Private Camping Options

[topmarksbri]

45 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

I hear you and don't give a shit. I have a good time regardless.

There is a school of thought that it is not such a great thing. Everyone inside the fence can be a great leveller. Working, middle and upper class all in it together, as it used to be. Everyone in the same situation rubbing along together. None of the I need all the facilities at hand otherwise I will not go (easier on tickets 🙂 if the facilities were not there) @russycarpswould put it better with more swear words. I can see that also as a good thing, probably ends up being more of a shared experience. 

Can't get it back in the bottle though. And the whole thing has moved on obviously. 

Fair play, hadn't considered the great leveller idea - quite like that. 

[gfa]

33 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

While I think this pov does have some merit, the argument against is that the caravan and campervan fields predate the glamping and arguably require even greater outlay - but noone really considers them a negative.

Never really thought about this

At the end of the day everyone not in General Camping subsides the rest of us - its not like campervan fields actually cost near to £125 per camper - let alone £300+ for a tent in a field at WV/Sticklinch/Tipis

[topmarksbri]

A lot of the camper vans are rented. Remember speaking to someone who rented one and the company said they had 3 prices, off peak, peak and Glastonbury weekend. 

[danmarks]

2 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

£27k for this one. Fits 10 people so only £2,700 each.

Bargain.

https://www.thepopuphotel.com/rooms/tenthouse-suite/

I mean the scary thing is- if it includes a ticket (cant see it does or doesnt) , then that and a bit of worthy view or teepees for 10 doesnt make it seem so crazy when you say 2700 each

Dont get me wrong it's way out of my price range (Glastonbury is now if i want to do anything else ) but i could see people justifying it with all sorts of convoluted maths. Ahh its a holiday. Once in a lifetime. 

 Meh . Its where society is and as supre endlessly points out- some people pay 1000s for a ticket for one thing.

No judgement from me.  I think its an absolute waste of money but  i haven't got it to waste. 

And ultimately its all pointless - we all die so all we can do is enjoy the bit before we do whilst we are still fit enough to enjoy the moments.

[fred quimby]

1 minute ago, Skip997 said:

Well said sir, couldn't have put it better, but could have put it more forcefully and with more anger. Personally I think it's a disgrace.

Fortunately I park up in one of the remaining old school areas and hang out with the old school crew.

Waits for the slating I will get and the questions like - why do you go?

I work T@C. Plenty old crew there as well. But also good mixture of new people as well, which it us all about. And we have the amazing performers also.

On newbies. Helped a young lady set up camp on the Wednesday, maybe Thursday. Ballet dancer. She was called Monday night to perform in the cage above the cocktail van by Theatre field, as someone dropped out.  Proper rabbit in the headlights. See her Friday morning ask how she is getting on. Her reply. I have asked if I can come back next year it's amazing here

[Ayrshire Chris]

38 minutes ago, doogie said:

We stayed in B&Bs in Glastonbury town for several years as my partner wouldn't camp.  It wasn't that expensive (like £80 a night for a twin with ensuite), you got a hot breakfast included every morning, and you could park nearby.  They get booked up quickly, but keep an eye out and they become available from time to time.

We had to forego late nights in SE Corner in order to get the last bus back from PGA, but all in all it worked pretty well.  And in the years when it was either very hot or very wet, having a proper roof over our heads was a godsend.

The journey in and out wasn't normally too bad, apart from the Sunday night which took ages due to all the traffic leaving the site.  Sometimes we got a taxi for about £15-£20 rather than wait for the £4 bus.

I’d be interested to find out If the buses were really busy, how did you manage on the Wednesday morning getting through the gates. ? 

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

I work T@C. Plenty old crew there as well. But also good mixture of new people as well, which it us all about. And we have the amazing performers also.

Yea we have newbies as well, nice to be able to guide them.

I worked T&C one year, best I've ever been looked after. I was a volunteer, but Arabella gave me some cash after finding out I'd done extra shifts.

[fred quimby]

8 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Yea we have newbies as well, nice to be able to guide them.

I worked T&C one year, best I've ever been looked after. I was a volunteer, but Arabella gave me some cash after finding out I'd done extra shifts.

She was lovely.  One year late 90's i was her night security for the production office and her camp. Not to be messed with while she worked mind, rip you a new one

Edited November 10, 2022 by fred quimby

[CaledonianGonzo]

59 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Ah see what you mean.

