Is anyone else scared that it is gonna absolutely piss it down this year?

[Spindles]

Yeah, I look at that video and think it's just further proof that Glastonbury is exceptional.  There have been years where seeing the festival through to the end is an endurance event, where you're dead on your feet and facing packing up and dragging you and your sh*t home fills you with dread.  But the spirit of Glastonbury endures, the 2016 crowd were a pleasure to be amongst, determined to grin and bear it and just have the best time of it in the circumstances.  It was one of the smiliest, most co-operative and friendly years for me, that shared experience of battling through the mud and the rain and coming out the other side with calves like iron after walking for nearly a week with several kilos of mud clagged onto your boots.

 

I went into 2016 in two minds whether to go, as I was seriously in the depths of depression.  I spent the Tuesday night in the queue, sat in the pouring rain, pitched my tent in 2 or 3 inches of standing water on the flat ground of Darble and let Glastonbury work it's magic.  I won't say it wasn't tough going, but finishing my festival off with Of Monsters and Men and then that heart-affirming Coldplay gig broke the spell, realigned my mind along a positive path and I went home refreshed, a new man who felt, indeed knew that I could face anything that life and my cranky, misfiring brain could throw at me.

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Mad. Wasn't there about a month's worth of rain in a few hours, and ground was very dry so didn't soak in?

I remember going for a wee during the downpour about 5am and it was silly.

yeah was dry in the lead up to... just watching a few news reports ..... pretty hard to sleep in that and even some of the better tents had water coming in ... I remember trying to divert several pools of water in the tent to run outside . rain does always sound much worse inside tents mind 

[Alvoram]

2 hours ago, incident said:

 

From what I remember, flooding on the Catton Park side of the river is pretty rare/unlikely. Not least because there's enough places for the water to go on the other side that they'd take the first / worst of it.

 

I think it was something like more than a typical months worth of rain had fallen in 24 hours, mostly on the Wednesday of the festival. The then River peaked on the Thursday night at something like a metre and a half higher than the top of the "normal" range. So yeah, it took some pretty extreme rain to be a legitimate threat to the festival.

 

Another example of a festival getting close to cancellation because of rain has occurred to me - Blue Dot 2023, they didn't actually call off the festival but did officially close entry and asked Sunday Day Ticket holders to stay at home (though I suspect any that turned up would have been let in). From what I was told they had constant rain all weekend and the site itself was a boggy disaster.

Thanks, thought it was mostly the other side that flooded but wasn't sure. Like I said, that whole stretch is basically a flood plain (no idea if it is officially, but it ought to be.) Have you ever crossed the causeway at Swarkestone Bridge when the whole thing has been flooded? Makes you realise why the causeway was needed back in the day. 

Seems like there's often been the threat of cancellation due to rain, as well as rumours and possibilities, but very little evidence of any big festivals ever actually being cancelled for rain and rain alone. 2016 was on a knife edge, I think that's official, from Emily's own mouth, but it was more to do with traffic management issues that the rain caused, so you'd hope that they now have a backup plan in place. As health and safety seems like it's actually been going backwards since we left the EU, (don't get me started on "Not for the EU" labels!!!) I just can't see it happening, unless we were to get crazy amounts of rain in the run in. *TOUCH WOOD

 

2 hours ago, kalifire said:

Ah, of course. So was it a wet one in June during the Covid years? 

No, it was beautiful, at least where we were in Derbyshire, see my previous reply to you. (And the attached photo of the 23rd, one of the 'live' days. Or the screenshot below.) 




Dunno what it was like elsewhere that week in particular, but it was so consistently nice here, (and elsewhere other weeks) that I can't see it being that different... 2020 and 2021 felt like the most incredible summers, only to be ruined by Covid. 😞 

-----
 

EDIT: Bored so just checked local for you, couldn't find Pilton or Glastonbury, but looks like Bath was nice, although they did get some light rain on one of the Live evenings, so maybe this is what you were remembering? 

