Where do you camp and why?

[Doug85]

16 hours ago, yosoyyoberdi said:

Can anyone recommend a quiet camping area? We will be arriving by coach on midday Thursday and guess that everything will be taken by then. I don't mind walking as I am planning only going back to the tent for sleeping but I would to to recover each night as much as possible. Ideas? 

Bushy Ground is quiet enough, right next to gate D as well, reasonable walking distance to Pyramid and 5 mins away from the Other. Not too far to walk to get down to the park or Arcadia either. 

[blazingstars]

Thanks for all insight. TBC where we go but quite intrigued by Webbs Ash, Hitchin, maybe over to Kidney Mead. Cheers!

[JaiCrispy37]

I'm getting there by coach on Thursday and I'm looking at Darbles or Pylon

[joeruss]

Stayed in Pennards the last few years and its been great, zero trouble! We tend to get in the queue about midnight on Tuesday though and march across the site once the gates are open

Some decent food stalls around the Park Stage/ bottom of Pennards for breakfast and not too far to walk back from the SE Corner in the early hours. Had a terrible nights sleep a few years ago when Arcadia was nearby but 2017 it was much better!

By about midday on Weds it tends to be completely full of tents

[Divein]

15 hours ago, dan05delaney said:

Camped same place in Oxylers for past 5 festivals, have also camped South Park in '10 and then Kidney Mead in '11

aiming to get back to Oxylers this year, usually on the far side next to the track and Park farm, usually a nice bit of space 

I bet you're not that far away from us, we camp near the back corner and then use the hedge to get in and at the silver hayes entrance. It's a great spot.

[JoeyT]

I now pitch my tent up next to friends who take campers / caravans in the East Campervan Fields.

We all used to camp on the grass opposite to where the beat hotel used to reside. Top webbs ash I think it was called, doesn't seem to be labelled on the map these days.

Must admit moving up to the campervan fields has been a god send. Being able to wake up of a morning and take the festival on at your own speed rather than waking up right in the mixer is great. 

The £5 - £10 save per day due to cooking breakfast rather than buying it is an added bonus.

[Crazyfool01]

21 minutes ago, JoeyT said:

I now pitch my tent up next to friends who take campers / caravans in the East Campervan Fields.

We all used to camp on the grass opposite to where the beat hotel used to reside. Top webbs ash I think it was called, doesn't seem to be labelled on the map these days.

Must admit moving up to the campervan fields has been a god send. Being able to wake up of a morning and take the festival on at your own speed rather than waking up right in the mixer is great. 

The £5 - £10 save per day due to cooking breakfast rather than buying it is an added bonus.

thats where we used to be ... surrounded by walls ice cream van sellers ... we moved when more and more beat hotel users  seemed to be using the wildlife reserve fence near us as a toilet facility 

Edited April 2, 2019 by crazyfool1

[ripcurl85]

We've moved around over the years, always favouring the northwest side of the site as that's near where we park. Started off around Hawkwell but when the queuing started with the car parks being open earlier this has tended to be busier and so put us off. We then moved to Woodsies and had a decent few years there before the John Peel moved and it became hospitality camping. It was a good location in terms of accessibility and a good mix of people.

We were in the top of Michael's Mead in 2017 which I rated, it's quite hilly but the tents were pretty sparse and it was easy to get to the loos and water at the bottom of Hitchin Hill without too much of a struggle. I think we will be camping next to some mates in the CV fields this year.   

Edited April 2, 2019 by ripcurl85

[Havors]

Worthy view.... because i dont have to put a tent up... i can park right by the campsite with no queuing... hot showers, good toilets... amazing view of the festival. 

Ive done my time putting tents up in pissing rain and gale force winds and having to pack away.... never again! ha 

[glasto-worker]

in the past 30 Years that crew site has been on the move in a anti clockwise direction

but when I started going 40 years ago I camped in a field that I believe is no longer in the Public area - I think the Police have taken over that area.

just in case they change the name again - red dot is my Crew Site and with a Crew pass I can get though the gate with the blue dot { that white empty space - can be seen in the middle photo - that is rapid response Security 4WD's all ready to go into action } and the bottom is the crew Camp.

