Campervan Queues

[mungo57]

I thought pilton was just down the road - there is at least 1 pub on the main road that leads to the fest judging by maps that my ‘team’ have found which has peaked their interests.

 

I’ll feed back to them and remain uncivil which was my intention all along! Ta mate.

54 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

I wouldn't recommend it, Pylle lane doesn't have any footpaths or street lights. Shepton Mallet is the closest town, almost 5 miles away. Take a BBQ and some beers and have an uncivilised night with the rest of us! 😂

 

[p.pete]

5 hours ago, mungo57 said:

This might be covered elsewhere but I can't find anything on the search - once you're in the CV fields on the Tuesday are you allowed to exit on foot and pop to the town?

A few people I am with are keen for a civilised drink/meal on that evening, but as we won't be able to get Wristbands until the Wednesday I'm pretty sure they won't let you leave and walk along Blue Route and back.

I assume by the town you mean Pilton - looks like it's about a 45 minute walk going northwards along the blue route to the Crown.  Pretty sure people do walk along there - the stewards might advise against it (and probably very good advice) but I assume they can't exactly stop you?  You'd probably want to check the pub is actually open, bring high vis gear & torches, and be prepared to throw yourselves into hedges though!!

[mungo57]

6 minutes ago, p.pete said:

I assume by the town you mean Pilton - looks like it's about a 45 minute walk going northwards along the blue route to the Crown.  Pretty sure people do walk along there - the stewards might advise against it (and probably very good advice) but I assume they can't exactly stop you?  You'd probably want to check the pub is actually open, bring high vis gear & torches, and be prepared to throw yourselves into hedges though!!

Looking at the map as an experienced glasto goer I agree. Train to convince others is the issue!

im gonna sit it out and just drink next to my tent and make friends I think. 
 

let the old git with the van and my partner fight their own battles with traffic and hedges 🤣

[StoneCircle]

1 hour ago, mungo57 said:

im gonna sit it out and just drink next to my tent and make friends I think. 

A very wise move! People get together on the Hill of Death to take in the view of the site, it's a lovely way to spend the first night.

[mungo57]

1 hour ago, StoneCircle said:

A very wise move! People get together on the Hill of Death to take in the view of the site, it's a lovely way to spend the first night.

Nice.

that’s why we’ll probably do then!

[BlueDaze]

7 hours ago, StoneCircle said:

I wouldn't recommend it, Pylle lane doesn't have any footpaths or street lights. Shepton Mallet is the closest town, almost 5 miles away. Take a BBQ and some beers and have an uncivilised night with the rest of us! 😂

Ah THIS..!

I love Tuesday in the CV fields.!

getting set up (awning/tents/seating area/ lights) / cracking open the first cider / saying hello to the neighbours / traditional tamarind marinated steak on the BBQ / a nice box of red wine open… and then a few drinks on the HoD… the buzz is amazing.

don’t miss it!

[mungo57]

12 hours ago, BlueDaze said:

Ah THIS..!

I love Tuesday in the CV fields.!

getting set up (awning/tents/seating area/ lights) / cracking open the first cider / saying hello to the neighbours / traditional tamarind marinated steak on the BBQ / a nice box of red wine open… and then a few drinks on the HoD… the buzz is amazing.

don’t miss it!

I've convinced the other half. Now to convince her dad.

I think I can swing it by convincing him that by arriving LATER on Tuesday is better, if they fill Field 18 first then arriving earlier means he'll have longer to walk at night time getting back to the van! I think we'll change plans and have a civilised pint and food on the way rather than pitch up and fuck off so to speak.

I didn't realise the quiet fields are the ones closer to the actual festival, I would've booked those otherwise.

He is old and has 2 fucked knees bless him.

[p.pete]

1 hour ago, mungo57 said:

I've convinced the other half. Now to convince her dad.

I think I can swing it by convincing him that by arriving LATER on Tuesday is better, if they fill Field 18 first then arriving earlier means he'll have longer to walk at night time getting back to the van! I think we'll change plans and have a civilised pint and food on the way rather than pitch up and fuck off so to speak.

I didn't realise the quiet fields are the ones closer to the actual festival, I would've booked those otherwise.

He is old and has 2 fucked knees bless him.

I lose track of when a good time to arrive by campervan is, regular camping for me.  Personally I'd get there strategically as early as possible that might give you a chance of a decent spot for the van, regardless of the pub (I know there's info on the previous page about field-filling-order).  Tricky bit is not putting yourself in a position of getting the blame because you were the (smartarse/)one suggesting going early or late - regardless of what field ye get put in.

