Where do you camp and why?

[Spindles]

Once upon a time it was my mission to camp somewhere different every year and mix up the mood.  These days I've found my home with the camp solo crew in Darble.  I like that western strip of newer camping fields from Darble to the extended South Park area and I'd recommend any of them for those who are looking for friendly fields that aren't too rowdy nor filled with sour faced buzzkills who tut at your every misdemeanour.

What matters most is who you are camped around, so I'd always advise that if you wander around the site and spot a group that seem like your kind of people, drop your kit, say hi and call that spot home for the weekend.

[Gnomicide]

Bottom Webbs Ash is my favourite, I've tried a few others; Michael's Mead was too much of a slope resulting in waking up in a crumpled heap at the bottom of my bed every day but nice view; Paines was nice but the neighbours were a nightmare; 1st year was, I think, Bushy but not sure. I was near a bush. 

Anyway, back to Bottom Webbs Ash, at the junction between Pyramid, road to The Other and JP, good couple of stalls for breakfast, Lulu's Cafe, the good toilets by the woods and easy to nip back to if needed.

[K2SO]

Kidney Mead, myself. It's close to the main stages, but quiet at night. It's also one of the first areas you come to when you go through out gate (Can't remember which one it is)

[sedra]

7 minutes ago, K2SO said:

Kidney Mead, myself. It's close to the main stages, but quiet at night. It's also one of the first areas you come to when you go through out gate (Can't remember which one it is)

Very first time in 1986 I camped next to my car ( that’s what you did in those days - drove up and parked and put your tent up!) 95 camped behind Jazz/world ( West Holts), 97 up in the camper van field, 98, 99 in bit of Cockmill now crew camping, 2000 Kidney Mead, 2002 Dragon ( now crew camping) and since 2003 Kidney Mead - coming in via Blue CP and gate C and hill of death but find it’s a good central point and not too busy. On a hill so not too muddy. pop back for a rest or change in the day. We always worry we won’t get a space arriving Weds morning And Not sure what plan B might be if one day we don’t get a spot! 

Not sure we fancy queuing Tuesday night. Used to be we arrived weds lunchtime and there was always space but it’s a bit more stressful these days! 

 

[vintagelaureate]

Park Home - provided we get a spot. I had a pretty big tent last time and cut it close to missing out. As other posters have said, it's not recommended for light sleepers with Arcadia close by.

[mario man]

I’m on the train back from seeing Villagers at the Roundhouse & a bit pissed so skip onto the next post if you don’t want to hear my random reminiscing...I’ve move around a fair bit over the years & have sampled the delights of...

Pennards - aka The Heart of It All - perfect spot for someone’s (me) first 2 glastos. Slightly tarnished by camping in a ‘depression’ in 98 which after a whopper of a thunderstorm turned into a river & swallowed my tent, so be aware...therefore the next year moved onto:

Big Ground - aka The Shop Window - enjoyable but mega rammed - no idea how we ended up here as we didn’t pitch our tents until the Friday even though we arrived on the Weds... moved onto:

Spring Ground - aka The Jewel in the Crown - my favourite camping spot of all I have tried, tucked nicely above the woods & with great access to wonderful brekkie & late night munchies at Lulu’s Cafe. Field changed to disabled camping so had to move on to:

Hitchin Hill - aka Mount Doom - not the best of memories here, probably due to the year we stayed (2007) when we woke each morning & peered out to what seemed like the end of the world. It’s a long way out, on what seems like a cliff, but still pretty busy due to locale with PGA. Others here can promote its greatness for I can’t. Therefore quickly onto:

Paines Ground - aka Islington - just far enough out that the vibe mellows, but a hop (The Park), a skip (Arcadia), and a jump (SE Corner) from a lot of the action. As others have said though probably not worth bothering with ? 3 enjoyable years here but got itchy feet so moved onto:

Michael’s Mead - aka The Eagle’s Nest - the lure of Lulu’s was too much to resist & the Mead offers quite possibly the best view across the site from a general camping area. Lovely spot but remember your earplugs & shock absorbing jimjams if you’re turning in early due to the close proximity of the Beat Hotel. One year here so onto:

CV West - aka Devon - our one year enjoying a spot of R&R via a friends camper, well worth it for the soft bed but a hell of a long way out from it all. Pack everything you have each day & don’t come back until you’re ready to drop. A one-off luxury so the next year onto:

Pylon Ground - aka The Sleepy Backwater - don’t be put off by the naff name, this is a field full of charm, happiness and, surprisingly given its location....space. Excellent brekkie options nearby including a super spot on the corner of SH & where JP used to be that does lovely scrambled eggs. Two years here & counting... although this year...let’s see...

Right, home now so off to bed, night all!

 

[Titters]

16 hours ago, Keithy said:

Paines always smells of shit and is noisy and is deeply unpleasant. Do not camp there.

I was there the year the sink hole appeared - lost a pair of trainers, a hoody and my ghillie kettle down it... 

