything that's got a bathroom - eg caravan in CV East, cos after drinking for the day I need to go to the loo several times! Rarely if ever use the cooker, but it's great to be able to make a brew or keep booze chilled.

Believe me I've more than paid my dues under canvas for a decade or two, in fact slept in a car in the Pilton village car park one year as well, so feel I'm very fortunate to be able to treat it like a holiday these days. 

[the_arsonist]

We usually camp in Oxylers due to its central location, have never been robbed and always had a really great time there.

This year however we're going to have our 18 month old girl so probably after somewhere a bit quieter... Me and 2 others are heading in early Wednesday morning (like 5am) and then later on in the day my wife with the little one to avoid the hassle of queuing with a baby!

I was thinking of aiming for Big Ground because it's still near family camping but I feel a bit weird going for Family Camping when I don't actually have the baby! Thoughts on this approach people? Or is there a better option that I haven't thought of?

[blutarsky]

11 minutes ago, the_arsonist said:

We usually camp in Oxylers due to its central location, have never been robbed and always had a really great time there.

This year however we're going to have our 18 month old girl so probably after somewhere a bit quieter... Me and 2 others are heading in early Wednesday morning (like 5am) and then later on in the day my wife with the little one to avoid the hassle of queuing with a baby!

I was thinking of aiming for Big Ground because it's still near family camping but I feel a bit weird going for Family Camping when I don't actually have the baby! Thoughts on this approach people? Or is there a better option that I haven't thought of?

I'd go family - no-one will bat an eyelid at you setting up alone and I bet plenty of others will be doing the same. If asked, your explanation of not queuing with a n 18 month old would easily satisfy people. 

My daughter is 18 months too. We took her to Beautiful Days back in August and she had a great time. She'd get so much more out of it now though - enjoy! We're lucky to have a campervan so can just drive up and then get on without any real setting up which is a godsend. toddlers aren't known for their patience and ours certainly fits the stereotype. 

[the_arsonist]

11 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

I'd go family - no-one will bat an eyelid at you setting up alone and I bet plenty of others will be doing the same. If asked, your explanation of not queuing with a n 18 month old would easily satisfy people. 

My daughter is 18 months too. We took her to Beautiful Days back in August and she had a great time. She'd get so much more out of it now though - enjoy! We're lucky to have a campervan so can just drive up and then get on without any real setting up which is a godsend. toddlers aren't known for their patience and ours certainly fits the stereotype. 

Ah ok nice one will just try that then, thanks for the tip.

Yeah we're excited to take her - hope your little one has a great festival too!

[blutarsky]

1 minute ago, the_arsonist said:

Ah ok nice one will just try that then, thanks for the tip.

Yeah we're excited to take her - hope your little one has a great festival too!

We haven't got tickets...! Hopefully we will by this time next week. 

We're actually planning on leaving her at home with grandparents - taking her to BD was great and we'd 100% take her to other festivals, but decided we wanted to keep Glastonbury as one just for us until she's a older. 

[nikkic]

What’s the vibe in Big Ground? 

Is it as lively as Pennards or Oxylers? 

[grumpyhack]

1 hour ago, nikkic said:

What’s the vibe in Big Ground? 

Is it as lively as Pennards or Oxylers? 

It's a few years since I camped there but when I did it was my field of choice.  Down at the bottom it's fairly busy but up at the top where I camped it was always quiet.  You're not far from decent toilets and the Police Station used to be just over the hedge at the top.

[Euphoricape]

I'll never understand people losing a night's sleep queueing Tuesday night to get a slightly better camping spot. There's always gonna be places left to camp, I'd prefer an extra few minutes walk to get back to my tent than lose a nights sleep just before the best 5 days of the year. Maybe it's just as I'm in my mid forties and need my sleep more..

[dogeggs]

50 minutes ago, Euphoricape said:

I'll never understand people losing a night's sleep queueing Tuesday night to get a slightly better camping spot. There's always gonna be places left to camp, I'd prefer an extra few minutes walk to get back to my tent than lose a nights sleep just before the best 5 days of the year. Maybe it's just as I'm in my mid forties and need my sleep more..

I’ve never been a sleep queuer and haven’t slept overnight in the car for the best part of…20 years…sheesh.

But I guess that once people see a sleep queue forming it might be too hard to resist getting amongst it. I’m not even sure if it’s about bagging the perfect camping spot for many -  and could probably just be about being part of the whole buzz of getting in.

