Taking Mum!

[amfy]

My mum and I have talked about her doing Glastonbury for years, and have decided that next year will be the one. She is 68 with pretty dodgy knees but we've thought it's not going to get any easier so lets just do it! In the daytime we'll carry those fold out chairs with us, and I've accepted that I'll have a very different Glastonbury to what I'm used to!

I'm trying to work out some details early so we know what we're up against and can plan stuff well in advance.

When we did Cambridge Folk Festival a couple of years ago, she stayed off site in a hotel with her husband and he picked her up each night except Sunday when she stopped in my tent. It was less tiring for her, and allowed her to recover better for each day of the festival.

How practical could this arrangement at Glastonbury? We worked out that trying to do it on Sunday night would be a non starter because so many will be leaving at that time, but it's OK for her to stay on site for one night - especially when all she'll be doing is going home the next day.

How easy might it be for her husband to pick her up on Friday and Saturday night to go off to a hotel and bring her back when she's ready the next day?

I've been to Glastonbury many times but have never had any cause to check out the logistics of this plan? Has anyone got any experience that might help? Meeting points? Anything?

If it could work it's a better plan for us than a camper van, but if not - I think we might be down the camper van route - though I've heard the walk to that bit is dreadful?

Thoughts? Anyone?

[Laura_Babs]

I think it is great that your mum wants to go and I am sure the two of you will have a great time.

I don't know much (well anything) about the Cambridge Folk Festival, but I would imagine it is a lot smaller than Glastonbury.

Although you can get off the site each day, I can imagine your mother would have quite a trek to do so. Her husband would have to pick her up from the drop off point I would guess which from what I remember, isn't very close! Also with the Glastonbury site being so big itself, she would have a pretty long walk from one side to the other, so just to get out may be a struggle.

Sorry, I sound really negative and don't mean to be but what might be easier is exploring the idea of staying on site in a tent as it will cut down on the walking at the end of a very tiring day! Perhaps you could get quite a big tent so you can have one of those camping beds in and with enough room to stand up, so your mum isn't having to bend over and crawl around the floor all the time! Not sure how comfy these camping beds are but at least it will save her knees! Alternatively I find the inflatable mattresses quite comfy, but there are nearer to the floor so may be more difficult for your mum.

The other advantage of course is that your mum can return to the tent for a rest in the daytime if she likes and doesn't have to depend on someone to pick her up and a specific time.

Not sure how many times you have been to Glastonbury before so you may already be aware of this if you have been, but if it rains the mud can be very tiring and difficult to navigate. My legs get very sore after trudging through it for hours. Your mum may find that it is a bit much for her knees. Of course the mud is worse in certain areas, generally the busy areas as people are walking through it a lot and making it worse, so it totally depends on what kind of things you and your mum wants to see.

I do think she should go for it if it is something she really wants to do. She will have a ball I'm sure and with careful planning it needn't be too difficult!!!

[bexj]

Have you thought about hiring a campervan? That might be the most comfortable way to go.

Good on your mum, she'll have a fab time

[Laura_Babs]

Have you thought about hiring a campervan? That might be the most comfortable way to go.

Good on your mum, she'll have a fab time

[Magic Bus]

hehe...I didn't think of a campervan. It seems the best idea! Take Bex advice!

[flibbitybob]

Aww you're so lucky having a mum who wants to go, my mum's in her 50s but says she doesn't want to! Pah.

So I don't have any experience of bringing mums, but I do have experience of bringing dodgy knees to a festival. I think the most important thing is to not underestimate the strain on the knees if it is muddy. So if the weather's looking like it won't be good, make sure she has knee supports if she uses them, and I would really advise getting one of the fold out chairs that doubles up as a stick with a handle... they're very easy and light to carry and an absolute godsend to rest your feet/knees when it's muddy. Also shoes with good grip! But anyway, this year it WON'T be muddy.

