Leaving the pink car parks on Monday

[Battlescar]

Hi. What was it like leaving the pink car parks on Monday last year? When is the best time to leave on Monday?

I've always left on the Sunday without any problems but am debating whether to stay until the Monday this year.

Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers

[Badlands]

Queueing to leave a festival is, for me, hell on earth. We leave proper early, alarms set for 5am, back in the car for 6. Miss the crowds. It's not ideal getting up that early as you need a designated driver to take one for the team on Sunday night.

Last year we did this then had a kip on the grass at a service station until the driver was a bit more awake. Got back to Newcastle about 4pm.

[al_coholic]

I left at 7 last year and was on the road in 20 mins. Friends left later and got really stuck I think it took 3 or 4 hours to get out.

[Battlescar]

I'm not sure I can take 3-4 hours of queuing. I assume the roads are also rammed after you have left the site.

[cham08]

I take a load of stuff to the car on Sunday morning so on Monday morning we pretty much only have the sleeping stuff to pack up and the tent to take down. Normally aim to be on the road at 6.30ish and have never had too much of a problem.

I always feel like I am done by Sunday anyway - not sure if it is because sub consciously I know I will have to drive the next day - so I don't mind taking it easy on the Sunday. The thought of having to queue in the car for hours is far worse than the thought of missing out on a few beers/a later night on the Sunday.

Fortunately Mrs Cham08 takes a stint at driving too, so we normally have a lot of service station breaks on the way back.

[Battlescar]

I take a load of stuff to the car on Sunday morning so on Monday morning we pretty much only have the sleeping stuff to pack up and the tent to take down. Normally aim to be on the road at 6.30ish and have never had too much of a problem.

I always feel like I am done by Sunday anyway - not sure if it is because sub consciously I know I will have to drive the next day - so I don't mind taking it easy on the Sunday. The thought of having to queue in the car for hours is far worse than the thought of missing out on a few beers/a later night on the Sunday.

Fortunately Mrs Cham08 takes a stint at driving too, so we normally have a lot of service station breaks on the way back.

That sounds like a plan!

As I'm the only driver it got a bit hairy during the 5 hour drive home leaving at midnight Sunday last year. I couldn't get enough caffeine into me to keep me fully awake and don't want to repeat that.

[Spindles]

I'm not sure I can take 3-4 hours of queuing. I assume the roads are also rammed after you have left the site.

That's usually as much of an issue as getting offsite, I've known it take 2 hours or more to get to Bristol on numerous occasions. If you want to miss the traffic leave early doors or late Monday afternoon/evening.

[Peroni]

Try to avoid the "school run" where the throttle the festival traffic to allow the locals etc to go about their business on the Monday morning... This then leaves traffic backing up in the fields with no real options.

Pinks are on the edge so in my experience... have been easier to leave from than some of the inner fields... you have to weigh that up against the intial walk in which is harder...

I particularly hate the wait at the crossing each time!

[oasisjojo]

Defo leave at 5am we do it every year no problems at all.

[moheetoes]

Last year up at 6, packed up by 7, at car for 7:40 on main road by 8, free flowing traffic to M5...

[Northern-Monkey]

Left pink carpark about 10.30 last time, traffic for about 45mins then it was a free run home even through Bristol.