I can’t speak for others though, I just know I’d struggle. Going with Bristol coach tickets in recent years decided all of that nonsense out for us. 
 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by dogeggs

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

58 minutes ago, Euphoricape said:

I'll never understand people losing a night's sleep queueing Tuesday night to get a slightly better camping spot. There's always gonna be places left to camp, I'd prefer an extra few minutes walk to get back to my tent than lose a nights sleep just before the best 5 days of the year. Maybe it's just as I'm in my mid forties and need my sleep more..

I guess it’s swings and roundabouts, what you lose in sleep you save in commuting time over the course of five days. I agree with you in the sense it’s not for me though, but I can see why others do it, and I think some people get emotionally attached to camping spots and don’t want to risk missing out on them, even though camping elsewhere wouldn’t actually be the issue they probably imagine it to be. 

[nikkic]

14 hours ago, grumpyhack said:

It's a few years since I camped there but when I did it was my field of choice.  Down at the bottom it's fairly busy but up at the top where I camped it was always quiet.  You're not far from decent toilets and the Police Station used to be just over the hedge at the top.

Thanks.

We won't arrive until midday Thursday but a kind friend, who will be camper-vanning it, has offered to take our tent and set it up for us on the Wednesday. 

We usually camp Dairy or Paines but are considering elsewhere in part to save him a huge trek!

[kalifire]

22 hours ago, Euphoricape said:

I'll never understand people losing a night's sleep queueing Tuesday night to get a slightly better camping spot. There's always gonna be places left to camp, I'd prefer an extra few minutes walk to get back to my tent than lose a nights sleep just before the best 5 days of the year. Maybe it's just as I'm in my mid forties and need my sleep more..

That's no small thing, though. If you don't beat the queue, it's likely you'll end up in something like this...

...which I happily lose a few hours sleep to avoid.

But it's more than just being able to camp where you want (which minimises long treks at inconvenient times of the day, for all five days).

To me, getting up in the middle of the night provides some Glastonbury magic unique to that moment. The closest feeling like it is Christmas Eve as a child. It's still dark outside. Everything is quiet and calm. There's no clue whatsoever of the world you're about to have access to.

For me, it starts with a 3:15am taxi to the drop off centre. The unusualness of a taxi arriving at that time adds to the anticipation. There's hardly any traffic on the roads, and I'm essentially being driven to the middle of nowhere, except... ah, the first sign name-checking the festival. The first sight of a high-vis. A few extra cars appear. Then we've reached our destination and the taxi drives off leaving me in the care of the festival. The night air gives way to a tired but tangible buzz. Bleary eyed strangers who just know what's coming exchange excited smiles as we sit in the shuttle, silently willing it to set off. The atmosphere grows as we strain for our first glimpse of the site, and then... there she is. The lights to the paths still illuminated as the first shards of daylight emerge, like the unwrapping of a present you've waited - in this case - three years to enjoy.

As the coach pulls in to PGA, nobody can disembark quickly enough, and as we make our way towards the fence, at about 4:30am, this is the queue we're greeted with:

Arriving just a few minutes before the NE and See coaches are scheduled to start arriving, this is about as good as it gets. Some in the queue are dozing, others can't for the excitement. Stewards are observed with wide eyes as those of us waiting start chatting about where we've come from, what we're most looking forward to, and speculating on the movements of high vis jackets and people with walkie talkies.

Along with others, I feed back real time info and shots of what's happening to the eFests threads about the different queues. eFesters from different gates start posting and there's a fantastic sense of community all across the perimeter of the site. Just a few feet away from being inside!

Daylight breaks as the relentless parade of coaches deliver the masses, and the queue extends beyond the horizon. Things get louder now, with the arrival of overnight coach riders, some of whom spent the trip drinking. Everyone is in a great mood.

PGA is the first gate to open, in 2019 a good half hour before the others. Michael Eavis comes out to welcome us to his home, to huge cheers. Things move pretty quickly towards the front of the queue, as we soak in the excitement coming from the entire team, and the novelty - at that stage - of checking tickets and attaching wristbands.

Aside from the on-site crew, the overnighters enjoy the luxury of a near empty site, and the sense that we're the first to tread these hallowed grounds this year. Every public camping field is available, with hardly a soul on any one. In 2019, this was my view of Pennards on Wednesday morning:

Within a couple of hours, the field was starting to look full.

Do I start the festival tired? Yes. But once I'm set up, valuables in the lock up, sitting on the hill with a couple of cheeky cans, the last great privilege of the overnight experience is upon me - being able to see a site of green fields transform into a bustling city of people about to have five of the best days of their year - for some, memories they'll treasure for the rest of their lives. Watching that take form is a true pleasure. Waking from a little nap on the hill and remembering where I am is everything.

Early hours queueing isn't for everyone, but it's a real pleasure for me at least, and provides a magical start to the festival.

Edited April 4, 2022 by kalifire