19 replies to this topic

[Storm_NL]

A few questions concerning camping for the BD first=timer.

(i) Is the camping really all on a vicious slope?
(ii) Will my tipi fall over?
(iii) We plan to get there around mid-day. But... well, you know how these things go... How quickly does the camping area fill up?
(iv) How's the spacing between the tents? Is it Glasto Big Ground horrific?
(v) What is the distribution of such things as water taps, toilets, and shower blocks (I've heard some people use them at festivals) like?

I think that's it for now.
I'm getting quite giddy with excitement...

Thanks in advance for your kind answers to my random questions.

[LusciousLucy]

Good questions!

I've sent a similarish message to the BD crew I have on FB...awaiting replies now.

Are we all camping together/is there at least a wee crew going to form cos I R coming all me on ownsome and kinda need at least one friendly face to camp with if poss!

[quisling]

The general campsite is on a hill, but there are flattish patches to be found, especially near the top of the slope where it evens out quite a lot, and on the extreme edges of the site - the worst of the gradient is up the centre path, I think.
I've no experience of tipis myself, but I've seen them at BDays and I'm pretty certain they stayed upright for the duration!
We have arrived bang on 9am for the past two years and found the favourite pitching areas already claimed by the ubiquitous 'tent villages' - you know the ones? A handful of people with the glint of a property developer in their eye, a dozen unerected tents spread out on the ground, windbreaks, gazebos, taped off gardens etc etc.
There will still be a reasonable amount of space by lunchtime, but you'll have missed out on anything the 'right distance' from taps, toilets and tea, or close to a fence, tree or pathway, I would imagine.
I don't think the tent spacing is anything like as dire as Glasto's Big Ground (thank God!) and there's usually been more space down towards the Bimble Inn area (bottom right as you enter the field) rather than the top end of the site where the best view of the main stage is.
Apart from in the arenas, the majority of taps and toilets are around the perimeter of the camping field, though that isn't quite as scary as it sounds because the field is sort of oval shaped and you're never really more than staggering distance from them.
There's only been one shower block in the general camping are in previous years - usually on the far right hand side near the top of the hill as you walk up the main paths.
Obviously, all this is based on earlier layouts and may change this year so don't take my word for it!

Have a great time and I'll look out for the tipi.

[Storm_NL]

quisling, on Aug 15 2009, 03:03 AM, said:

Have a great time and I'll look out for the tipi.

Excellent! I ask, and you provide! Perfect answers, thank you very much.

Don't rely on looking for a tipi... I bought it in a sale, and I'm currently in a different country from it, so haven't had a chance to test it out.

Sounds like the camping areas get filled up pretty quickly. May have to rely on the tactic of carrying stuff in front of my face and staggering/striding through the swathes of tape, cheerily shouting "anybody mind if we camp here?".

Camping "far away" not a problem... Very much used to camping at Glasto, so anything less than a 20 minute hike over rough terrain to get home, is tantamount to popping next door for a cup of sugar.

Anyhoo, I'll a little less concerned now, ta!

[quisling]

Apart from the family camping area, I've always camped up at the northern end of the Glatonbury site (toward the bus station and where the cinema used to be) as I hate the overcrowding elsewhere, but I usually feel quite unhassled by the camping arrangements at BDays.
If I was into giving advice, I'd probably suggest taking a rightish turn as you enter the camping field, I think you're more likely to find space in that area later in the day.

[Storm_NL]

quisling, on Aug 15 2009, 12:36 PM, said:

Apart from the family camping area, I've always camped up at the northern end of the Glatonbury site (toward the bus station and where the cinema used to be) as I hate the overcrowding elsewhere, but I usually feel quite unhassled by the camping arrangements at BDays.
If I was into giving advice, I'd probably suggest taking a rightish turn as you enter the camping field, I think you're more likely to find space in that area later in the day.

Ahh.... We've always camped on Big Ground, you see.. except for this year. With the ridiculous traffic situation on the way to Pilton, we ended up being in the car for 9 hours. By the time we reached our "usual spot", it was wall-to-wall tentage as far as the eye could see.
We were forced to yomp across to the other side of the site, where we espied some green patches. It was a jolly nice chilled spot to camp, and we had lovely neighbours. Aside from the odd tent robbery, no complaints at all.

I'll keep your advice in mind concerning BD, and bear to the right, keeping a keen eye out for flattish green spots. If we can get there earlier, then obviously we will... Some people just need more encouragement than most to get the hell out of bed...

[quisling]

The crush of Big Ground and Pennards always scared the hell out of me!
The really nice thing about B Days is there's about 160,000 fewer people there than at Glastonbury and if you're fit and sober, you could probably walk from the entrance of the camping field to the end of it in less than 5 minutes.
After acquainting yourself with Otters Ales and scrumpy, it might take a little longer!

Edited by quisling, 15 August 2009 - 02:40 PM.

[Storm_NL]

quisling, on Aug 15 2009, 04:39 PM, said:

The crush of Big Ground and Pennards always scared the hell out of me!
The really nice thing about B Days is there's about 160,000 fewer people there than at Glastonbury and if you're fit and sober, you could probably walk from the entrance of the camping field to the end of it in less than 5 minutes.
After acquainting yourself with Otters Ales and scrumpy, it might take a little longer!