If his knees are dodgy maybe you can get him to plead with the stewards to direct ye to somewhere nice - but equally I'd be emphasising that he has 5 days of walking ahead of him, the Tuesday party is exactly where you are already, and he's doing himself a massive favour by not walking an extra 2 hours to a pub & back when he has all the atmosphere, food & drink right where he is.

[mungo57]

6 minutes ago, p.pete said:

I lose track of when a good time to arrive by campervan is, regular camping for me.  Personally I'd get there strategically as early as possible that might give you a chance of a decent spot for the van, regardless of the pub (I know there's info on the previous page about field-filling-order).  Tricky bit is not putting yourself in a position of getting the blame because you were the (smartarse/)one suggesting going early or late - regardless of what field ye get put in.

If his knees are dodgy maybe you can get him to plead with the stewards to direct ye to somewhere nice - but equally I'd be emphasising that he has 5 days of walking ahead of him, the Tuesday party is exactly where you are already, and he's doing himself a massive favour by not walking an extra 2 hours to a pub & back when he has all the atmosphere, food & drink right where he is.

well said.

E18 looks to be the furthest walk on the paths, unless you can cut across Pylle road from quiet and there's a gate in the tree line or something. I'll be sure to tell him what people have said.

I tried to convince him to stick it in general camping for the walking and the stubborn idiot insisted on sleeping in a bed, the logic of going to the pub is lost on me but there we are.

Thanks to you and others for the input!

[StoneCircle]

1 hour ago, mungo57 said:

well said.

E18 looks to be the furthest walk on the paths, unless you can cut across Pylle road from quiet and there's a gate in the tree line or something. I'll be sure to tell him what people have said.

I tried to convince him to stick it in general camping for the walking and the stubborn idiot insisted on sleeping in a bed, the logic of going to the pub is lost on me but there we are.

Thanks to you and others for the input!

E18 is the closest to gate C of the general campervan fields so you need to aim to arrive early if you want the shortest walk. You cross Pylle Road into E19 then follow the path through E20 and E21, eventually arriving at Gate C.

Edited April 5, 2023 by StoneCircle

[mungo57]

4 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

E18 is the closest to gate C of the general campervan fields so you need to aim to arrive early if you want the shortest walk. 

it's the closest geographically but Pylle road separates that from the rest of the quiet camping, unless there is a cut through the tree line (see this beautiful overhead image of the festival I piked from another thread) then you look to have to walk around the green bit in the middle to get there......

 

[BlueDaze]

1 hour ago, mungo57 said:

well said.

E18 looks to be the furthest walk on the paths, unless you can cut across Pylle road from quiet and there's a gate in the tree line or something. I'll be sure to tell him what people have said.

I tried to convince him to stick it in general camping for the walking and the stubborn idiot insisted on sleeping in a bed, the logic of going to the pub is lost on me but there we are.

Thanks to you and others for the input!

Exactly that… you can cross the Blue Route From 18 into 19 and also from 14 into 25…

and as @StoneCircle states E18 will fill very fast…

[mungo57]

2 minutes ago, BlueDaze said:

Exactly that… you can cross the Blue Route From 18 into 19 and also from 14 into 25…

and as @StoneCircle states E18 will fill very fast…

I didn't know you could cross the blue route there, Plan A it is then. Show up early knockings and fuck the pub!

Not literally, but you get me.

[StoneCircle]

3 minutes ago, mungo57 said:

it's the closest geographically but Pylle road separates that from the rest of the quiet camping, unless there is a cut through the tree line (see this beautiful overhead image of the festival I piked from another thread) then you look to have to walk around the green bit in the middle to get there......

There is a gate in E18 by the woods, the 2 times I have been in there this was where people were held to queue on Wednesday morning as the woods provide shade. I updated my last post to say this but you had already replied! 

[Lycra]

1 hour ago, mungo57 said:

well said.

E18 looks to be the furthest walk on the paths, unless you can cut across Pylle road from quiet and there's a gate in the tree line or something. I'll be sure to tell him what people have said.

I tried to convince him to stick it in general camping for the walking and the stubborn idiot insisted on sleeping in a bed, the logic of going to the pub is lost on me but there we are.

Thanks to you and others for the input!

The only time we ventured to the pub in Pilton on the Tuesday night it was anything but restful. It was heaving, standing room only and took ages to get served. We weren't able to get food and headed off back after a just 1 jar! Not something I'd personally repeat.

[BlueDaze]

 

[mungo57]

3 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

There is a gate in E18 by the woods, the 2 times I have been in there this was where people were held to queue on Wednesday morning as the woods provide shade. I updated my last post to say this but you had already replied! 