Edited Sunday at 12:28 PM by Alvoram

[steviewevie]

3 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

yeah was dry in the lead up to... just watching a few news reports ..... pretty hard to sleep in that and even some of the better tents had water coming in ... I remember trying to divert several pools of water in the tent to run outside . rain does always sound much worse inside tents mind 

yeah I was on a bit of a hill and woke to water running through my tent, I think had stopped raining by then. Walked past that flooded area and was actually worried that there could be some casualties, people drowning in their tents etc

[philipsteak]

2 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:

yeah was dry in the lead up to... just watching a few news reports ..... pretty hard to sleep in that and even some of the better tents had water coming in ... I remember trying to divert several pools of water in the tent to run outside . rain does always sound much worse inside tents mind 

 

My very cheap tent (not quite supermarket standard, maybe Millets) held up amazingly well. Don't remember any getting in. Probably mostly luck than anything. If I'd been in the path of a river I'd no doubt have been screwed. Especially as I was in Tom's Field, towards the bottom of the hill if I remember rightly.

But yeah, no sleep. The noise!

[Crazyfool01]

28 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

 

My very cheap tent (not quite supermarket standard, maybe Millets) held up amazingly well. Don't remember any getting in. Probably mostly luck than anything. If I'd been in the path of a river I'd no doubt have been screwed. Especially as I was in Tom's Field, towards the bottom of the hill if I remember rightly.

But yeah, no sleep. The noise!

one of out tents was in a slight dip opposite guardian lounge or whatever it was called  in those days  we had to more it a couple of feet . Friends went out to get wellies from the car and got trapped outside as I think they shut one of the gates as the water buildup against the fence was high 

[Superscally]

6 hours ago, Blownimpression said:

You would be peeved.

Out of upvotes 

[stuie]

5 hours ago, Spindles said:

Yeah, I look at that video and think it's just further proof that Glastonbury is exceptional.  There have been years where seeing the festival through to the end is an endurance event, where you're dead on your feet and facing packing up and dragging you and your sh*t home fills you with dread.  But the spirit of Glastonbury endures, the 2016 crowd were a pleasure to be amongst, determined to grin and bear it and just have the best time of it in the circumstances.  It was one of the smiliest, most co-operative and friendly years for me, that shared experience of battling through the mud and the rain and coming out the other side with calves like iron after walking for nearly a week with several kilos of mud clagged onto your boots.

 

I went into 2016 in two minds whether to go, as I was seriously in the depths of depression.  I spent the Tuesday night in the queue, sat in the pouring rain, pitched my tent in 2 or 3 inches of standing water on the flat ground of Darble and let Glastonbury work it's magic.  I won't say it wasn't tough going, but finishing my festival off with Of Monsters and Men and then that heart-affirming Coldplay gig broke the spell, realigned my mind along a positive path and I went home refreshed, a new man who felt, indeed knew that I could face anything that life and my cranky, misfiring brain could throw at me.

 

I was there and I remember the endurance levels required but my memory is selective and I don't remember the low parts that clearly.  I do however remember the wheels falling off in the car park on exit, physically and metaphorically 🙂 

 

There were points during 2016 where if I could have clicked my fingers and magically teleported myself from the farm to my sofa I would have done it in a heartbeat lol.

[Skip997]

Memory is strange thing, esp when affected by drugs. Apart from the troubles with getting everyone in, Shangri La crew camping was a mess, doesn’t help that it’s on a hill, I didn’t remember 2016 being that bad.

Edited Sunday at 06:27 PM by Skip997

[paulshane]

I've been to 24 glastonburys, been towed out a few times, but 2016 is the only year i've been towed -in- to East Caravan

It was a crazy trip, convoyed in with a freind, we started from just oputside Weston Super Mare, and it took nearly 11 hours to make the trip, from starting to being parked.

 

usualy takes about 1 hour 40 mins

[paulshane]

Not as bad as pre drainage fixes though, but still damp underfoot a bit:

 

 

took some dry trainers in a bag, and my board, so I could have a quick skate though 🙂 

[stuie]

1 minute ago, paulshane said:

I've been to 24 glastonburys, been towed out a few times, but 2016 is the only year i've been towed -in- to East Caravan

It was a crazy trip, convoyed in with a freind, we started from just oputside Weston Super Mare, and it took nearly 11 hours to make the trip, from starting to being parked.