 

Top tip for late Weds / Thurs arrivers  - out west, Bailey's and Back House fields are a bit awkward to find, and a bit of a walk - but as a result last couple of festivals had a fair amount of space available all weekend. 

[I feel like Pablo]

First year camped in pylon which was a huge mistake as it's down a massive slope and 2011 was a wetty. 

After that we camped where Arcadia now is at the top of what used to be dairy ground which was ideal as was close enough to toilets and also close to the park and other stage. 

Every year since have camped in pennard hill, I just don't think you can beat it. Easy to get home after a night in SE corner, can hear the other stage from the tent, park is round the corner and three lots of toilets really close by. Also property lock up close by and loads of good breakfast places. straightforwad and easy to get to from gate D. Bit of a trek to the pyramid and John peel though is probably the only downside. That and the near constant nos noises. Can be quite lively after hours. 

Also never know what you might see, in 2014 lily Allen filmed her 'as long as I got you' music video in pennard hill right by our tent. 

Have an amazing time wherever you camp!

 

[kalifire]

I've spent my last three Glasto's ('14, '15 & '17) at Pennards, and overall it's been great, but since I have no point of reference, I can't say with any certainty that it's better than anywhere else.

The first year, I was actually making my way (from PGA) to Dairy (now Paines) but got lost, ended up at Pennards and thought 'fuck it'. It was OK. I was a newbie so made the rookie mistakes of stretching out my guide ropes fully, congratulating myself on pitching with a nice patch of green in front of me, etc. - two hours and a nap later, and that green had vanished beneath somebody else's tent pitched right next to mine. I was caught up in sardinesville. But, neighbours were OK and it wasn't too unpleasant.

In 2015, I made my way to the same field, because I enjoyed the proximity to the Park, the viewing hills, green fields and so on - it really is the best field in terms of how close you are to the best areas of the site. As I ambled along, I was approached by somebody asking if I'd consider camping with them, and it turned out they were the Young Greens, who had little camping areas dotted throughout the site, aiming to encourage a sense of community and eco-responsibility. I did just that and it was great.

In 2017, I returned to Pennards once again and looked out for the YG, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, I camped right next to a roped off staff only patch, leaving no room for any other tent, and assuming a degree of safety given the staff area would likely be populated by responsible sorts. It was good, but very much a solo mission.

In short, Pennards has never provided me with the kind of 'neighbours are your new best friends for 5 days' experience I've always hoped for at Glastonbury. But neither have I found it to be the kind of 24/7 party town it has a reputation for being. Despite being centrally located, it's not a field that anyone who isn't camping in it has any business passing through - at least vertically - so in terms of traffic, it's actually decent. There are groups of loud types, but they're relatively rare, or perhaps I'm just ready to pass out when I hit my 'pillow', so I'm oblivious.

Having read this thread, I'm absolutely not going to consider trying out Paines this year, because it sounds horrific.

Edited March 1, 2019 by kalifire

[kalifire]

I would add that in 2015, when I helped out somebody who was having a difficult time dealing with it all, I helped shift his gear from Oxylers to Lime Kiln. At Oxylers, somewhere he decided to camp after reading threads like these, he said he was surrounded by a group who pitched their tents together in such a way as to exclude his and leave him isolated by the fence (Park Farm). They were then quite rowdy next to him and his position meant he had no choice other than to put up with it. I could see why he felt miserable.

At Lime Kiln, there was a lot more space. So much that I considered it the next time I was there, despite it being so out of the way. I introduce him to his new neighbours and (hopefully) without embarrassing him, let them know he could do with a few smiles and a friendly welcome. Within a couple of minutes, they'd shared some things about their lives, he'd borrowed some of their equipment to help set up, and the entire vibe was tangibly friendlier.

I've no idea if that's typical.

Edited March 1, 2019 by kalifire

[Zoo Music Girl]

The space thing is a big factor me I think. You can never have a lot of space around your tent at Glastonbury, but the difference between Park Home and Bushy for me is great. Just a little more room to breathe in the latter.

[Sawdusty surfer]

I'm lucky enough to be able to camp in my favourite spot every year, the bottom of the CN Field. Love it.

[H.M.V]

Camped in Paines and it was horrific. Stunk of shit and piss. Awful ner do wells camp there. Always on edge. Don't recommend it at all. It was so awful we bought a caravan and going to campervan fields this year. 

[Ayrshire Chris]

12 minutes ago, kalifire said:

I would add that in 2015, when I helped out somebody who was having a difficult time dealing with it all, I helped shift his gear from Oxylers to Lime Kiln. At Oxylers, somewhere he decided to camp after reading threads like these, he said he was surrounded by a group who pitched their tents together in such a way as to exclude his and leave him isolated by the fence (Park Farm). They were then quite rowdy next to him and his position meant he had no choice other than to put up with it. I could see why he felt miserable.