Cheers, you can't see that on the main festival map, nor on the satellite image. Good to know first hand. 

2 minutes ago, Lycra said:

The only time we ventured to the pub in Pilton on the Tuesday night it was anything but restful. It was heaving, standing room only and took ages to get served. We weren't able to get food and headed off back after a just 1 jar! Not something I'd personally repeat.

Fuck that for a game of soldiers..........

1 minute ago, BlueDaze said:

 

thanks mate. Not easy to tell from the satellite image but glad to know there is a cut through.

[BlueDaze]

2 hours ago, mungo57 said:

I've convinced the other half. Now to convince her dad.

I think I can swing it by convincing him that by arriving LATER on Tuesday is better, if they fill Field 18 first then arriving earlier means he'll have longer to walk at night time getting back to the van! I think we'll change plans and have a civilised pint and food on the way rather than pitch up and fuck off so to speak.

I didn't realise the quiet fields are the ones closer to the actual festival, I would've booked those otherwise.

He is old and has 2 fucked knees bless him.

I know how he feels…  I am on a waiting list for full knee replacement…

wont be looking at charging back and forth across the site this year.!

but honestly, Tuesday night sitting at the top of the hill is a ‘must’ for CV East dwellers

[p.pete]

1 hour ago, StoneCircle said:

There is a gate in E18 by the woods, the 2 times I have been in there this was where people were held to queue on Wednesday morning as the woods provide shade. I updated my last post to say this but you had already replied! 

That's really interesting, thank you!  Out of interest, any idea when the last time you were in E18 was?  2017 & 2019 we've done the overnight queue at gate C, but walked right up to gate C.  What you say makes a lot of sense though, if the queue needs to be managed - just wondering if it's something they've stopped doing since your last E18 stay, or if it's something they always put in place once the queue gets to a certain length / certain time (knowing shade will be helpful for those further back).

Flipping it a bit, if the queue held at E18 gets let through 8am-ish - what shade was needed?

Edited April 5, 2023 by p.pete

[StoneCircle]

On 4/5/2023 at 4:22 PM, p.pete said:

That's really interesting, thank you!  Out of interest, any idea when the last time you were in E18 was?  2017 & 2019 we've done the overnight queue at gate C, but walked right up to gate C.  What you say makes a lot of sense though, if the queue needs to be managed - just wondering if it's something they've stopped doing since your last E18 stay, or if it's something they always put in place once the queue gets to a certain length / certain time (knowing shade will be helpful for those further back).

Flipping it a bit, if the queue held at E18 gets let through 8am-ish - what shade was needed?

It was on the Wednesday morning in 2010 so perhaps it doesn't happen anymore? I have used the Accessible forward camping in E21 since 2011. Edit: 2010 was the first time the Campervan fields opened on Tuesday. 

People are so much more organised these days! And they now have the snaked railings which helps. I do recall a very lengthy queue in 2017, which was the year bag searches started. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by StoneCircle

[Cleetus]

[mungo57]

2 hours ago, BlueDaze said:

I know how he feels…  I am on a waiting list for full knee replacement…

wont be looking at charging back and forth across the site this year.!

but honestly, Tuesday night sitting at the top of the hill is a ‘must’ for CV East dwellers

Same boat as him. He’s down for one Ono think his right knee and nearly at that stage with the other 1 bless him.

 

hope you get sorted soon.

[Cleetus]

Must be a few years old this one but the campervan east areas will be the same.

[p.pete]

3 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

It was on the Thursday morning in 2010 so perhaps it doesn't happen anymore? I have used the Accessible forward camping in E21 since 2011. I think it was the final year that campervans couldn't arrive a day earlier and the car parks didn't open the night before. 

People are so much more organised these days! And they now have the snaked railings which helps. I do recall a very lengthy queue in 2017, which was the year bag searches started. 

Cool - vague recollections of 2011 being parked just outside the campervan wall at about 7:30/8am - it felt like we were arriving at gate C at a trot - everyone all at once - which would be consistent with everyone just having been released at E18 not long before we got there.

I think everywhere has increased queues now!  Would love to be already parked up in a campervan Wednesday morning having a different issue of how many hours to leave it before bothering trying to go near gate C.  Half a mind to camp less centrally and just arrive Saturday afternoon this year - but I think that'll be a similar conversation to trying to get people to not bother going to the pub on the Tuesday 🙂  Current plan is to open up the discussion after the map gets updated.

[p.pete]

10 minutes ago, Cleetus said:

Must be a few years old this one but the campervan east areas will be the same.

My guess is 2015/16 - I think 2017 was first year of cinemargeddon, and can't spot that on there.