Sleeping in the queue

[Respectfatfrog]

Everyone should do it once just to experience the buzz as it gets close to opening times, I did it the year u2 played never again as froze my arse of and it poured down as we got in but was good to experience it all the same 

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Did the Tues night sleep in the car park in 2010 with a mate in a tiny Ford KA. Arrived about 8pm. Drank an entire crate of cider on the hill watching the site and the car park fill up. Was amazing.

What wasn't amazing was forgetting the seats wouldn't recline cos of all the stuff on the back seats.

Plus it was freezing.

By the time we woke up around 7:30am - not that I ever felt I'd properly gone to sleep, had to get to the back of a massive queue, wait an hour just to start moving, then wait even longer to get to where we were camping.

Never will I do this again. Much prefer a good night's sleep and turning up afte 1pm Wednesday so I can breeze in and camp where there's loads of free space.

[mario man]

Never done it, never will, but very much enjoy reading on here how everyone is getting on in the different queues, excitement building - and also seeing which of the gates open first in the morning 

[GlastoLou]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I'm completely torn now! We're both in our 40s so definitely not got age on our side anymore! Think it might come down to the weather on the day I guess.

[Skip997]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:31 PM, The Nal said:

Just have a decent nights kip and walk in at 2pm when the queues die down. 

This is the way to do it.

 

[Skip997]

Looks like I need to repeat this
 

Quote

 

Don't fret about: which car park, which Pedestrian gate, how far it is to the campsite, how long the queues are, where the nearest compost loos are (longdrops are fine) etc, etc

It's a fun weekend with many surprises, it doesn't require military level planning.

Everything you need is there, and most things you want.

Whatever happened to just turning up with a sleeping bag, a tent and a few quid?

 

To which I'll add, don't bother queuing all night in the hope of grabbing a "prime spot"

[Crazyfool01]

5 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Looks like I need to repeat this
 

To which I'll add, don't bother queuing all night in the hope of grabbing a "prime spot"

dont you already have your prime slot sorted ?

[Skip997]

Just now, Crazyfool01 said:

dont you already have your prime slot sorted ?

Yea

I know exactly where I'll be, give or take about 20 metres.

[Lakey91]

I absolutely love spending the night in the queue! I've done it 4 times now, one of them being 2016 where it rained most of the night. That wasn't great but we still had a laugh.

It's tricky sleeping. The queue tends to shuffle forward randomly every now and then with everyone picking their stuff up frantically to move it. There will be a point eventually though when it stops for a few hours and most people go quiet and try get a bit of kip until the sun comes up at 4am. There's always someone making too much noise or playing music though, so generally I've just stayed awake, chatting quietly whilst having a few beers. Once in and the tent is up, a little nap until about midday and then on with the rest of the festival!

There was one year though that me and my mate got carried away and drank nearly a crate each. I did pass out for a few hours that time, then woke up just as the gates were opening, which was nice, so I'd probably recommend a sleep if you can.

I've taken the coach my last 2 glastos and not going this year, but I'm hoping next year I can bag a general sale ticket and then I'll be reinstating my overnight queue tradition. 

[Madyaker]

1 hour ago, GlastoLou said:

Thanks for all the replies guys, I'm completely torn now! We're both in our 40s so definitely not got age on our side anymore! Think it might come down to the weather on the day I guess.

I’m 31 and wouldn’t consider it. If I was 21 maybe. When was the last time you did a full all nighter followed by a 5 day bender?

[bigbilly]

Unless your desperate to be in a prime field then Id rock up at 10am straight in no probs. Stayed over in the que couple of times take a groundsheet in case it rains.

We graduated from the que to staying overnight in Wells and having a few beers and a good nights sleep and a full English in the bnb. Gone are the days when i could que all night and get on it and still feel normal! Old age sucks 

[p.pete]

1 minute ago, Madyaker said:

I’m 31 and wouldn’t consider it. If I was 21 maybe. When was the last time you did a full all nighter followed by a 5 day bender?

I've slept in the queue at ages 38 & 40 - not sure yet about this year @ 44.  What's the trek from Ireland like? 