At Lime Kiln, there was a lot more space. So much that I considered it the next time I was there, despite it being so out of the way. I introduce him to his new neighbours and (hopefully) without embarrassing him, let them know he could do with a few smiles and a friendly welcome. Within a couple of minutes, they'd shared some things about their lives, he'd borrowed some of their equipment to help set up, and the entire vibe was tangibly friendlier.

I've no idea if that's typical.

That’s our experience of limekiln. Really friendly and usually smaller groups, few large groups. Decent sloping pitches so no drainage problems, breakfast tent near by and good long drops that aren’t too busy in the morning. Near John peel and pyramid. Will miss it this year as trying worthy view. 

[fred quimby]

15 hours ago, mario man said:

 

 

Big Ground - aka The Shop Window - enjoyable but mega rammed - no idea how we ended up here as we didn’t pitch our tents until the Friday even though we arrived on the Weds... moved onto:

I'm intrigued, there must be a story or 2 in that

[fred quimby]

I camp in backstage T&C as I work there.

[gherkin8r]

On 2/28/2019 at 2:43 PM, cdm22 said:

It used to be Woodsies until the John Peel tent moved and hospitality nicked it, so now its Darble purely for it being a bit out of the way and a bit quieter at night.

You can't camp in woodsies any more?

Normally near JP but have been all over the place except oxlyers for no real reason. Arrive Thursday now so places are limited and normally just go any auld place near gate a and get on with it. 

[gherkin8r]

Main concerns are avoiding flooding and maybe not having too far to hike with all your gear. 

[SwedgeAntilles]

4 hours ago, kalifire said:

I would add that in 2015, when I helped out somebody who was having a difficult time dealing with it all, I helped shift his gear from Oxylers to Lime Kiln.

Still my favourite ever eFests moment

[chuckles07]

On 2/28/2019 at 1:44 PM, MrHew said:

It'll be my first time taking little Hew this year. Which of the family camping fields do people recommend? 

My ‘children’ are now (sort of) adults, and when they were younger we camped in Cockmill which is a great location for kidz field, acoustic and pyramid, and then to circus fields. However it was made smaller a few years back when they built the litter recycling thing plus camping for crew. So consequently it gets busy, very quickly. If you are not there by early afternoon Wednesday then it’s a struggle. The other family field over on the west, Wicket Ground, is massive and always seems to have loads of room, and can take the massive 8 bedroom tents that some families seem to need.  It’s probably quiet as well. For less hassle suggest Wickets.

 

[Ayrshire Chris]

1 hour ago, chuckles07 said:

My ‘children’ are now (sort of) adults, and when they were younger we camped in Cockmill which is a great location for kidz field, acoustic and pyramid, and then to circus fields. However it was made smaller a few years back when they built the litter recycling thing plus camping for crew. So consequently it gets busy, very quickly. If you are not there by early afternoon Wednesday then it’s a struggle. The other family field over on the west, Wicket Ground, is massive and always seems to have loads of room, and can take the massive 8 bedroom tents that some families seem to need.  It’s probably quiet as well. For less hassle suggest Wickets.

 

Wicket ground looked as if it had a lot more older children, it’s fenced off from the adjacent fields and close to catering. There was still space left on Thursday evening last time out. We were close by in lime kiln. Only disadvantage I would see is that’s it’s a distance to the kids field past the jp and pyramid.  

[mario man]

3 hours ago, fred quimby said:

I'm intrigued, there must be a story or 2 in that

36 hours that I have little memory of! 

My mate who came with me that year didn’t have a ticket, so we went down to the gates as soon as arrived Weds eve, without our bags, to see if he could ‘find’ someone to assist - 10 mins later we were both inside the gates & decided to go for a wander before going back later to grab everything. Well one thing led to another and that didn’t happen, had one of those magical Glasto nights where there’s something amazing around every corner....seem to remember we finally slept about Thurs lunchtime halfway up the Pyramid field, then back on it for the night! By Friday morning we realised we really needed a roof over our heads so finally got our act together. The things you do when you’re young!

[deardo]

Used to be Park Home Ground until Arcadia moved there. Since then Pylon. Always room, not far from car park and a bit quiet. Great if you don’t mind a walk into everything. Clears the head 

[I feel like Pablo]

6 hours ago, deardo said:

Used to be Park Home Ground until Arcadia moved there. Since then Pylon. Always room, not far from car park and a bit quiet. Great if you don’t mind a walk into everything. Clears the head 

Park home ground that's what I meant. Not dairy. See you have a year off and you forget 

[Fishman]

A few years in each of the following:

Started off life in Upper Pennards by the tree, which then got taken over by then Tipis.

Moved into the Dragon field, which then got taken over by Crew camping.

Next stop was The Park, which then got taken over by Arcadia.

The last couple of years have been Baileys / Back House - nice and quiet with little through traffic and an easy walk from the Naughty Corner, if a little long (or so it seems at that time).