Best for kids?

[congopowers]

THIS is the oven.

[piltonpoppet]

If I remember correctly I think its there all year round (just off the old railway), I might walk the dog up there this weekend and see if I can take a few pics.

[neilloggie]

Is it near the permaculture house?

[salvador wali]

Thanks everybody for the replies. So what iv'e gleaned from the replies is. Educate and be open. Theatre and circus will be fun. Don't hang at any stage too long and give the older two a bit of freedom (after the educated drug talk i guess) Thanks guys, i fu***ng love this forum

[Woppa]

While this thread is knocking around, I may as well ask. Anyone who has brought kids before, which field did you stay in and when did you arrive? I don't really want to arrive too early and have a couple of days to kill, but I don't want to arrive too late and have nowhere to pitch the (necessarily) bigger tent than usual we'll be bringing.

Last two times, we (with no kids those times) arrived wednesday late afternoon and there was nearly no camping left. With no kids, we obviously didn't camp in family camping, but I'd like to know if family camping fills up in a similar vein to the rest of the site.

[congopowers]

in 2009, we arrived mid-day on the Wednesday and camped at Cockmill Meadow, there was lots of space when we arrived, but was rammed by Friday..

in 2010, we arrived first thing on the Wednesday, queued for over 6 hours to get off the carpark, and by the time we got in Cockmill meadow was full.. with very few families on there, I think people had just holed up there in an effort to get pitched and watch the Football.. which was annoying!, we had a short but stressful "adventure" trying to find somewhere for 2 families ended up in the usual squeeze into a postage stamp space scenario but then found the 2nd family field, wicket ground, which was virtually empty.. even on Friday night there was enough space between tents to have a game of football if we wanted (which we didn't)..

If I could choose in advance.. Cockmill meadow would be first choice, for its location and atmosphere but it depends how well stewarded they are as to how populated with families they are and how quickly they fill up.

hope this helps!

edit - if you're into the Dance Village and the Peel tent has a good line up.. then obviously the location bit is probably irrelevant!

Edited March 3, 2013 by congopowers

[Woppa]

I was looking at Wicket Ground as our first choice, actually, as we'll be coming from North West of the site and we usually get corralled in through gate A or D. I stayed there my first year in 2005, too (when it wasn't family camping), so it's got a place in my heart anyway.

We arrived from the east in 2010 too (long story) and I was considering bringing the kids in 2011, so I checked on the status of cockmill meadow, and yeah it was full early doors. Part of the reason I was targetting Wicket Ground

This year we're looking at arriving Thursday mid morning. Anyone reckon Wicket Ground will be ok still then? (Sounds like it might be...)

Thanks for the info. Very useful.

[congopowers]

looking at the aerial<sp? I've typed that about 5 different ways and none of them look correct> shots from 2011, Wicket and Cockmill both seemed to have plenty of space left so hopefully they've got the stewarding sorted..

in both years there were lots of groups of young people, early to mid teens who I think were probably nervous of the main sites so used the family fields as a bit of a security blanket which was a good thing.. you didn't feel too detached from the festival as a whole..

[Woppa]

Never thought of doing that. Cheers. Aerial is right.

[Nyika]

Take the younger two to see the stone dragon at the stone circle. Absolutely loved seeing kids splashing around him in 2011. The pirate ship in the Greenpeace field looks rather epic too.

[Guest]

Thanks Tony,

Agree with the sentiments of your comments, but think you may have confused me with the OP. Unlike the OP who is taking their own 4 kids, I am taking my 2 nieces.

As I am not their parent, its not my place to decide the approach their parents take to their drug education. If they ask direct questions I'll be honest with them as I always am, but if they ask innocent questions, such as around balloons, I think it's more appropriate to take the innocent answer approach like they are drunk and messing around with Balloons etc.

As I'm not a parent myself i have very little experience in answering those kind of curious questions kids ask.

Edited March 3, 2013 by tonyblair