 

usualy takes about 1 hour 40 mins

 

 

We were at Podimore Services when Radio 1 told people not to set off yet, if they hadn't already so we finished the journey and sat in the queue for 10 hours.  My passengers had a good time and got through a chunk of their supplies before we'd got on site.  Me... not so much haha. 

[Skip997]

8 minutes ago, stuie said:

 

 

We were at Podimore Services when Radio 1 told people not to set off yet, if they hadn't already so we finished the journey and sat in the queue for 10 hours.  My passengers had a good time and got through a chunk of their supplies before we'd got on site.  Me... not so much haha. 

IIRC I was already on site when such announcements were made and was fairly oblivious to the chaos going on outside. 

[Drew3232]

On 1/4/2025 at 11:35 AM, CanWeRest said:

I'm not scared of rain. I'm surprised someone would admit to that 😉 

 

[Spindles]

We somehow missed all the traffic problems.  My son had passed his test a few weeks before hand, so he drove us and we followed some random white van that looked like they were going the same way and ended up lost in some proper side roads, with only the search lights and glow to guide us.  We came out of a rural track right next to a car park gate, drove straight in, parked close to the fence and were in the queue for midnight.

 

On the Monday we hung around til 3pm, the sun was baking and driving out of empty carparks without a hint of mud was kind of surreal.  

[giantkatestacks]

I think if we had a properly wet one again I would do what I do now in scorching ones. Do my shifts. See my must see acts. Sit in crew bars/Tom's Field canteen drinking and chatting for the rest of the time. 

[Skip997]

19 minutes ago, giantkatestacks said:

I think if we had a properly wet one again I would do what I do now in scorching ones. Do my shifts. See my must see acts. Sit in crew bars/Tom's Field canteen drinking and chatting for the rest of the time. 

Crew bars are fantastic for properly wet festivals 

[Talcroft]

A repeat of 2016, this time without my best friends there to carry me through, and working instead of being a punter, would see me off the festival for a good few years. Please rain gods, no. Don't do it to us. 

 

It wasn't the rain, it was the ground. I have a horse who lives on a blustery moor in the north of England, I can cope with wind and rain and cold. But the playdough mud of 2016 from the constant wet-dry-wet-dry was something else. It remains my favourite Glastonbury, but only because the people I was with were so blummin brilliant. They don't do Glasto any more and I would have given up if it weren't for them. 

[Superscally]

4 hours ago, stuie said:

 

I was there and I remember the endurance levels required but my memory is selective and I don't remember the low parts that clearly.  I do however remember the wheels falling off in the car park on exit, physically and metaphorically 🙂 

 

There were points during 2016 where if I could have clicked my fingers and magically teleported myself from the farm to my sofa I would have done it in a heartbeat lol.

Literally can't remember it being that bad tbf...but then I was there in 2007 (and 2005)...

[Skip997]

2 minutes ago, Superscally said:

Literally can't remember it being that bad tbf...but then I was there in 2007 (and 2005)...

The really bad thing about 2016 was getting everyone in off the local roads. After that it was fine, seen much worse

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

8 hours ago, stuie said:

 

 

We were at Podimore Services when Radio 1 told people not to set off yet, if they hadn't already so we finished the journey and sat in the queue for 10 hours.  My passengers had a good time and got through a chunk of their supplies before we'd got on site.  Me... not so much haha. 

 

One would need 'some' medication in order to stave off 'cabin fever' within the car.

[GhostOfMaurice]

On 1/4/2025 at 9:42 PM, charlierc said:

Least it's easier to leave Glastonbury than the island that hosted Fyre Festival if those who can't be arsed decide to go home early.

 

Maybe Glastonbury could have some sort of armed guard system, preventing anyone from leaving. If you're in, you're in, as far as I'm concerned 😂

[paulshane]

11 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Crew bars are fantastic for properly wet festivals 

 

I was lucky enough to be invited in to presumably what was your 'local' before it all moved later, it was great to have somewhere to sit for a while (and £3.50 a pint helped too)

 

[shuttlep]

anyone who got through 2004 and 2005 and still wants to go should be given guaranteed tickets for life

[paulshane]

34 minutes ago, shuttlep said:

anyone who got through 2004 and 2005 and still wants to go should be given guaranteed tickets for life

 

2005, Gate C, shorty before it was closed due to absolute mad flooding:

 

 

after it was closed: