Tangerine Fields - anybody used 'em?

[James Bolivar]

For various reasons, I am considering using Tangerine Fields next year at Glastonbury, has anybody else here used them? If so, are they any good? What are the facilities like? What's security like? How far is it to get to stuff?

All help much appreciated.

[markeee]

never used them..but it'll be off site so you'll have to trek in and out of the site each day and go past security etc i believe

[James Bolivar]

We had the same problem last year in the CV fields. Security was a formality, but the walk in and out was pretty demanding.

[Craigston]

I know you get to keep the tent but they look expensive to me compared to the onsite tipis which are in an almost infinitely better location.

*edit* reading the FAQ's you Dont! Seems very overpriced and it would be a right hike compared to the tipis in the heart of park which would cut down your festival time.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Craigston

[beesboy]

Last year we stayed on a campsite just a bit further out from Tangerine Fields. It was really a workers campsite but is also a permanent site for some people year round. We loved it as our grass was still green at the end of the week when there was only mud on the festival site. The fact that it had a proper hot shower and numerous portaloos probably helped. I believe this to be the case in Tangerine Fields too!

Granted there was a bit of a walk in and out each day but this was never really a problem. We were lucky as we had a pass to drive around the local roads so were able to make daily trips to Tesco's for extra booze etc. But staying off site definitely wasn't the big hassle that most people suggest/believe.

Edited September 20, 2012 by beesboy

[James Bolivar]

Thanks Beesboy.

Craigston - I don't believe you do get to keep the tent, not that I'd want to lug a four-man tent home anyway; it is just expensive! That said, the tipis are four times (x4) the price; so hardly cheaper. And, apart from the location, the tipis don't offer any additional facilities. The tipis cost nearly £1000 and even split six ways that's nearly as much as the cheapest Tangerine tent for just one. Even if I knew five other people who wanted to go, I wouldn't want to cuddle up with them all for a week.

As Beesboy said - the lack of mud and the hot showers (and decent toilets) are what makes this so appealing; that and the fact that I can turn up later.

[beesboy]

I've got to say we felt thoroughly spolit with our little campsite. The guy that runs it had had some hassle from Glastonbury and wasn't sure if it would still be available next year. If it is we are definitely going back. And we've hired a campervan for this year!

Our biggest concern was always that we had to go through security every day and literally only one of us over the 5 days had a cursory search of a bag done. There were 15 of us staying at this site. There were never any queues in or out and as long as you're organised with what you take in each day, and make use of the free lockers for a change of clothes for the evening, then it's simple as peas!!

We had considered the Tipi's for this year but I don't really think they're value for money, and it did feel good to wake up off site every day next to our car, and cook our own breakfast.

[Craigston]

Craigston - I don't believe you do get to keep the tent, not that I'd want to lug a four-man tent home anyway; it is just expensive! That said, the tipis are four times (x4) the price; so hardly cheaper. And, apart from the location, the tipis don't offer any additional facilities. The tipis cost nearly £1000 and even split six ways that's nearly as much as the cheapest Tangerine tent for just one. Even if I knew five other people who wanted to go, I wouldn't want to cuddle up with them all for a week.

As Beesboy said - the lack of mud and the hot showers (and decent toilets) are what makes this so appealing; that and the fact that I can turn up later.

[eFestivals]

£30 a night isn't that bad and comparable with a travel lodge

apart from comfort, warmth, and facilities of course.

[5co77ie]

I camped beside Tangerine Fields when I arrived early at Bestival one year, and watched them filling all their tents with buckets of disinfectant before leaving them to dry out. It kind of put me off them.

[James Bolivar]

I guess it depends how big your party is whether it's economical or not and of course your budget.

[eFestivals]

As I said, sort of, the party is just me. If my wife were going, we would probably hire a campervan again - that worked out OK last year - but I don't drive and a van is getting on for tipi prices.

where a van has a big advantage tho - which saves you money - is that you're able to feed yourself (breakfast, at least), have morning coffee, etc, and have as much alcohol handy as you want (and take it in each day if you want to) .... I've found that the festival spends of myself and my better half have just about been cut in half since we bought a campervan before last summer, which (particularly with the number of fests we do, about 8 each summer) isn't insignificant ..... by the end of next summer the campervan will have paid for itself via what we've not spent inside festivals.

OK, I'm a wimp for giving up the tent for a campervan, and it has the big disadvantage of always being further away from the centre of any festival than I'd be in a tent (which is why I'd shyed away from getting one sooner) ..... but I've done hundreds of festivals over the years in a tent, and I'm now officially an old git who likes his comforts.