The difference is that a camper van is not a one off thing, they can last for decades. It's possible to obtain a camper van for less than the cost of one stay in some of those glamping sites, mine cost £3500. Although you could spend £250,000.

 

And that's fine if you think you'll get the use out of it - I know I wouldn’t and it makes sense coming from Scotland to have some kind of pre-booked tent in either a tipi or Worthy View. 

The really high end options are a different matter, mind.

[Skip997]

Just now, CaledonianGonzo said:

And that's fine if you think you'll get the use out of it - I know I wouldn’t and it makes sense coming from Scotland to have some kind of pre-booked tent in either a tipi or Worthy View. 

The really high end options are a different matter, mind.

Agree

[doogie]

9 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

I’d be interested to find out If the buses were really busy, how did you manage on the Wednesday morning getting through the gates. ? 

We didn't arrive until the Thursday so we never had a problem getting through the gates, especially with no big bags to carry.

The only time we had a problem getting on a bus was going from Glastonbury town in the morning.  So we booked a minicab to pick us up at a set time every morning instead.

[Ayrshire Chris]

1 hour ago, doogie said:

We didn't arrive until the Thursday so we never had a problem getting through the gates, especially with no big bags to carry.

The only time we had a problem getting on a bus was going from Glastonbury town in the morning.  So we booked a minicab to pick us up at a set time every morning instead.

Thought the morning buses start at 7 according to festival website? 

[doogie]

4 minutes ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Thought the morning buses start at 7 according to festival website? 

They probably do, but the problem was they weren't that regular, so you couldn't always get on one when you wanted to.

[poppyh24]

7 hours ago, paulshane said:

Out of interest, how often is the shuttle bus from that site to (presumably) Gate A ?

Once a day at 1pm to the festival and once a day at 1am back to campsite apparently 

[Skip997]

6 minutes ago, poppyh24 said:

Once a day at 1pm to the festival and once a day at 1am back to campsite apparently 

1am!

Well that defeats the object of camping there.

 

[poppyh24]

7 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

1am!

Well that defeats the object of camping there.

 

I’m guessing they’re thinking that’s 12 hours of fun to be had … dunno what the logic is tbh… sister is staying there and she’s decided times don’t suit her so won’t be opting for using the shuttle 

[interx]

10 hours ago, t0paz said:

Pfft! That’s slumming it. Camp Kerela has its own helipad. £15k from memory but that was a few years back and they don’t publish prices anymore. I guess if you have to ask you can’t afford it…

I got a quote from Camp Kerala for 2023. It was £42k for two people, let me type that again. £42,000 - two people.

[clarkete]

28 minutes ago, interx said:

I got a quote from Camp Kerala for 2023. It was £42k for two people, let me type that again. £42,000 - two people.

I think pp that wins the thread doesn't it? 

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, interx said:

I got a quote from Camp Kerala for 2023. It was £42k for two people, let me type that again. £42,000 - two people.

Pfft, a mere years wage if you split it out! 

Does the festival see any of that money? (Apart from £700 ticket income)

[incident]

15 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

Pfft, a mere years wage if you split it out! 

Does the festival see any of that money? (Apart from £700 ticket income)

Difficult to answer that directly, because of the way that things work.

I don't know about Camp Kerala (or most of the individual off site places) specifically, but generally speaking - where they're able to offer tickets as part of the package, those tickets have come via the Festival as part of a wider agreement between GFL and the Landowner. Typically this will be something along the lines of the landowner provides the festival with X amount of space for Car Parks / Campervan fields / Staff Camping / etc and in return the festival provides Y amounts of hospitality tickets that can be used to entice customers to a lucrative Glamping operation on one of their other fields. This way the Festival can get an effective discount on their (absurd amount of) land rental.

The places that don't / can't offer tickets tend not to have as direct a relationship and I doubt there's any money (or any other resource) going back to the Festival.

[wiremog]

Fully prepared to have the piss ripped but 4 friends and I have just paid for 2 'pitch your own' spots in Love Fields / Glastonbury Docks. I've been and camped in general camping 4 times previously, and while I agree £750 for 2 people sounds like a lot, it's the cheapest way to get access to decent loos and showers in a brilliant location unless you're a VIP - and I am a little bit over dealing with the long drops at 7am when I'm hungover.

