What's your exit strategy?

[gigpusher]

We did the leaving straight after a Sunday headliner just once the first time in 2010 and having witnessed or even more to the point not entirely being sure we did witness someone colliding with the central reservation on the motorway and pulling in very swiftly for some very strong coffee we decided we'd never do that again. 

2016 we were in the muddy campervan field and actually left before headliners to make sure we got out. Would never normally do that but given we had queued for about 11 hours to get in and the person who was minding our dogs needed us back before 1pm we just couldn't take the risk. 

One year pre-dogs we did the very leisurely Monday afternoon getaway but every other year we pack up as much as possible on Sunday morning leaving just the essentials in the caravan. Husband stops drinking by about 4pm and we make sure we are gone by 06:00-06:30. It works well for us. Neither of us really do very late night Glastonbury anyway (too much of an ingrained early bird - I am usually up by 8am at the latest even at Glastonbury) and by Sunday as much as we say we wish it would last forever our failing bodies accept we are just about at our limits. 

[Ayrshire Chris]

4 hours ago, gigpusher said:

We did the leaving straight after a Sunday headliner just once the first time in 2010 and having witnessed or even more to the point not entirely being sure we did witness someone colliding with the central reservation on the motorway and pulling in very swiftly for some very strong coffee we decided we'd never do that again. 

2016 we were in the muddy campervan field and actually left before headliners to make sure we got out. Would never normally do that but given we had queued for about 11 hours to get in and the person who was minding our dogs needed us back before 1pm we just couldn't take the risk. 

One year pre-dogs we did the very leisurely Monday afternoon getaway but every other year we pack up as much as possible on Sunday morning leaving just the essentials in the caravan. Husband stops drinking by about 4pm and we make sure we are gone by 06:00-06:30. It works well for us. Neither of us really do very late night Glastonbury anyway (too much of an ingrained early bird - I am usually up by 8am at the latest even at Glastonbury) and by Sunday as much as we say we wish it would last forever our failing bodies accept we are just about at our limits. 

We did the leaving after the headliner thing in 2016 but after a full day on site in the mud and then a 460 mile drive it wasn’t the wisest decision.  Parked up in a service station and fell asleep. Woke up with a fright thinking I was still driving, saw the car parked in front of me and slammed my foot on the brakes! Nearly shat myself.  so next  summer it’s at least four hours kip on site before attempting the drive. Might even find a B and B on the Monday night in the area. 

[grumpyhack]

What's the rush?  Book Monday and Tuesday off work (if you can) and take it easy.

[sirjonnyp]

This is going to test the memory, apologies in advance for the essays...

2010: A mate who I ended up not camping with drove me down from Ashford. I seem to remember not having a big one on Sunday after Orbital, so would have been up relatively early. Got packed, headed over to where he was camped, got him and the two others packed. Got to the car probably around midday, wasn't too bad getting out of the car park, but the 303 was a killer. On the home stretch of the M20 I caught my mate falling asleep at the wheel with the car drifting, so stepped up conversation and made him pull over for a coffee at the services even though we only had another 15 miles to go. Home around 8-9pm. 2/10

2013: First time a good friend of mine went and he drove us from Ashford. Put most of our stuff in the car on Sunday morning, leaving only the essentials at camp. 2013 was by far my heaviest festival, and come Monday morning I was feeling. Got packed up and left camp by about 11am. Took two hours to get out of the car park. First road offsite he put his foot down going up a hill, and once we hit the top of it he had to emergency stop to avoid hitting the queue of traffic ahead of us, how he didn't hit the car in front I don't know. Having a severe case of the beer shakes, that really set me off and terrified me of his driving for the rest of the journey home, the 303 stop starting was basically a non-stop panic attack. Had KFC at Fleet services. Got home around 8-9pm. I had car-related PTSD as a result for about 9 months afterward, and could only get in cars with people who I really trusted as drivers otherwise I would have panic attacks. 1/10.

2014: Same mate drove from Ashford, but now living in north London I met a friend in central and we got the highspeed down. Packed the car on Sunday morning. I remember being the last one standing on Sunday night at a disappointingly early time, so didn't get too wasted. We left camp by around 10am this time, as I had tickets the Eels gig at the Albert Hall that evening so was keen to get moving. The panic attacks were slightly there, but not too bad. The 303 again slowed us down a lot, but I was dropped off in Hounslow about 3.30-4.00pm, got on the Piccadilly, tripped over my own shoelaces and smashed my face at Manor House station, had a few showers and got to the pre-gig pub meet in plenty of time. Friends in the car got stuck in rush hour traffic around Heathrow and were massively delayed getting home, much to their misery. 5/10

2016: 2013 and 14 driver contracted tonsillitis a few days beforehand, so matey and I caught the train on Tuesday evening, camped at CC, and got the shuttlebus early. I seem to remember finishing the Sunday late on the hill, not sure what time we got up though. Plodded over to the bus, got straight on one probably around 10ish, then the bus seemed to take forever. Queued at CC for about an hour for the train, got home to North London by about 5pm, had my last ever meat meal (Sam's Chicken), went straight back out to go meet a friend who was watching one of the Euro games. 7/10

2017: Ashford mate was driving again, so met him with a first-timer in Hounslow late on Tuesday night. We again got most of the stuff packed on Wednesday morning. He went to bed early on Sunday, I had a late night. I think we maybe left camp around 10am. I seem to remember that it was a fairly smooth journey home this time though, the only blip was severe delays on the Piccadilly, so having to change on a few lines rather than coast all the way to Finny P. Home by 4pm, Ms P bought chilli over to save me cooking. 8/10

2019: Toilet duty, so train down on Tuesday afternoon. Somewhere between NYC Downlow and seeing the sun come up at the stone circle, I decided to pull an all nighter and get an early train back. Waited ages for a shuttle bus, probably an hour, at around 5.30, not because it was busy but because there were no busses. Got straight on a train at CC, was back home in North London by 12.30. 9/10.

 

While I love the drive down (we always got papa johns for the drive, leaving some slices for the second car park booze run on the Thursday), I always struggled with being driven back. I can't drive, and if I could, I'm not sure I would want to. The experience of almost being in a car crash on the way home from 2013 had a real impact on me as a passenger, not sure I could deal with that as a driver.

I've been fortunate as the years I have caught the train it has been sunny during the queues at Gate A / CC, I wonder if those years would have a lower score if it had been raining / miserable. Not sure I would be able to do an all nighter again, especially when I won't have my own home to be going back to. 

[Mash2]

Next year will be our first year and we were lucky enough to get coach package tickets.  When we originally booked the tickets, we had to get back early and we selected a 4:00AM return time Monday morning. We don't have the same time crunch issue next year, so we are deciding if we want to stay up Sunday night and keep the 4:00AM departure or look at finding different transportation back to London later Monday.

Does anyone know how strict they are on the booked coach time slots?  If we skipped the 4:00AM bus and just showed up later the next morning would we be able to get on a bus or would be stuck trying to find a way back with every other mode of transportation pre-booked and/or filled?

[CaledonianGonzo]

You should be able to get a later bus.  They usually just try to empty the site as quickly as possible.

[John the Moth]

It’s pretty much a free for all. But be aware that by taking a later coach you could be ousting someone with a legitimate booking.

[Hugh Jass]

Yeah I've never been asked to produce a coach ticket.

Assuming Mrs J isn't joining me I'm planning to get either NatEx or train on Thursday morning then hop on to a See coach at about 3/4am on the Monday morning to get home in time to see the kids before they go to nursery.

[rivalschools.price]

14 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

We did the leaving after the headliner thing in 2016 but after a full day on site in the mud and then a 460 mile drive it wasn’t the wisest decision.  Parked up in a service station and fell asleep. Woke up with a fright thinking I was still driving, saw the car parked in front of me and slammed my foot on the brakes! Nearly shat myself.  so next  summer it’s at least four hours kip on site before attempting the drive. Might even find a B and B on the Monday night in the area. 

I did this after Reading festival once (though this was the Monday afternoon haha)

Stopped in the services and had a kip in the car park. Didn’t think I was driving like you but woke up with a start convinced that the cars parked in front of me were stopped traffic on the motorway. Heart was pounding haha 

[gigpusher]

15 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

We did the leaving after the headliner thing in 2016 but after a full day on site in the mud and then a 460 mile drive it wasn’t the wisest decision.  Parked up in a service station and fell asleep. Woke up with a fright thinking I was still driving, saw the car parked in front of me and slammed my foot on the brakes! Nearly shat myself.  so next  summer it’s at least four hours kip on site before attempting the drive. Might even find a B and B on the Monday night in the area. 

Yep I wasn't the driver when it happened to me but I never sleep in a car I always feel duty bound to keep the driver entertained and my husband was the driver and he admitted he was the same as me that he noticed the sound more than seeing it happen. He used to hate coffee and was exclusively a tea drinker but I got him a latte with a double shot of espresso and it started him on his journey to becoming a coffee connoisseur. He liked it, by Christmas we had a coffee machine, by the following year we had our own beans grinder.  

[kalifire]

11 hours ago, sirjonnyp said:

I had car-related PTSD as a result for about 9 months afterward, and could only get in cars with people who I really trusted as drivers otherwise I would have panic attacks.

Wow, that sounds like an absolute nightmare.

[gooner1990]

On 4/30/2019 at 1:22 PM, Lubic87 said:

SE corner on Sunday night as it's less busy, few hours kip, then the morning packing and trip to the coach station. Same every year.

Love the Thursday, but I guess I'm old school, and still see the main 3 days/nights of Glastonbury being Fri-Sun. Can't imagine ever wanting to leave on the Sunday, or spend part of that day packing etc, unless I had a very good reason for needing to be back early on Monday.

It feels people are increasingly eager to get there early and start queuing from Tuesday, but then just as keen to leave on the Sunday.

It's like the people who turn up an hour early for a football match so they can park close to the ground, and then leave before the final whistle to beat the traffic. Yeah you can stand around the concourse, having a pre-match pint of cooking lager with your mate. But it's not worth missing that 93rd minute winner, just so you can get home in time to watch Pointless celebs.

This. Notice it more and more with each passing year. 

[gooner1990]

3 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Yeah I've never been asked to produce a coach ticket.

Assuming Mrs J isn't joining me I'm planning to get either NatEx or train on Thursday morning then hop on to a See coach at about 3/4am on the Monday morning to get home in time to see the kids before they go to nursery.

Don't scare them! 😄

[Hugh Jass]

12 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

Don't scare them! 😄

They'll be able to smell me coming a mile off.

[Crazyfool01]

A scary number of people on here talking of near misses with their drivers or driving ..... next  year please leave it later or stay the night locally ...... ive got a spare room and plenty of hotels crying out for some extra business ... 

[gooner1990]

23 hours ago, kalifire said:

Well, this year I’m exiting differently. Back in October 2019 when we booked tickets for 2022 (!), I was together with my long term girlfriend and we broke up the following May. I’d promised her Glastonbury tickets (if we could get them) as a 40th birthday present. Then we broke up, but I decided to honour the gift, if she wanted it. I didn’t think she would but it turns out we’re now good mates and she’s quite happy to act as the beneficiary of my pre-break up generosity. Whatever. 

So cue 2022 and she’s coming with. Now. 2022 will be my fifth Glasto and I’m pretty settled into a routine which won’t suit her one bit. I queue up from very early on Wednesday morning. I pull an all nighter on Sunday and catch the first train back to Frome. 

I’ll do the same thing on arrival (that’s a little tradition and I love it) and she’ll arrive later Wednesday afternoon when there’s less queue. But leaving is a different story. We’ve decided to bail after the main stages close. I know that’s sacrilege to some here, but honestly? I’ve always been totally exhausted by that point and it’s not a huge sacrifice to go, especially if I avoid a lot of complaining. 

So in 2022 we’re booking a taxi from the private rank near the bronze gate and hot footing it to an AirBnB in Bath (don’t want to go to my elderly parents in Frome immediately until I test negative for Covid). We’ll be in bed by 2am and it’ll be weird not to stagger around half-dead exhausting the last remnants of energy to god knows what, god knows where. 

Not entirely sure how I feel about it but the accommodation was booked today so it’s locked in. 

It always bemuses me the sort of people that constantly come to festivals (and some of them are my own mates) who get to the Sunday and start getting irritable about exit strategies....its like they know what's coming, but have no better alternative to suggest so just complain so loudly as if that's going to magic whatever they're moaning about away!

Lack of sleep, lots of walking, sore backs, queues, lots of other people, waiting around, either really hot weather or heavy rain...its all part of it but some people seem completely shocked when one of those happens to them!

[gooner1990]

16 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

A scary number of people on here talking of near misses with their drivers or driving ..... next  year please leave it later or stay the night locally ...... ive got a spare room and plenty of hotels crying out for some extra business ... 

Beautiful Days my mate was trying to get me to drink more on the last night...I was like err do you want to get home alive, as it turns out I managed 9 hours sleep on the Sunday which was great. 🙂

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

It always bemuses me the sort of people that constantly come to festivals (and some of them are my own mates) who get to the Sunday and start getting irritable about exit strategies....its like they know what's coming, but have no better alternative to suggest so just complain so loudly as if that's going to magic whatever they're moaning about away!

Lack of sleep, lots of walking, sore backs, queues, lots of other people, waiting around, either really hot weather or heavy rain...its all part of it but some people seem completely shocked when one of those happens to them!

yeah the exit strategy of my mate in 2016 was quite amusing .... he wandered off from camp at around 9am with the intent of moving his car nearer to the gate .... he had a smart car and was worried about it getting stuck inn the mud , so he was hanging around in the swampy car parks waiting for a tow from a tractor to get him out , we eventually saw him back on site around 6 pm he'd managed to move the car , but missed 9 hours of the festival in the meantime .... my memory of that year i might be wrong is that it dried up , we definately had no issues leaving the car park but why on earth waste that time ?!!!

and Beautiful days I stopped drinking around 6pm but there was a little less going on late night wise 🙂 

[gooner1990]

9 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

yeah the exit strategy of my mate in 2016 was quite amusing .... he wandered off from camp at around 9am with the intent of moving his car nearer to the gate .... he had a smart car and was worried about it getting stuck inn the mud , so he was hanging around in the swampy car parks waiting for a tow from a tractor to get him out , we eventually saw him back on site around 6 pm he'd managed to move the car , but missed 9 hours of the festival in the meantime .... my memory of that year i might be wrong is that it dried up , we definately had no issues leaving the car park but why on earth waste that time ?!!!

and Beautiful days I stopped drinking around 6pm but there was a little less going on late night wise 🙂 

That sounds ridiculous! Nearly as ridiculous as owning a SMART car in the first place. 🙂

Yes, the Sunday from my recollection was no more rain....I left the site about lunchtime on the Monday in 2016, and I can't remember any swamp like conditions to get out.

Yes, Beautiful Days was more of a daytime drink thing wasn't it...I think we slightly misread that and kept trying to go heavy at night but a lot of the site was dead by 2am or so. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Sunday afternoon and evening was pretty bleak, wet and miserable.  Underfoot conditions aside it was the worst weather of the weekend.

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Sunday afternoon and evening was pretty bleak, wet and miserable.  Underfoot conditions aside it was the worst weather of the weekend.

must just have been lucky where we parked then 🙂 ..... it all gets a bit fogged up in my head but driving out at around 11.30am Monday  was fine 

Edited October 22, 2021 by crazyfool1

[squirrelarmy]

I get the coach so I let someone sober and qualified do the driving for me! 
 

Get to sleep all the way home to Yorkshire so can party hard till the early hours of Monday!

[gigpusher]

24 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

yeah the exit strategy of my mate in 2016 was quite amusing .... he wandered off from camp at around 9am with the intent of moving his car nearer to the gate .... he had a smart car and was worried about it getting stuck inn the mud , so he was hanging around in the swampy car parks waiting for a tow from a tractor to get him out , we eventually saw him back on site around 6 pm he'd managed to move the car , but missed 9 hours of the festival in the meantime .... my memory of that year i might be wrong is that it dried up , we definately had no issues leaving the car park but why on earth waste that time ?!!!

and Beautiful days I stopped drinking around 6pm but there was a little less going on late night wise 🙂 

2016 I think it very much depended where you were. In the East Campervan fields it was a nightmare. We knew the only chance we had of getting out is if we had a run up to it. If we were in queueing traffic not a chance we would have gotten out without a tractor. 

[Quark]

Exit strategy? Friday midday, Other Stage longdrops.

First transport is away, amirite @SwedgeAntilles? 

[SwedgeAntilles]

19 minutes ago, Quark said:

Exit strategy? Friday midday, Other Stage longdrops.

First transport is away, amirite @SwedgeAntilles?