Not the best crew Camp but not the worst - we used to have a Camp which is now called Darble
{ before they expanded out and made it a public area } and idiots would try to climb over the wall not appreciating that the Crew Camp has its own Security ' with Dogs ' and there was a higher wall to get over if they made it though the camp - they made such a racket that they were caught and tossed out again - all they had to do was walk further down the hill to the area now called Pylon ground and they had just one wall to get over.

In a WBC Crew area you need a pass to get in and its checked when a person leaves.

[Doug85]

[mb23]

We've camped in the South Park area since 2015 - pretty good and quite close to the Park.

[Tdiz]

Park Home every time apart from once in crew camping.

The reason is its close to the stages we typically spend most of our time.

[The Clearest Blue]

First year I camped in Oxylers because I didn't know any better and was new to the festival and this was the first place I came across with a few of a stage and so assumed it was central (that's not to say it isn't a good campsite or central).

Second year I camped in Row Mead and loved it.

Third year i camped in Big Ground and loved it.

Fourth year I camped in Row Mead and loved it.

This year I'll be happy with any of Big Ground, Kidney Mead or Row Mead depending on remaining space when I arrive. I like that corner as it allows easy access to my tent pre-headliners to restock on booze. Although this year I'm not currently planning on seeing any Pyramid headliners. 

[Andeeroo]

Rivermead/Bushy are my normal haunts - just for the quiet mostly. It also forces me to stay out for the majority of the day and see more of the festivities. The first couple of year we camped in Lower Webbs Ash and spent too much time at camp and listening to whatever was on the Pyramid.

Regardless of where you camp though, it does depend on your immediate neighbours. We got stuck next to a particularly inconsiderate large group in Rivermead in 2017 and it was one of the worst camping experiences I've had at a festival.

Family camping for me this year though, unless I decide to solo it.

[Tartan_Glasto]

First year was Hitchin Hill. I think we just started walking forward when we got in and it had the first spot big enough for two tents we saw. I liked it, and also just didn’t know any different.

Second year was Pylon Ground, we knew it was gonna be a mud fest (2016) so we just turned to the right when we got in and picked a nice grassy looking spot. This was my fave, close enough that it’s not far to the main area but enough out that it seemed peaceful at night and in the mornings.

Third year, Park Home. My group wanted to be more in amongst it all so we went for there. It was nice to be close to the Other stage but as someone who doesn’t party too late, I hated being that close to Arcadia and feeling the bass through my whole body while trying to sleep.

This year I’m going with a first timer who also likes the thought of a quiet campsite so going back to Pylons.

[hfuhruhurr]

As long as neighbours aren't falling about your tent and creating general fuckery, then a good set of earplugs is all you need.

Was at download once, we were surrounded by grisly old bastards and it was fab, then a bunch of very young lads turned and all night had a competition on who could go out and shag someone. We moved. Later discovered that said grisly old buggers sorted the young uns out. Love download...

[Hawros]

It's great hearing all the different reasons for all the different options here.

We've been all over - first couple of times in Woodsies before it was hospitality.

Last time was here on the map... Is this technically Michael's mead? Hawkwell?

Loved it there - nice little roll down the hill to the pyramid to see Hacienda Classical / Bootleg Beatles to wake us up on Friday and Saturday. Will be aiming there again this time.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Hawros

[Crazyfool01]

7 minutes ago, Hawros said:

It's great hearing all the different reasons for all the different options here.

We've been all over - first couple of times in Woodsies before it was hospitality.

Last time was here on the map... Is this technically Michael's mead? Hawkwell?

Loved it there - nice little roll down the hill to the pyramid to see Hacienda Classical / Bootleg Beatles to wake us up on Friday and Saturday. Will be aiming there again this time.

That used to be tops webbs ash I think ?

[Glastoboy]

@glasto-worker

A few years back , I approached from the gate D direction and somehow ended up in that white-spaced security area. No idea how I did it, it's all a bit hazy. I knew I was inside the festival but couldn't work out how to get out of that bloody compound. As if being lost and trapped wasn't bad enough, when I finally found the exit I got bollocked by security for being in there.

