Newbie getting Stressed with some questions.

[Boordy]

Hi All first timer here, and some stupid questions i have are starting to stress me out. So stopped lurking and decided to post.

1. Whats the actual postcode i should enter in the satnav, coming from the north.

2.What would you do if your car broke down on the way to the festival?

3. How safe are the lockups, can i just put a bag with my wallet car keys cash etc inside, in there. 

4.  Were setting off at 8pm tuesday from wakefield (as i dont want to be shattered when driving) its this gonna be too early?

Any input much appreciated

Brody.

[Boordy]

5. How much realistically do people spend? i have 75 quid a day budgeted and worried it wont be enough.

 

Sorry im stressing out, 

 

 

[incident]

1. Depends if you want to park on the East or West - TA11 7DP for the East, BA6 9XE for the West. Both of those are deliberately set some distance from the site - your Sat Nav won't get you all the way. But those postcodes are chosen to get you well within range of the Festival specific road signs and you're best off following those as soon as you start seeing them as your Sat Nav won't know about any diversions / road closures / one way systems.

2. Call the AA/RAC/whoever you're signed up with? Not sure it'd be any different to whatever you'd normally do.

3. I'd have full trust in them. I believe there's been no recorded examples of things getting lost/stolen, which is kind of amazing considering how long they've been around for and how much stuff passes through them.

4. I guess you'd arrive by about 1am? The Car Parks will be open then so you can start queueing then if you're desperate to be one of the first on site, or sleep in the car for a bit if you value your rest (I'd go for the sleep).

[Boordy]

1 minute ago, incident said:

2. Call the AA/RAC/whoever you're signed up with? Not sure it'd be any different to whatever you'd normally do.

Thanks for the reply, But do i get them to take me home? or to the festival.

[bexj]

Hi wakey-person,  I'm not far from Wakefield,  just nr Barnsley! 

1. Put Glastonbury in to your sat navigation,  the signs will start before you get there. 

2. Get some breakdown cover sorted. Where they take you will depend on your recovery package

3. You can put whatever you like in a lockup,  from a key to a trolley.  Just don't lose your ticket.   The lockups have been going for donkeys years and are 100% safe. 

4.  We usually set off about 3am and get there for just after 9, when the queues have died down.  It could be a long night in the car... But each to their own! 

5. Depends what you plan to buy.  If you take your own booze then 75 per day is more than enough.  

Don't stress though,  it'll all be OK! 

Edited June 19, 2016 by bexj

[incident]

17 minutes ago, Boordy said:

Thanks for the reply, But do i get them to take me home? or to the festival.

I don't think anyone can really answer that for you.

You'll have to make a judgement call depending on the precise circumstances - what your coverage says, how far you are into the journey, what time it is, how important it is to you that you arrive before gates open, and what's wrong with the car.

[mandolin]

First of all, breathe!  Don't panic!  You are about to have the time of your life so relax into it.  The answers to your questions aren't as simple as you'd like them to be but I'll do my best and I'm sure others will then step in with the bits I've missed, the bits I've got wrong and other/better advice generally.

1. The actual post code you need depends upon which side of the site you want to end up on.  We've always gone to east (we live in Sheffield so come from the north too) and travelled down through Bristol onto the A37(?) until we start seeing the signs for whatever coloured route we've been told to head for with our car parking or campervan pass (depending on the year).  Others do the motorway to the west side of the site and come in that way - never saw the benefit of that personally as long as you are not trying to drive through Bristol in rush hour.  In some ways the postcode can be a distraction as your satnav won't be aware of the road closures near the site at the time of your arrival.
2. Not trying to sound smart here but join the AA (other services are available), or do what you would do if you broke down anywhere.  I'm right with you on trying to get to the festival at the earliest possible opportunity but, in reality, it is not the end of the world if you get there later than planned.  There are teachers and others on here who can't get there until the Friday and still manage to have a wonderful time.
3. The lock ups are incredibly safe.  I've never heard of anything being stolen or lost from them - even when people have just put passports or cash in them (make sure that they are in sealed envelopes though).  A bag with your valuables would be as safe in there as they would be if you'd left them at home or locked in the boot of your car and certainly a lot safer than if you were carrying them around with you.  
4. If you leave Wakefield at 12 and drive without a break you will probably be there around 3.30 or 4 in the morning (maybe earlier because you won't get much traffic until - maybe, possibly, I don't know - you get close to the site.  You could sleep in the car or join the queue at that point.  People will have all sorts of different advice on this and it depends a lot on why you want to get in so early.  I have never done this, and can't imagine that I ever will - absolutely cannot see the point - but others will definitely have a different point of view otherwise there wouldn't be people queuing throughout the night.  Honestly, my advice would be to leave Wakefield later and avoid the queues at the gate but only you know what would suit you best.

Whatever you choose to do you will (hopefully) have a fantastic time and discover  the wonderfulness that all of us here have become somewhat addicted to.  Would love it if you would post back on here after the festival to let us know what you thought.

Edited to say:. Sorry, completely got the time you were intending to leave wrong - in my head you were leaving at the time you would actually arrive by leaving at 8.  Therefore, exactly what @incident said.

Edited June 19, 2016 by mandolin
Screwed up!