I'm trying to get my head around comparing an overnight queue to time spent travelling.  If I can set off at 8pm and be in the queue  by 11pm, I am then doing a poor job of relaxing, staying warm and resting but not sleeping between 11pm and 6/7am Wednesday.  Comparing overnight in the queue to trying to arrive 7am which I did several other years - up at 4am to set off by 5am, rubbish nights sleep before that because you're excited, it's in your own bed but it gets cut short.  Someone with a 4/5 hour drive might set off at 2am to arrive in the queue at 6/7am (I'd rather be in the queue already than awake driving);  Other people book a hotel to get near and then have sleep the night before in a proper bed (but not their own) - If they're aiming to get to the gates by 7am then they are paying for a bed which they're checking out of much earlier than they've paid for, and they probably still need to get up by 6am to get on the road by 6:30.

That's just trying to think of a few scenarios where people try to arrive by 7am - which I think a very large number do.  Obviously the real winners rock up after midday (or a week early if you're @Skip997 🙂), but comparing overnight queue to other methods of getting there by 7am - it seems okay to me (assuming dry and not too freezing!)

[Armourman]

33 minutes ago, Madyaker said:

I’m 31 and wouldn’t consider it. If I was 21 maybe. When was the last time you did a full all nighter followed by a 5 day bender?

I'm 56 and did it last year....once a year its fine. 

[BambooShanks]

 

56 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

To which I'll add, don't bother queuing all night in the hope of grabbing a "prime spot"

It's a personal preference and what you're willing to trade off.  Cutting out 15-30 minutes walking from your camp and the festival proper pays dividends over the course of the festival and if you're in a group, it's always nicer being able to camp together rather than spread out across the field.

If that means having to queue throughout the night to guarantee that, so be it.

Personally, I worked out that all options (leaving at 8pm to arrive for 1am, leaving at 12am to arrive for 5am, or leaving at 5am to arrive for 11am), wouldn't have me sleeping much at all from tuesday to wednesday so it makes more sense to arrive and queue early to guarantee my desired spot. 

45 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Yea

I know exactly where I'll be, give or take about 20 metres.

Which is a very privileged position to be in. Must be very nice to know that your space, in a great location is all but guaranteed.

[Drfoxxx]

Get in the queue, it’s an extra night in the fields… albeit not in the festival, it’s still fun and the excitement builds. Get a few hours kip, have a nap when ya in and all sorted or just crack on and enjoy the festival. Have a good one whatever you decide to do 

[p.pete]

3 minutes ago, BambooShanks said:

Personally, I worked out that all options (leaving at 8pm to arrive for 1am, leaving at 12am to arrive for 5am, or leaving at 5am to arrive for 11am), wouldn't have me sleeping much at all from tuesday to wednesday so it makes more sense to arrive and queue early to guarantee my desired spot. 

That's what I was trying to describe, but you've done it a lot more clearly.  Plus with the 5-7am arrival, after the gates open you remain in the queue a lot longer.

[donthaveacoolname]

I'm (47) going to be in the Que this year for the first time in years, normally I go be public transport and get a bus out to site from Bristol in the early morning then do a few hours in the bus Que, this year I'm driving and my choices were simple 1. leave home at 4 am on tue morning get the 8 am ferry get to Bristol and pick up some friends early evening and head out to site and join the Que or 2. leave home at 4 pm Tuesday get the 8 pm ferry travel overnight and joining the back of the Que at 6 or 7 am both ways I'm getting no sleep so, no sleep and an better spot is the way for me  

[BambooShanks]

1 minute ago, p.pete said:

That's what I was trying to describe, but you've done it a lot more clearly.  Plus with the 5-7am arrival, after the gates open you remain in the queue a lot longer.

Definitely.  The queue is only going to get bigger from midnight till about 9am.  

If you're in a position where you aren't too bothered where you camp, in a small group and/or not bothered about camping near each other - it makes sense to set off at a more reasonable time wednesday morning.  

It's swings and roundabouts but like I said earlier, it all depends on your personal preferences and what you're willing to trade off.

[germanmon]

I think it probably depends on the forecast too - last year the Wednesday was just stifling. Getting no sleep the night before combined with that heat during the day would have left me a bit feeling a bit...wilted...I reckon. The excitement of arriving does keep you going, but I'd rather get a decent kip overnight and keep my energy to get out there and start exploring.