About leaving the site every night, I think this does sound like it would take a lot of doing. The amount of walking to and from the gates seems like it may not make it very worthwhile... but I don't have personal experience of this. A campervan sounds like a good idea to me, especially if there's an alternative to the dreaded Hill of Death!

[Magic Bus]

Aww you're so lucky having a mum who wants to go, my mum's in her 50s but says she doesn't want to! Pah.

So I don't have any experience of bringing mums, but I do have experience of bringing dodgy knees to a festival. I think the most important thing is to not underestimate the strain on the knees if it is muddy. So if the weather's looking like it won't be good, make sure she has knee supports if she uses them, and I would really advise getting one of the fold out chairs that doubles up as a stick with a handle... they're very easy and light to carry and an absolute godsend to rest your feet/knees when it's muddy. Also shoes with good grip! But anyway, this year it WON'T be muddy.

About leaving the site every night, I think this does sound like it would take a lot of doing. The amount of walking to and from the gates seems like it may not make it very worthwhile... but I don't have personal experience of this. A campervan sounds like a good idea to me, especially if there's an alternative to the dreaded Hill of Death!

Edited April 26, 2009 by Magic Bus

[paulo999]

The earlier suggestion of a full height tent and proper camp bed would be my recommendation.

Getting offsite really is alot of work. But if that's the only way she thinks she can do it, you might want to pitch your tent somewhere just down from PGA. That way there's a place to have a breather on the way to the bus station to get the shuttle to Bath & West showground where the pick up/drop off point is.

One other thing to bear in mind is the availability/cost of accomodation. Make some enquiries now if you haven't already.

Best of luck. My mum's about the same age, very fit indeed, and I wouldn't be able to get her anywhere near the farm!

[jollynolly]

What about hiring a pod pad or tepee? I know its expensive but if she was looking in to B and B's and hotels anyway it may not be!

The pod pads look quite comfortable

I've been to Cambridge and it's tiny compared to Glasto (one of the stage areas at Glasto is the same size as Cambridge)

The only other option may be to camp by the Jazz World as its flat and take a trolley with all your home comforts. Have you considered disabled camping by the farm? There's a great site called the Gorge that has fantastic information about being disabled at Glasto.

Good luck

Edited April 26, 2009 by jollynolly

[amfy]

Thanks everyone!

Having done both Glastonbury (x9) and Cambridge (x1) I had a good idea that gatting off site each night would be nowhere near as straightforward at Glastonbury and your responses kind of confirm what I already knew - that this idea is a non starter.

At Cambridge I only had a little tent and she didn't deal with the crawling in and out very well atall - but we do have a huge standing height 6 man tent now so it may well be better. Actually - our tent is very home from home now! Airbeds, washing line, makeshift loo (well lenor bottle!)

A muddy year will be the worst thing but thats a gamble we can't avoid. It's a case of accepting that we might not get so far if it ends up being a muddy one. I am tempted to explore the tent option with her because I honestly don't think campervans are so comfortable that they outweigh the extra walking!

It took me a while to want to take my mum because I know I won't be doing what I normally do, but I am quite excited about it now! I just know she'll love it!

[barnaby cringle]

At first glance at this threads title, I thought 'Mum' was some sort of Class A drug

Illegal drugs are no more legal on site, than off. There will be police on site. The Festival is not a good time to experiment with 'Mum'. The crowds, the noise and the sheer size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse. Also remember, drink and 'Mum' cocktails can be lethal.

[grumpyhack]

You've got a number of issues to address the biggest of which is walking.

I'd certainly try to camp on site to cut down the entry walk. She'd also have the added bonus of being able to go back to the tent for a rest. Powernaps are always useful no matter what your age.

A decent tent in which you can stand up helps a lot as does a gazebo,

A fold up chair is also useful both to sit on back at base and also to relax in on site between bands. Sitting on the grass is fine at a sunny Glasto but not so much fun in a mudbath.

[Greenish]

It took me a while to want to take my mum because I know I won't be doing what I normally do, but I am quite excited about it now! I just know she'll love it!