We get a 6x12m pitch for our 4 small tents which is acres of room compared to the stress of scouting for a spot to squeeze into (we go by coach so all the drivers are already camped by the time we get there). We'll get to saunter up at midday on Wednesday, spread out nicely, put up a gazebo (have never done this in general camping as it's not allowed) and enjoy the facilities, bar and views, for the sum of £62 a night each (we got a £100 discount per pitch because we won't be using car parking passes). Well worth it for the comfort and removal of the stress of pitch hunting IMO.

Would be interested in hearing from anyone who's done this before btw! 

[ticketboy69]

6 hours ago, wiremog said:

Fully prepared to have the piss ripped but 4 friends and I have just paid for 2 'pitch your own' spots in Love Fields / Glastonbury Docks. I've been and camped in general camping 4 times previously, and while I agree £750 for 2 people sounds like a lot, it's the cheapest way to get access to decent loos and showers in a brilliant location unless you're a VIP - and I am a little bit over dealing with the long drops at 7am when I'm hungover.

We get a 6x12m pitch for our 4 small tents which is acres of room compared to the stress of scouting for a spot to squeeze into (we go by coach so all the drivers are already camped by the time we get there). We'll get to saunter up at midday on Wednesday, spread out nicely, put up a gazebo (have never done this in general camping as it's not allowed) and enjoy the facilities, bar and views, for the sum of £62 a night each (we got a £100 discount per pitch because we won't be using car parking passes). Well worth it for the comfort and removal of the stress of pitch hunting IMO.

Would be interested in hearing from anyone who's done this before btw! 

For various reasons we’ve camped at Love Fields for the last four Glastonbury’s. I’d highly recommend it and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 
 

The main benefit is driving up to your pitch and setting up, then parking your car 30 feet away! The compost toilets are okay and the showers great…occasionally a short queue. 
 

It’s a very short walk (5 mins) to Gate C and you’re straight into the action. 
 

And when you leave, you bung your stuff in the car and you’re straight out of there. 
 

I get why some people have an issue with outside camping options, but Love Fields  really works for us and we’re back again next year. 

[clarkete]

9 hours ago, wiremog said:

Fully prepared to have the piss ripped but 4 friends and I have just paid for 2 'pitch your own' spots in Love Fields / Glastonbury Docks. I've been and camped in general camping 4 times previously, and while I agree £750 for 2 people sounds like a lot, it's the cheapest way to get access to decent loos and showers in a brilliant location unless you're a VIP - and I am a little bit over dealing with the long drops at 7am when I'm hungover.

We get a 6x12m pitch for our 4 small tents which is acres of room compared to the stress of scouting for a spot to squeeze into (we go by coach so all the drivers are already camped by the time we get there). We'll get to saunter up at midday on Wednesday, spread out nicely, put up a gazebo (have never done this in general camping as it's not allowed) and enjoy the facilities, bar and views, for the sum of £62 a night each (we got a £100 discount per pitch because we won't be using car parking passes). Well worth it for the comfort and removal of the stress of pitch hunting IMO.

Would be interested in hearing from anyone who's done this before btw! 

At sticklinch for similar money you can get pre-erected accommodation in a variety of flavours. No Gazebos, but lots of flushing and compost loos, showers and other facilities, plus car park next door too. 

http://web.archive.org/web/20210813163336/https://glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/accommodation/pre-erected-camping/sticklinch/sticklinch-accommodation-options/

[wiremog]

20 minutes ago, clarkete said:

At sticklinch for similar money you can get pre-erected accommodation in a variety of flavours. No Gazebos, but lots of flushing and compost loos, showers and other facilities, plus car park next door too. 

http://web.archive.org/web/20210813163336/https://glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/accommodation/pre-erected-camping/sticklinch/sticklinch-accommodation-options/

For similar money in a frankly horrendous location miles away from anything! Looked at that (and all the other options) and location swung it for Love Fields. We're not driving so none of the "park your car bear your tent" stuff means anything to us, we're gonna have a hike from the coach park wherever we camp.

[Leyrulion]

2 hours ago, ticketboy69 said:

For various reasons we’ve camped at Love Fields for the last four Glastonbury’s. I’d highly recommend it and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 
 

The main benefit is driving up to your pitch and setting up, then parking your car 30 feet away! The compost toilets are okay and the showers great…occasionally a short queue. 
 

It’s a very short walk (5 mins) to Gate C and you’re straight into the action. 
 

And when you leave, you bung your stuff in the car and you’re straight out of there. 
 

I get why some people have an issue with outside camping options, but Love Fields  really works for us and we’re back again next year. 

I'm a camp in Oxylers guy so all these luxury campsites seem so far away from all the action.