[Jamie G]

If your group isn't to large and you aren't to fussed about having a favourite camping spot then I would opt for early morning Wednesday leave..... Say 6am you will still be in and set up for 1pm but with a full nights sleep under your belt. Maybe it's just me at 40 but you can keep all night queuing and sleeping in the car. Have a great festival and like others have said just relax and enjoy. It will work itself out. 

[Flysheet]

13 hours ago, Boordy said:

Thanks for the reply, But do i get them to take me home? or to the festival.

You got a dodgy car?

[Boordy]

8 hours ago, Flysheet said:

You got a dodgy car?

Its not dodgy, just a strange rattle appeared then disappeared when i took it to the garage.

So im slightly worried about getting there. (Im the only driver of the group, and the only car) Getting back im not worried about. AA can do that for me 

 

[AnnaGrant]

Hi. I'm in Sheffield and chose to go round Birmingham, onto the M42 and down the M5, A37 through Street and Glastonbury to get to the West car parks. Whether you chose West or East car parks may be influenced by where you want to camp. I have always camped Pennards/Dairy side of the railway line so West car park makes more sense to me. You would enter through pedestrian gate D. I have used the lock ups and they take all items, from trolleys and empty rucksacks to valuables like cash, bank cards, keys and ID. Every night I put my valuables in the lock up and get them back in the morning. You can keep cash there and use it like a cash point. Do remember to make a donation to the charity that runs it though.

Have a brilliant time.

[Boordy]

5 minutes ago, AnnaGrant said:

Hi. I'm in Sheffield and chose to go round Birmingham, onto the M42 and down the M5, A37 through Street and Glastonbury to get to the West car parks. Whether you chose West or East car parks may be influenced by where you want to camp. I have always camped Pennards/Dairy side of the railway line so West car park makes more sense to me. You would enter through pedestrian gate D. I have used the lock ups and they take all items, from trolleys and empty rucksacks to valuables like cash, bank cards, keys and ID. Every night I put my valuables in the lock up and get them back in the morning. You can keep cash there and use it like a cash point. Do remember to make a donation to the charity that runs it though.

Have a brilliant time.

So the backpack has to be empty to use the lockup? Cant i just fill my rucksack with valuables then put it into the lockup

[musky]

52 minutes ago, Boordy said:

So the backpack has to be empty to use the lockup? Cant i just fill my rucksack with valuables then put it into the lockup

You can put pretty much what you like in there.

Empty or full, they'll be happy to take your rucksack.

[davidishere]

the lockups are super safe..always supervised

[bexj]

Hey Boordy, dont worry so much, get a grin on your face and have the time of your life . Don't forget to come back here and tell us about it!

[Boordy]

1 hour ago, bexj said:

Hey Boordy, dont worry so much, get a grin on your face and have the time of your life . Don't forget to come back here and tell us about it!

I will do thanks for the helpful advice, All gear laid out ready to pack tomorrow. Hope you all have a good time tooo Cannot wait.

[AnnaGrant]

3 hours ago, Boordy said:

So the backpack has to be empty to use the lockup? Cant i just fill my rucksack with valuables then put it into the lockup

You can put whatever you want in lock ups and rucksacks don't have to be empty. I like to leave my empty rucksack in the lock up for the duration of the festival a) to make room in my tent b- to stop it being used as a convenient bag in case of tent thieves. From memory you are given an envelope to put small valuables in. The lock ups are big marquees with open shelving, and smaller storage for valuables. You can also store valuables in your rucksack, but it is quicker for staff to get the smaller envelope than a big rucksack. You will find the most convenient way to use the lock ups for yourself. 

[Joshuwarr]

My friend's car broke down around 3 miles from the festival site in 2011. Green Flag took ages to turn up and when they did they only dropped us slightly up the road. We then got soaked by a passing truck that drove through a puddle too fast and then had to walk the entire journey to the site in the rain. The sun came out and it was glorious (briefly). A horribly stressful experience and is partly why I've never arrived by car since, but it's certainly made for a great story to tell others...

[Twisted Melon]

On 19 June 2016 at 10:12 PM, Boordy said:

Thanks for the reply, But do i get them to take me home? or to the festival.

My car broke down about 5 miles from the site in 2010. The AA towed me onsite where they had a pop up garage. They repaired it at the festival and it was all ready for the trip home.

[Flysheet]

Don't read the muddy car parks thread then

[Boordy]

Well heres my update Guys. Wow, i have been to other festivals, and Glastonbury was just so much better, i heard it was. But it just kept getting Bigger and bigger, every new thing i found blew my mind.

Camped In park Home next to Acardia, was great.

Beat Hotel/The common were my fav venues.

Foals/Alan Fitz/Fourtet/Fat Boy Slim My Highlights of the week (Mainly a Blur)

My car Did not break down, (Despite the noise returning as more weight got into the car) but disappeared again into the motorway

My Only Grudge is how foul the water was? Does it all taste like that down south.... Haha

Hope you All Had an amazing Time too.

[incident]

44 minutes ago, Boordy said:

My Only Grudge is how foul the water was? Does it all taste like that down south.... Haha

It's got extra chlorine added to it - you can either evaporate it off or use a water bottle with a filter built in which should get the taste back to normal.

I've not noticed it myself, but a few years ago someone told me that the chlorine levels can vary quite significantly depending on where you are on site - some places they didn't notice it, some places they couldn't drink the water.