Probably been asked a gazilion times before

[Funkyfairy!]

OK, a little bit of background. We are thinking of hiring a campervan this year for a few reasons. 1 not having to lug stuff to the campsite, more luxuries (at our age) plus friends we went with last year are trailer tenting this year

I loved camping last year but hubby not so keen (I just treated it as a huge adventure) and to save the earbashing this year I am thinking of a quiet(er) life in a campervan

I am a little gutted as it will mean all the new camping stuff/rucksacks we bought last year will not be needed :-(

Just a few questions

1 Can we have an awning up (not to sleep in) as we've found a fairly small CV to hire at a reasonable price but more space would be had with awning

2 Where is the entrance to the festival from CV's. I can;t envisage where it is (just rough area ok )

3 Can we pitch a tent behind/beside the cv for friends (or me if I want to have my own adventure )

4 Are the cv fields friendly like camping

5 tickets all bought and paid for - can we still buy a cv ticket ?

6 Everyone says ooo the queue's are bad getting into the festival each day - how bad is bad ? We don;t normally nip back to the tent so shouldn;t imagine we'll be nipping back to the cv either throughout the day

Never been campervanning before so cannot imagine it .........

Cheers

Funkyfairy !

[jameshunt]

1. Yes. Awning no problem. (we sleep in ours, even though it ends up pitched between vans - just don't tell anyone )

2. If you get a CV ticket for East side ( the usual CV fields) then Ped. Gate C is the quickest to get to, but you could walk up the lane and go in PG-B (from memory) if you want. There is a field on the West side that they planned on using last year but didn't although it does seem to be a goer this time around. Then you'd enter via the gate near the bus dropping off point I think.

3. Yes. It depends on grabbing enough space when you are parked up by the stewards, but a tent is not normally a problem.

4. Yes, but much quieter in my experience. Friendly enough neighbours but not a lot going on usually. It's a good place to chill, have a great breakfast and then set off for the day.

5. That I don't know. Give Seetickets a ring and see if they have sold out yet. Failing that you could try to find someone who bought one but have changed their mind as they are not tied to festival tickets/registrations/photos etc.

6. Not usually that bad as you'll use the pass/out-in queues not the longer one for initially getting your wristband. We almost never return during the day as it can be a fair old walk. So don't leave all your rucksacks/backpacks at home as you'll need something for your day supplies, wet weather gear etc. It is a good idea to drop off a pack at one of the 24 hour lockups for those things rather than carry them around the festival all day. Then check them out when/if you need them.

Don't leave all you other camping gear at home either as cooking outside on a glorious sunny morning is much better than being stuck in the van.

Good luck!

edit: typo

Edited January 27, 2010 by jameshunt

[Funkyfairy!]

1. Yes. Awning no problem. (we sleep in ours, even though it ends up pitched between vans - just don't tell anyone )

2. If you get a CV ticket for East side ( the usual CV fields) then Ped. Gate C is the quickest to get to, but you could walk up the lane and go in PG-B (from memory) if you want. There is a field on the West side that they planned on using last year but didn't although it does seem to be a goer this time around. Then you'd enter via the gate near the bus dropping off point I think.

OK I am a girl- therefore have no sense of direction? When I enter via B or C where am I at the festival ? which stage/field would I be near? I don;t even know which gate we went into last year, or what ide we were :-)

3. Yes. It depends on grabbing enough space when you are parked up by the stewards, but a tent is not normally a problem.

4. Yes, but much quieter in my experience. Friendly enough neighbours but not a lot going on usually. It's a good place to chill, have a great breakfast and then set off for the day.

5. That I don't know. Give Seetickets a ring and see if they have sold out yet. Failing that you could try to find someone who bought one but have changed their mind as they are not tied to festival tickets/registrations/photos etc.

6. Not usually that bad as you'll use the pass/out-in queues not the longer one for initially getting your wristband. We almost never return during the day as it can be a fair old walk. So don't leave all your rucksacks/backpacks at home as you'll need something for your day supplies, wet weather gear etc. It is a good idea to drop off a pack at one of the 24 hour lockups for those things rather than carry them around the festival all day. Then check them out when/if you need them.

Great idea re lockups. Normally just carry cross over body bag, tied onto wet weather jacket and cardigan - was ok last year, fingers crossed for this year too

Don't leave all you other camping gear at home either as cooking outside on a glorious sunny morning is much better than being stuck in the van.

Good luck!

edit: typo

[jameshunt]

Thanks a a lot

[Funkyfairy!]

re: "OK I am a girl- therefore have no sense of direction? When I enter via B or C where am I at the festival ? which stage/field would I be near? I don;t even know which gate we went into last year, or what ide we were :-)"

PG-C takes you in near the bottom of the Acoustic Stage & Kids' field (well they are a five minute walk or so from PG-C if you head straight on and then veer right a bit). Another 5-10 minutes walk straight down the drag and you'll have passed the bakery & one of the 24 hour lock-ups on your left hand side, passed where Leftfield used to be and will have arrived at the Pyramid stage.

If you turn left when you've gotten in PG-C (well after a couple of hundred yards anyway) you'll go through the circus field and head up to Avalon, Jazzworld & the Green Fields etc.

PG-B takes you in further up - ie. above the original Family camping field and nearer the farm itself.

We always go in and out through PG-C as it's nice to have a pint or two of real ale if the Red Flag bar in the Acoustic Field is open (Thurs lunchtime onwards).

[jameshunt]

Brilliant thank you - I can now visualise. I sat (layedand lolled) outside the acoustic with real ale all Thursday afternoon last year - twas a lovely afternoon

[paulo999]

...There is a field on the West side...

[grumpyhack]

We're trailer tenting this year for the first time in Campervan West but we'll also take a small tent to pitch up in Home Ground where all our old friends camp so we'll have a social centre and place to stretch out by day.