[James Bolivar]

where a van has a big advantage tho - which saves you money - is that you're able to feed yourself (breakfast, at least), have morning coffee, etc, and have as much alcohol handy as you want (and take it in each day if you want to) .... I've found that the festival spends of myself and my better half have just about been cut in half since we bought a campervan before last summer, which (particularly with the number of fests we do, about 8 each summer) isn't insignificant ..... by the end of next summer the campervan will have paid for itself via what we've not spent inside festivals.

OK, I'm a wimp for giving up the tent for a campervan, and it has the big disadvantage of always being further away from the centre of any festival than I'd be in a tent (which is why I'd shyed away from getting one sooner) ..... but I've done hundreds of festivals over the years in a tent, and I'm now officially an old git who likes his comforts.

[beesboy]

Definitely agree with this point about campervans. We've hired a 6 berth for next year between 5 of us which is a bit pricey, but when you consider how much that will save us and the additional comfort that it offers I think it's a price worth paying.

We're not students or 20 somethings, but instead are all older working people who can afford to pay a bit more to improve our festival experience, and staying outside of the festival site definitely has certain appeals.

Aren't there companies that will deliver campervans to Glastonbury and then drive them away at the end of the week? That might work for you James, even as a non driver! Not sure how expensive it would be though for just 1 person.

[James Bolivar]

Aren't there companies that will deliver campervans to Glastonbury and then drive them away at the end of the week? That might work for you James, even as a non driver! Not sure how expensive it would be though for just 1 person.

[Mrs*E*]

i was looking at camper van prices and thinking that's a lot to pay for just sleeping in, now my brother is going complete with caravan and all the goodies that entails - tis looking like luxury, btw do you go in via the hill of death? from C/V areas?

[eFestivals]

i was looking at camper van prices and thinking that's a lot to pay for just sleeping in

That had been my take for many years, because I couldn't justify having both a car and the campervan, and I felt I still needed a car for the long journeys I sometimes have to do.

But having shacked up with a lovely lady with her own car that I can use if need be, I felt able to sell my car and have just the campervan (I don't need a vehicle for work as I work at home) ... and as I got an LPG conversion done (£900) on the campervan, what might have been a very expensive vehicle to use as an occasional runaround now costs me less to run than the car I got rid of did.

The camper cost me more to buy (£2.7K) than I normally spend on a cheapish car, but as it holds its value that wasn't a big deal. And, from my occasional jaunts around the more-hippie parts of Bristol I've seen decent-ish vans for sale for about half what I paid, costing around just £1500.

A campervan wouldn't suit everyone, but they don't have to be as unrealistic as everyone might be thinking.

btw do you go in via the hill of death? from C/V areas?

yup. 2011 was the one and only time I've used the East side of the site for entering the fest, and I've got to say that that hill is far less bad than it's reputation, and I felt less detached from the main festival site than I'd thought too - as it happened, I was actually nearer to West Holts (where I tend to be) than I'd been in a tent at the previous Glasto.

Edited September 20, 2012 by eFestivals
correcting a typo

[Spindles]

sometimes I just want a rest sometime late afternoon, even a change of clothes for the cooler weather, so a short walk to our tent is very handy.

[Mrs*E*]

That had been my take for many years, because I couldn't justify having both a car and the campervan, and I felt I still needed a car for the long journeys I sometimes have to do.

But having shacked up with a lovely lady with her own car that I can use if need be, I felt able to sell my car and have just the campervan (I don't need a vehicle for work as I work at home) ... and as I got an LPG conversion done (£900) on the campervan, what might have been a very expensive vehicle to use as an occasional runaround now costs me less to run than the car I got rid of did.

The camper cost me more to buy (£2.7K) than I normally spend on a cheapish car, but as it holds its value that wasn't a big deal. And, from my occasional jaunts around the more-hippie parts of Bristol I've seen decent-ish vans for sale for about half what I paid, costing around just £1500.

A campervan wouldn't suit everyone, but they don't have to be as unrealistic as everyone might be thinking.

yup. 2011 was the one and only time I've used the East side of the site for entering the fest, and I've got to say that that hill is far less bad than it's reputation, and I felt less detached from the main festival site than I'd thought too - as it happened, I was actually nearer to West Holts (where I tend to be) than I'd been in a tent at the previous Glasto.