Dilemma!?!?!

[Tim2006]

Hi everyone

Well not had the best start to the morning even if the sun is shining and it's generally a glorious day...

Got a phone call off a mate asking when we reckon we want to get to the site. Basically,we have the chance to stay with some friends on the Wednesday night after work who live about 5 mins away from the site. However, we also want to try camping somewhere different this year and have set our minds on the Park Home Ground.

Had a little heated debate (not really argument!) as to whether it was best to head straight to Glasto after work, probably arriving at around 11pm/midnight and (hopefully) having more of a chance of getting some space at Park Home or staying over with mates and heading to the site around 7.30am on Thursday morning.

So this is the dilemma...

Would it be best to go straight to Glasto on Wednesday arriving at around 11pm/midnight and head to Park Home ground (bearing in mind we'd be setting up tents in the dark).

or would we still be able to get into Park Home if we got to site around 7.30am on Thursday morning (bearing in mind the length of time it takes to park and get to the actual camping spot!)?

Any help would be much appreciated...!

Edited April 19, 2009 by Tim2006

[joshwarrr]

tough one.

we always arrive weds, usually morning. There is a steady flow of people all day weds, but there is always lots more tents when you wake up on thursday morning then there were weds night.

i think it might be worth going at night, just to be sure.

[Paul ™]

Wednesday night, then you don't miss as much

[Laura_Babs]

Pesonally I would get there on the Wed. It is difficult to say if you'll find somewhere on the Thurs in Park Home but there will be more chance if you go on the Wed. If it doesn't really bother you and you won't mind camping elsewhere then come on the Wed and have a night at your mates house.

[Mardy]

yeah, it might be a pain putting the tent up in the dark, but just imagine how great it will be on thursday morning sticking your head out the tent and knowing you're there and it's done.

[joshwarrr]

theres also the weather to take into account. if your arrive in the dead of night and its pissing it down (although it won't be *touches wood*) your tent will get soaked inside.

could be a play it by ear thang.

[Funkfarley]

go wednesday. No doubt about it.

[Laura_Babs]

theres also the weather to take into account. if your arrive in the dead of night and its pissing it down (although it won't be *touches wood*) your tent will get soaked inside.

could be a play it by ear thang.

[joshwarrr]

Good point! But then how does that compare with having to put your tent up when it has bee pouring and the ground is all muddy and horrible? It's genuine question as I have only ever put ours up in the dry before and on hard and grassy ground!

[Laura_Babs]

That's a fair point!

I really don't like the idea of putting my tent up it had been raining previously though and having to put it up in the mud.

Both sound bad. Lets hope for sunshine.

[joshwarrr]

Lets hope for sunshine.

[r0cky]

No need for hope because its definatley going to happen.

[joshwarrr]

Let's hope so. Although did you tempt fate in the other thread (re: bring it on weather)?

Putting up camp in the rain must be a terrible experience. Fortunately I've only ever done it in light drizzle before.

[Josie's Cat]

If it's dry - Wednesday DEFINITELY, there's no way I could sleep at a mate's knowing I could be at a festival!

But yeah, if it is raining it's going to suck big hairy ones trying to put up the tent - and it will be muddy anyway, wed or Thurs.

You could get there earlier than 7.30 on Thursday though, couldn't you, if it (blasphemy) was to be raining. Like, 5 ish? It will be light and you'll get a jump on other Thursday arrivals.

[flibbitybob]

I think play it by ear with the weather. But in almost every situation, the answer is to come as early as possible.

If I were you I'd definitely come on the Wednesday night, you get a whole 8(ish) hours of extra Glastonbury time!! And, as has been said, there really do seem to be way more tents on the Thursday morning than the Wednesday night...

[Rainy day woman]

Erm Wednesday without question. Why would you want to stay at your mates only 5 minutes away when you could be enjoying one of the best nights of your life. Wednesday night at Glastonbury is f**kin ace.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Rainy day woman

[Icewulf]

If you don't come down on the Wednesday, you'll be missing an opportunity to mingle

[scappaflow]

Go on the Wed night.

Thursday will prob have nightmare queues and clearly you won't get as good a spot. Ok... it'll be dark getting set up but you'll manage it and just think how good you will feel on Thursday morning, getting up and kicking about the site seeing the fully laden people trekking to the far reaches of the sight looking for a spot!!

[Chocscoffer]

I've no idea on how quickly Park Home fills up but I would definately say the Wednesday night. I've put up tents in the pitch dark with only the use of a small head torch before now so it is definately do-able. Also, the campsites are pretty well lit so this should help you find somewhere, if not grab a campsite steward.

I would still on the Wednesday night irrespective of the weather. It may take a couple of minutes more to stick your tent up but as long as it is outer pitching first it won't matter. If it's inner pitching first then get a new tent

I wouldn't want to miss a minute!

[muddyslingbax]

Erm Wednesday without question. Why would you want to stay at your mates only 5 minutes away when you could be enjoying one of the best nights of your life. Wednesday night at Glastonbury is f**kin ace.

[JoeBananass]

I'd go for Wednesday night for sure. Got to the glade 2006 at night, and it was fine putting up the tents with head torches - its not a big problem. Probably a pain if you have normal torches though

[BIG question @ Glasto]

I too would go with Wednesday night. We did this last year.

The queues into the car park were non existant.

By the time we got to where our group had pitched up it was about 11pm. Had the tent up before midnight. With all the activity and camp fires around it is relatively light and fairly simple to set up camp.

Whatever you do, hope it works well for you.

[lianne and craig]

I camped at park home ground last year and i didnt arrive until 9 a.m on the thursday and i found that there was plenty of space there, however it maybe different this year. Where i was camped was really light during the night due to the stringed light bulbs along the pathways, so you should be ok if you get there night time on the wednesday, as long as you camp a few tents in from the lights, if not, head torches may be a good idea when putting up ur tent?

Also when we arrived on the thursday morning, we got straight in, no queues, but again thats pot luck too.

[grumpyhack]

Alternative approach. Take a day off work. Stay with your mate Tuesday night and get on site on Wednesday morning.

[amfy]

My contribution....

We've camped around the Park Home Ground area for the past couple of years and had no problems getting a space when we arrived on Thursday afternoon (about 4 pm) - and our tent is huge!

Also - we arrived in Friday morningin 1997 when it was so muddy you could barely stand up - but it made no difference whatsoever to getting tents up. Putting your tent up in the rain is rubbish though - especailly if the inside goes up first (which ours does)

BUT - I'd still go Wednesday if you can - Glastonbury goes so quick! I've been begging mu other half to go that day earlier for years and he's finally convinced! Can't wait!