[Neverneverland]

I’m 43 and did it last year. I only live 40 minutes away from site so usually rock up about 5 a.m. Last year I tried to go to sleep in my bed on the Tuesday night but after 2hours of tossing and turning with excitement decided to just head down and get in the queue at 1 a.m. didn’t sleep at all just stayed up chatting to a lovely couple from Liverpool. Sipped whisky to combat the cold, I’m not one of these who can pitch the tent and catch up on some sleep so wandered round the site for a few hours before having a snooze in the shade by Glastonbury on Sea. Probably do the same this year as long as the weather’s favourable.

[JamieKThomas]

We went in 2016, my Google Maps timeline tells me we left Swansea at 3am, parked up at 6:52am and made it to the camp site for 9:25 am. So it was about 2 and a half hours from the point we left to the car, to the point we were on Hitchin Hill. 

Do you think we just got lucky, and that it will be more difficult to get in this year? Not sure if we should leave earlier or arrive later to avoid the rush.

[gooner1990]

Some of our group are happy to do it so they get in the queue about 12 midnight and get us a decent pitch with everyone together...I think if there was a year that they weren't going and it was on myself (and others I arrive with) to get a camping spot I would  just  arrive about 12 noon Wednesday, camp further out and put up with the extra 10-15 mins walk to the main action each day.

I don't like starting the festival off on a bad foot with a lack of sleep, much like getting ridiculously early flights to go on holiday....rather pay a bit extra to go in the middle of the day.

Of course everyone is different and now I'm in my early 40s and have been enough times, I'm not bothered enough to leave my house at 9pm Tuesday just to get a decent pitch.

It does seem that people are turning up earlier and earlier as each year goes by (especially in the campervans) and whilst that's all great and fun not everyone can either afford it (financially or with annual leave) or have the same inclination to do so.

[DeanoL]

Quote

 

Don't fret about: which car park, which Pedestrian gate, how far it is to the campsite, how long the queues are, where the nearest compost loos are (longdrops are fine) etc, etc

It's a fun weekend with many surprises, it doesn't require military level planning.

Everything you need is there, and most things you want.

Whatever happened to just turning up with a sleeping bag, a tent and a few quid?

We got old. We got out-of-shape. +We got health conditions. We got responsibilities that mean we can't just check out for a week after the festival to recover. 

[MrSpaM]

It's much more favorable to just rock up at the queue at around 6AM and just queue for a few hours to get in rather than trying to sleep in the queue during the night, there really isn't much point in sleeping in the queue unless there is a camping spot you absolute have to get

 

The vast majority of people don't turn up until around mid day, so if you just join the queue first thing in the morning you will get somewhere decent to camp

[Madyaker]

1 hour ago, p.pete said:

I've slept in the queue at ages 38 & 40 - not sure yet about this year @ 44.  What's the trek from Ireland like? 

I'm trying to get my head around comparing an overnight queue to time spent travelling.  If I can set off at 8pm and be in the queue  by 11pm, I am then doing a poor job of relaxing, staying warm and resting but not sleeping between 11pm and 6/7am Wednesday.  Comparing overnight in the queue to trying to arrive 7am which I did several other years - up at 4am to set off by 5am, rubbish nights sleep before that because you're excited, it's in your own bed but it gets cut short.  Someone with a 4/5 hour drive might set off at 2am to arrive in the queue at 6/7am (I'd rather be in the queue already than awake driving);  Other people book a hotel to get near and then have sleep the night before in a proper bed (but not their own) - If they're aiming to get to the gates by 7am then they are paying for a bed which they're checking out of much earlier than they've paid for, and they probably still need to get up by 6am to get on the road by 6:30.

That's just trying to think of a few scenarios where people try to arrive by 7am - which I think a very large number do.  Obviously the real winners rock up after midday (or a week early if you're @Skip997 🙂), but comparing overnight queue to other methods of getting there by 7am - it seems okay to me (assuming dry and not too freezing!)

I fly over Tuesday evening, hotel in Bristol and a bus to the site around 9am next morning. Usually in with tent pitched by lunchtime queue moves quickly. My group and I have no interest in oxlyers or pennards for camping, which is the only reason to queue overnight, we aim for rivermead or around there. I don’t fly back to Ireland afterwards I go to my parents in south of France for 5 days of R@R, then back to Ireland and back to work.