CV East v West...pros and cons?

[mickmcmicklemick]

Hi all

I've been in West campervan field for last 2 years, but i'm considering East this years as we tend to be in the SE corner after hours. The walk back to West can be a bit of a killer by monday morning! 

What are the pros and cons of each? Would East be better for those of us that enjoy late night shenanigans?! 

[grumpyhack]

I've only ever done CV East and I think you've answered your own question. For me the big thing is where you are most likely to be at the end of the night. A long walk in first thing is no problem. But at night you want the shortest trek home.

East has the much over-hyped Hill of Death, which is a steady climb from Ped Gate C.  But it's just a matter of taking it gently and pacing yourself.  And the view from the top is magnificent.

[mickmcmicklemick]

Ah yes, the Hill of Death! So its reputation is overstated??!

[Funkyfairy!]

Hill of Death is actually the hill of slight inconvenience. It has an ice cream van at the bottom which aids the climb at 5am after a night of partying

[mickmcmicklemick]

10 minutes ago, Funkyfairy! said:

Hill of Death is actually the hill of slight inconvenience. It has an ice cream van at the bottom which aids the climb at 5am after a night of partying

SOLD!! 

[Smeble]

It's definitely a hill of mild inconvenience rather than hill of death. Ice cream and the view more than make up for it. 

I didn't queue once to get in of a morning, but I still can't fathom out why they insist on the pass out slips, what do they do that the wristband and ticket don't do? they check your band and ticket so what use a is another bit of paper? 

[The Nal]

The hill is fine. 90 seconds walk. Its the 25 minutes after that to get back to the arse end of E15, 16 or 17 (if you end up there) which is the issue.

[Funkyfairy!]

Just now, The Nal said:

The hill is fine. 90 seconds walk. Its the 25 minutes after that to get back to the arse end of E15, 16 or 17 (if you end up there) which is the issue.

Is West much smaller Nal, and hence easier to get back in the evenings ?

[Avalon_Fields]

You can avoid the slightly steep direct path up the 'Hill of Death' by following the path round by the fence, as you can see from this photo taken from near the top, there's nothing to it really.

[The Nal]

38 minutes ago, Funkyfairy! said:

Is West much smaller Nal, and hence easier to get back in the evenings ?

Its about a 5th of the size but its over behind the Park. Depends where you end up in the evenings I suppose!

Regarding the "Hill of Death". Not much to it really. The hill to the back of Michaels Mead/Hitchin Hill is worse. 

[Funkyfairy!]

9 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Its about a 5th of the size but its over behind the Park. Depends where you end up in the evenings I suppose!

Regarding the "Hill of Death". Not much to it really. The hill to the back of Michaels Mead/Hitchin Hill is worse. 

That hill looks so tiny compared to when you're actually climbing it after a skinfull of cider .... I can see where the icecream van stop is lol

Its a bit like skiing, the hills always look worse than they actually are

[The Nal]

6 minutes ago, Funkyfairy! said:

That hill looks so tiny compared to when you're actually climbing it after a skinfull of cider ....

One of the Mondays recently I was walking down and a couple with way too much stuff who had obviously been already walking for a while were walking up the hill to leave. They looked knackered already and the girl got halfway up, collapsed on her arse and started bawling her eyes out crying. Partied out! They still had a right hike back to the car too.

[mickmcmicklemick]

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

The hill is fine. 90 seconds walk. Its the 25 minutes after that to get back to the arse end of E15, 16 or 17 (if you end up there) which is the issue.

Hmmm!! What time would you suggest getting there to avoid that scenario?! Would wednesday lunchtime already be too late?!!

[mungo57]

west: pro - smaller, less people con - further away from everything depending where you end up.

east: pro - bigger, more people (if you like that), closer to night area ie naughty corner con - HILL OF DEATH

[The Nal]

52 minutes ago, mickmcmicklemick said:

Hmmm!! What time would you suggest getting there to avoid that scenario?! Would wednesday lunchtime already be too late?!!

Wednesday lunch time is late enough these days yeah.

I got there on Tuesday at 5pm and got chucked into E17 one year. 20 mins + walk to the hill. 

Got there Tuesday at 2pm last time I had a van and got a great spot in E20 I think. 2 mins walk from the hill. 

Thankfully my CV days are over as the missus is full converted to the way of the tent. 

 

[Smeble]

1 hour ago, mickmcmicklemick said:

Hmmm!! What time would you suggest getting there to avoid that scenario?! Would wednesday lunchtime already be too late?!!

Totally depends what order they fill the fields in, this year I joined the queue northbound on the A37 at 6pm on the Tuesday. Got in at 0330 on the wed morning and put in E17, they didn't start filling E19 which is closer, until daytime Wednesday.

[DeanoL]

2 hours ago, Smeble said:

It's definitely a hill of mild inconvenience rather than hill of death. Ice cream and the view more than make up for it. 

I didn't queue once to get in of a morning, but I still can't fathom out why they insist on the pass out slips, what do they do that the wristband and ticket don't do? they check your band and ticket so what use a is another bit of paper? 

I'd imagine the ticket checks are a bit less stringent - in terms of checking photo likeness, do they even UV test it?

[Kizzie]

36 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

I'd imagine the ticket checks are a bit less stringent - in terms of checking photo likeness, do they even UV test it?

Yep, they do.

[Platt073]

Stayed in East 4 times, then west last year,  it was no closer and miles further to Acoustic , Pyramid and Avalon.

It's east for us this year!

[The other Bellboy]

4 hours ago, Platt073 said:

Stayed in East 4 times, then west last year,  it was no closer and miles further to Acoustic , Pyramid and Avalon.

It's east for us this year!

Tried West this year, none of us liked it, so going back to East this year. Always found the walk back longer than any of the ones we have had in the East, plus you feel isolated from the festival in the West. In the East you are part of the festival longer on the way out and then you get the view and hear the sounds from the top of the hill on the way in.

That photo of the hill makes me wonder why we always find it so hard to go up every year, looks nothing on the photo, but more of a challenge in reality;) 

[Smeble]

7 hours ago, DeanoL said:

I'd imagine the ticket checks are a bit less stringent - in terms of checking photo likeness, do they even UV test it?

Yes they do, every time I went in, wristband checked, ticket UV tested, pass out slip barely glanced at. That's why I don't see the point of it, of the 3 it was given the least attention.

[dizzymoo]

Stayed on west side last year and hated the walk in - or 40 min yomp to get to the cabaret tent in time for Marcus Brigstocke on Sunday morning.  Am also convinced the long distance trudged over metal tracks caused most of the crippling damage to my feet last year.  Went back to east side this year and it was vastly better, even though we were in E17.  The fabulous view from the top of the Hill of Death is absolutely worth the climb.  At night it looks like The Garden of Earthly Delights (minus  the Black Death and disembowelling)

[MrMac]

There is a cure for those in the West campervan fields worried about the long walk home... just pop into the Bimble Inn or Rabbit Hole for one last beer before bed.