With regards to your fence-jumper, I did exactly the same thing at the security camp that used to be next to the acoustic stage in the early 90s. 20feet more to the left and I'd have been fine but instead I made a hell of a racket on the fence and alerted the lot of them. Guards with torches, dogs, the lot. I spent 20mins hiding in thick grass under a caravan until they called off the search and another 20 until I came out and bolted for the smaller wire fence. Ah, those were the days.

[Mr.Tease]

Kidney mead, next to the path, because that’s where I camped first time I went in 2003 and I’m a creature of habit. It’s not really got any atmosphere and you get woken up by the pyramid stage sound tests. Plus there’s a weird loud noise from the stage in the mornings that sounds like someone’s inflating a balloon- I’ve never figured out what it is! It might even be coming from Arcadia (testing the flame throwers). but it feels like home.

I walked out to that cineramagedon thing last year and quite liked how quiet and spacious the camp sites are out that way, completely different vibe that has intrigued me. But I’m tempted to stick with my traditional spot as I know all travel times to all locations by instinct!

Edited April 3, 2019 by Mr.Tease

[Mr.Tease]

This might be a foolish question, but does the configuration of gate A change between when you arrive Wednesday and when you leave on Monday!? When arriving, it seems like you just go through the gate and are in the fields, but whenever I leave from my camping spot on the Monday, it seems to go on forever and there’s a long corridor like path that goes down a hill- it’s like that film The Labyrinth! But I never notice that long stretch when arriving- What’s going on?!

[Crazyfool01]

17 minutes ago, Mr.Tease said:

This might be a foolish question, but does the configuration of gate A change between when you arrive Wednesday and when you leave on Monday!? When arriving, it seems like you just go through the gate and are in the fields, but whenever I leave from my camping spot on the Monday, it seems to go on forever and there’s a long corridor like path that goes down a hill- it’s like that film The Labyrinth! But I never notice that long stretch when arriving- What’s going on?!

you miss out the slalom/zig zag queuing system ... that's only used when the queue is at its peak ... often not used if you are reentering dependandant on the time ? is this what you meant ?

[incident]

1 hour ago, Mr.Tease said:

This might be a foolish question, but does the configuration of gate A change between when you arrive Wednesday and when you leave on Monday!? When arriving, it seems like you just go through the gate and are in the fields, but whenever I leave from my camping spot on the Monday, it seems to go on forever and there’s a long corridor like path that goes down a hill- it’s like that film The Labyrinth! But I never notice that long stretch when arriving- What’s going on?!

The precise configuration of gate A (and B,C,D) does change several times a day based on demand. Queueing systems may be put in and taken out as needed. Lanes will be moved, opened, closed, switched directions, or designated staff/first time/reentry only or whatever. But to be honest I don't recognise what you're describing for the Monday at all unless you mean the long path between Darble and the John Peel Stage which is well away from the gate and yeah is there throughout the weekend.

[glasto-worker]

1 hour ago, Glastoboy said:

@glasto-worker

A few years back , I approached from the gate D direction and somehow ended up in that white-spaced security area. No idea how I did it, it's all a bit hazy. I knew I was inside the festival but couldn't work out how to get out of that bloody compound. As if being lost and trapped wasn't bad enough, when I finally found the exit I got bollocked by security for being in there.

With regards to your fence-jumper, I did exactly the same thing at the security camp that used to be next to the acoustic stage in the early 90s. 20feet more to the left and I'd have been fine but instead I made a hell of a racket on the fence and alerted the lot of them. Guards with torches, dogs, the lot. I spent 20mins hiding in thick grass under a caravan until they called off the search and another 20 until I came out and bolted for the smaller wire fence. Ah, those were the days.

You were lucky as I have seen people without a Crew pass sent back to the VG4 crossroads

It can happen if steward's/security has a vehicle coming in so the barrier is up.  

You would not be aware but you had just walked past various Security crew sites so they are very protective in who walks down that path - this is one of the crew sites and there could be 1,000 Security just in that crew camp alone.So you could have walked past 4,000 Security just on that path alone.