Well... Big Ground didn't used to be so... crushy... Or at least we never knew any better, 'cos that's where we'd always been.

Scrumpy, you say?
Uh-oh.... We don't get that around here... and in a way, I'm glad.
Me + Scrumpy = messy messy messy.

Don't let me near any car keys.

[flaimedog]

yay,
just the info i needed too. will be my first time at beautiful days and my mates are all taking camper vans so i was wondering what the camping situation was like.
very very excited now.... fingers crossed for sun

[5co77ie]

Traditionally the eFestivals camp was on the hill above the Otter Bar near the late night bar and below the Tiny Tea Tent - having a campervan this year, and being in the quiet family camping last year - I don't know who is there this year.

[Storm_NL]

5co77ie, on Aug 18 2009, 08:18 PM, said:

Traditionally the eFestivals camp was on the hill above the Otter Bar near the late night bar and below the Tiny Tea Tent - having a campervan this year, and being in the quiet family camping last year - I don't know who is there this year.

I'm just aiming for somewhere flat... if it happens to be with efests people, then that's a bonus.
Just want as little chance as possible of me tent falling over..

[cantwait4glasto]

5co77ie, on Aug 18 2009, 07:18 PM, said:

Traditionally the eFestivals camp was on the hill above the Otter Bar near the late night bar and below the Tiny Tea Tent - having a campervan this year, and being in the quiet family camping last year - I don't know who is there this year.

We have camped for the last 6 years on top of the hill above the Otter bar but as one of our friends has damaged her back we were thinking of pitching in the family area this year. What's it like?

[LusciousLucy]

I am just heading there and hoping someone will answer a phone cos I got noone to camp with but hoping to be with the BT and mini Efests crew.

MUST remember to take moby numbers of FB!

[quisling]

cantwait4glasto, on Aug 19 2009, 07:08 AM, said:

We have camped for the last 6 years on top of the hill above the Otter bar but as one of our friends has damaged her back we were thinking of pitching in the family area this year. What's it like?

It's nice and flat, close to the car park, tends to have more facilities and yet is less crowded than the general area.
You don't say if you have kids in tow, and I don't know how strict they are about it being for families, but bear in mind that it's only fair to behave in a 'family' fashion rather than how you might in the main camp.
Families may not be quiet, but they tend to make a different kind of noise at different times of day and that should be respected.

[5co77ie]

cantwait4glasto, on Aug 19 2009, 06:08 AM, said:

We have camped for the last 6 years on top of the hill above the Otter bar but as one of our friends has damaged her back we were thinking of pitching in the family area this year. What's it like?

It fills up fast, and the flat bits are only here and there, there's a couple of caterers (main food stalls in the arena) and a bouncy castle, loos, and lots of kids, it's a much longer walk home each night from the arena as it's on the other side of the valley.

But off setting that is that it's quiet, you are also expected to be quiet, and kids do get up early and run around the site chasing each other laughing, gamboling and generally having fun. There's also a big storytelling area, and a few random surprises for kids.

So the choice is one long walk on arrival and departure or lots of longish walks each morning and night There are cycle taxis on site usually which I've used every year, just park up walk down, ask how much, and find one and direct them to your car, it's an easy option for those with a lot of kit. Finding someone to share reduces the price too - as they can carry a lot of kit.

[sintor]

5co77ie, on Aug 19 2009, 09:52 PM, said:

It fills up fast, and the flat bits are only here and there, there's a couple of caterers (main food stalls in the arena) and a bouncy castle, loos, and lots of kids, it's a much longer walk home each night from the arena as it's on the other side of the valley.

But off setting that is that it's quiet, you are also expected to be quiet, and kids do get up early and run around the site chasing each other laughing, gamboling and generally having fun. There's also a big storytelling area, and a few random surprises for kids.

So the choice is one long walk on arrival and departure or lots of longish walks each morning and night There are cycle taxis on site usually which I've used every year, just park up walk down, ask how much, and find one and direct them to your car, it's an easy option for those with a lot of kit. Finding someone to share reduces the price too - as they can carry a lot of kit.

an this year you are going shortest of walks at beginning and end and the longest each day, all hail the mini hill of doom, back to a c/v field.

si

[5co77ie]

sintor, on Aug 19 2009, 10:22 PM, said:

an this year you are going shortest of walks at beginning and end and the longest each day, all hail the mini hill of doom, back to a c/v field.

si

are awnings allowed in the c/v field?

[outtolunch]

5co77ie, on Aug 19 2009, 11:30 PM, said:

are awnings allowed in the c/v field?

Yes but when they park you up make sure you get room for it before they park another alongside too close, they park you up as close as possible in double rows but they do keep the access clear so you can drive out if necessary.

see you there tomorrow (I'm in a blue type 25 poptop under the flag of Tibet) setting off today to meet up and overnight with Keef at his mums in Taunton

[5co77ie]

outtolunch, on Aug 20 2009, 05:19 AM, said:

Yes but when they park you up make sure you get room for it before they park another alongside too close, they park you up as close as possible in double rows but they do keep the access clear so you can drive out if necessary.

see you there tomorrow (I'm in a blue type 25 poptop under the flag of Tibet) setting off today to meet up and overnight with Keef at his mums in Taunton

Will look out for it!

[sintor]

as already posted, there is no prob with awnings, tho for the first time i shall not be using one, travelling light and lonely.

si