SETTLERS (2022)

[Bob Gordon]

My wife and I have been to GM several times but after the 2-hour queue top get in in 2021 (which meant we missed Wet Leg) we have gone for Settlers for 2022. There is minimal information on the official website as to the facilities that we will find and would welcome information from those that have done Settlers recently.

One key question is how far it will be from the Settlers car parking to the area on which we can pitch our tent. Previously we have parked in Orange and it must be half a mile (uphill on the way back to the car for the rest of our stuff) and as I am now 71 I am hoping that it will be a shorter (flatter too if possible) journey.

Where would be a good place to pitch the tent? I imagine a balance between access to local facilities such as toilets, showers, bar, access to main festival areas etc. 

Having not ventured from the site on previous visits and arrived at GM via the official signs and therefore a long loop up and over hills to get there, I have no clear picture of how the site fits into the Glanusk area on the OS maps (I am thinking of walking from the site, whether to Crickhowell or other local areas/pubs). Does anyone have a map showing GM, the Settlers car park and camping area, superimposed onto an OS map? 

I understand that there is a cafe in Settlers for breakfast but is there anywhere onsite where basic provisions can be bought? I've also seen BBQs mentioned, but doeas this mean "communal/organised" ones? 

What have been peoples best memories of Settlers?

 

 

[retromoz]

I went in 2019 (before the worldwide 'incident'). I hope I can help.

You park in the holy grail that is Blue parking. In theory, that can mean you are only 5 minutes from where you camp. Of course, the further away you walk, the quieter it can be but yr further away from the car park. 

There were a few things for settlers. During the day, you can go on nature walks. They have a tent with a bar and things happening (i seem to remember a kids disco thing? we went with a wee bairn). The local crickhowell butchers has a van monday to wednesday selling meat as well as fresh produce. I recommend their scotch eggs. There's also a few vans selling yr festie grub. At night the tent thing has bands on and, one night, some comedy. There's also a stargazing thing and other things. 

Hope this helps. It might be worth asking in the green man thread too. 

Waking up in the morning, opening up your tent doors, and seeing the majesty that is sugarloaf mountain & all the other prettiness is a good thing. 🙂

[Bob Gordon]

That helps, thanks. Did you walk to Crickhowell and if so, how to find the route?

[retromoz]

we did, yes. We went the 'canal' way there and along the river on the way back. With a buggy. We are not fit. But....it was OK. The way there was better, due to it being sunny and warm (I KNOW, right? Sunny? Warm? Green Man week?) and it being under shade. And obviously, what with a path along the canal, smoother. It was also very pretty. The way back was a bit more challenging with our buggy, but fine under foot. 🙂

[bexj]

The canal is an easy walk to Crickhowell, from memory takes about 40 mins.  

The campsite is close to the car park, downhill from, uphill back.  The camping field is large, there's a couple of toilet blocks and a shower block.  As an adult with no kids, i notice the huge amount of kids about but during the say its fairly quiet as the families tend to go out and about.  If you get camped next to a screamer you might want earplugs! Personally I wasn't that bothered by the laid on activities but some of the bands were good in the evening. 

The settlers field is pretty much in the bend in the river, it can get very chilly at night as the temperature drops close to the water. Be warned! 

[bexj]

The bit in red is roughly the settlers area, the blue is the car park and the green is the arena.  The tent with music etc is at the top of the red area nr the word "usk" 

[Bob Gordon]

This is all a great help and is most appreciated 

[arteet]

Just to add I’m pretty sure that Butchers had a stall at the settlers place for the whole week last year. 
 

And agree with the poster above that the scotch eggs were fantastic.

Last year was my first Green Man and we did settlers. Loved it, doing it again  this year 🙂 

[Bob Gordon]

The butcher sounds great, definitely bringing our small stove