Walking to Glastonbury

[rawaudioinput]

Someone told me that you have to wait about 4 hours or so for the shuttle from Castle Cary station so my friend and I are planning to just walk it instead. It's about 7 miles but we're young and it'll at least be better than sitting in front of a train station for hours.

Which gate would we have to go through? Would it be Pedestrian Gate A or B?

Also is this that good of an idea?

Edited June 23, 2013 by rawaudioinput

[knivesout]

4 hours for the shuttle bus? that's nonsense

never waited longer than about 20-40 minutes for it

[Wickedfaerie]

Don't walk it! You will regret it fairly quickly. Wait for the bus!

[rawaudioinput]

How long does it take via shuttle? Including waiting time and the journey, like on average.

[Spindles]

4 hours for the shuttle bus? that's nonsense

never waited longer than about 20-40 minutes for it

[rawaudioinput]

What about Castle Cary? How long have people waited at Castle Cary? How long has the journey taken as a whole?

knivesout how long did the actual journey take you?

Edited June 23, 2013 by rawaudioinput

[rawaudioinput]

Can someone just tell me if you can walk on foot through Pedestrian Gate A?

[fatyeti24]

Can someone just tell me if you can walk on foot through Pedestrian Gate A?

[rawaudioinput]

I was wondering if it might be reserved for the shuttle services from the station, if not then walking to it should be fine.

Is that all good?

Also do you know how long it usually takes via shuttle? I'm only walking for 7 miles if absolutely necessary.

[Mr.Tease]

Your friends was probably talking about the waiting times for 2009. That year, due to a series if road accidents there were horrific traffic jams (took some poor people 14 hours to do a 1 hour journey).

However, as a result the festival now allows cars to arrive the Tuesday night, thus freeing up the roads on the Wednesday.

In 10 years if catching the shuttle bus, I've usually only had to wait around 20mins (depending on queues and arrival times). The journey time is pretty short too (maybe 20-30mins) and apart from 2009, never really encountered any jams.

Seriously, take the shuttle bus instead of walking- you don't want to be hauling a rucksack in the sun and heat for 7miles!

[rawaudioinput]

What time have you usually turned up Mr.Tease? Our train arrives in to Castle Cary at 12:40.

[rawaudioinput]

Is it pretty much the same sort of amount of time throughout the day or does the traffic get busier at certain times?

[Mr.Tease]

What time have you usually turned up Mr.Tease? Our train arrives in to Castle Cary at 12:40.

[mikeb]

You *really* wouldn't want to walk ! It's a good 8+ miles along pretty busy roads mostly with nowhere remotely sensible to walk and plenty of nice hills to deal with into the bargain. I've always traveled by train and shuttle bus and never had any real problems at all apart from 2009 I think when it was totally stupid and took several hours. Usually it's about an hour or thereabouts between arriving at Castle Cary and getting on site. I wouldn't expect any major delays with so many peeps coming by car on the Tuesday now although there may well still be queues at PGA of course. Arriving before 1000/1100 hours there's almost always no queue at all and you actually have to wait for more peeps to arrive before the shuttle bus leaves ! By midday it no doubt starts getting busier with trains from London arriving but still shouldn't be packed silly. The whole thing is usually VERY well organised and it only fell apart totally one year because of the completely stupid amount of private vehicle traffic on the roads that prevented the shuttle buses getting to the site and back. Apart from that year, I think the longest it's ever been to get to PGA is around 2 hours and that was mid afternoon Wednesday at a time when loads more peeps came by train than probably do now. Unless there's some major and unforeseen disaster locally you should be fine so just chill and enjoy a beer (or 3) in the sunshine while waiting at Castle Cary and en-route top the site

However, if you do decide to walk it then PGA or PGB are technically both options PROVIDING that you can blag your way past possible security/stewards on A361 getting near Pilton. I really don't know what the official line is for peeps walking these days but they may of course insist that you go to Bath & West Showground instead to get the shuttle bus from there. If not then PGB is closer but again, only providing you can blag your way past security/stewards at the end of Neat Lane and/or Copse Lane off the A361. It's the next road after where the Police Compound usually is I think. Getting to PGA means walking right through the village and this may well not be permitted. Bear in mind that most if not all of the local roads near the site are closed to general traffic and have security/stewards on them. I have seen peeps walking along bits of the shuttle bus route in the past but it's pretty rare and probably last seen several years ago TBH.

Edited June 23, 2013 by mikeb

[Glasto fan]

It is not a good idea to walk. It is further than it seems, about six or seven miles and when you've got all your stuff with you it will see twice that. The roads are narrow and there are no footpaths, so you could easily get knocked over. The only time I've had to wait longer than an hour for a bus is 2009 but as other posters have said that was a one off due to a string of accidents. More people drive to the site on the Tuesday now the car parks open Tuesday night so there is less traffic on the Wednesday. In 2009 a lot of people decided to walk and regretted it! Last year I waited longer at the gates than I did at Castle Cary and you will still need to queue there whether you come on the bus or walk.

[rawaudioinput]

Okay I think the overall consensus is to get the shuttle there, but how about getting back?

Security will be more lax for us trying to get out, surely?

[miniand]

Okay I think the overall consensus is to get the shuttle there, but how about getting back?

Security will be more lax for us trying to get out, surely?

[mikeb]

Queues for the shuttle bus on the Monday can be pretty manic to say the very least and take hours. There is also a queuing system at Castle Cary as well where you will be held until a train with sufficient space on it is available. The best thing is to leave either very early or very late. In most recent years I've tended to pack up everything and bung it in the Lockup by PGA sometime on Sunday then have an all-nighter and head for the shuttle bus at stupid o'clock in the morning. I think they usually start running around 0500 hours or thereabouts for the first train of the day at somewhere around 0600 hours. That worked pretty well PROVIDING that you have tickets that allow you travel on the very early trains. If not you'll simply have to wait at the station until after 1000 hours. You will NOT get on the platform never mind on a train without a 100% valid ticket although you could buy a super-expensive upgrade on the day if you really wanted to. Trying to leave the site after 0900/1000 will no doubt be a complete nightmare just like it has been in the past I suspect !

I still wouldn't ever recommend trying to walk it but the best thing to do if you really want to try would be to have a word with someone at one of the Info Points on site to find out what the score is. Other possible alternatives are to get the bus to Bristol as there isn't usually much of a queue for that but it will cost you typically £15 or get the shuttle to Bath & West then walk or get a taxi from there. The problems of traffic and nowhere sensible to walk will be just as bad (if not worse) on the Monday. Any security/stewards placed to prevent access to certain areas/roads will also no doubt still be there on Monday. The guys at the Info Point ought to be able to tell you (or at least find out) what is allowed and what the best route is.

Edited June 23, 2013 by mikeb

[Mr.Tease]

Okay I think the overall consensus is to get the shuttle there, but how about getting back?

Security will be more lax for us trying to get out, surely?

[rawaudioinput]

Thanks everyone for the info; very, very helpful I might have a go at the all-nighter then.

[mikeb]

A *very* wise decision methinks Dunno if they still do them or even if it's still there these days but I totally recommend the barbecued bacon rolls from the munchies kiosk at Castle Cary washed down with a decent cuppa or 3. The almost perfect end to a well enjoyed all-nighter ... and a good way to help prevent a bad case of extreme grumpiness due to having to go home as well !

[scorp]

the station will be well served by shuttles. it would be a dire walk for the unfit and unstrong. and when you get to the site....well, it's huge. best not to get knackered before arrival.