ok so why does pennards have the bad reputation.....

[Guest]

Meant to be camping with some friends this year who go every year when they get tickets and always camp in the same spot which happens to be in pennards, thing is ive heard its a bit of a bad spot, everything from easily flooded when it rains to a lot more tent thefts, anti social idiots etc. is this true or just people talking rubbish? Last year I camped with a different group and we were in hitchin which was nice and chilled and going past pennards it did look pretty chaotic sometimes compared.

so does it deserve its bad rep as somewhere to avoid? whats the deal? If so I may choose to camp somewhere else even with the solo going efesters as im the kind of person who enjoys a good time but also likes to be able to chill out when I feel like it and get at least `some` sleep haha.

Edited May 7, 2014 by thatcrazypenguin

[jeffie]

Have you ever seen Fort Apache - The Bronx........?

[lucyginger]

I've camped in Pennards for all 5 glastonburys I've been to, and intend to camp there this year too. Never had any trouble there, yes its noisy but we like that, it means we don't have to be quiet! Always had nice neighbours too.

I think its pot luck really, you could camp anywhere and have twatty neighbours.

Yes Pennards is busy, yes it is noisy, yes it has a bad rep but I like it! Mind you, I grew up in a tower block on a council estate....

[jeffie]

Yes Pennards is busy, yes it is noisy, yes it has a bad rep but I like it! Mind you, I grew up in a tower block on a council estate....

[lucyginger]

In Noo Yowk......

[jeffie]

That's the one!

Actually we moved from said estate into a nice little house when I was about 7.... I'm a nice girl really!

[lucyginger]

Hmm I guess thats a good side you dont have to worry about keeping the noise down etc, I suppose itd be good if I could get myself in a completely `lets go fucking mental` mood for the festival haha

[jeffie]

Be really nice if all you 12 guest readers got registered and supported the cause.

[lucyginger]

So you say

[lucyginger]

dont think thatd be a problem from what I can gather my mates always turn up with a little `army` from where they are up north and they kind of make there own little campsite with all the tents facing inwards for security etc, first time ive met them at the fest but theyve done it for years.

[Starchild771]

I camped at Hitchin Hill last year and every time I walked past Pennards it always looked to be pretty chaotic.

I suppose it depends on whether you'd enjoy being in the middle of that kind of chaos and energy or if you would rather be able retreat to your tent for a bit of a chill-out when you need to.

[pogal]

I camped in Pennards one year, '05 maybe? It was busy, but had no problems. Haven't returned since as it's too much like hard work, walking all the way up there.

However, camping around the Other Stage (usually the first available place to stop after arrival, hence it being a regular spot) has certainly got worse in terms of anti-social behaviour etc in recent years, although that may be me getting older and grumpier.

As said earlier, I think it depends who you are lucky, or unlucky, enough to be camped next door to.

[carllucey]

By Sunday it looks like a bomb has gone of in a war zone re-cycling center.

[fuchsiaflower]

I've always been in dairy or park home so walk past pennards a lot.

It always looks ram packed and chaotic.

I'd rather do the extra five minute walk for a tiny bit of room outside my tent.

That said the more people that squeeze into the inner fields the more spare room further out

[frostypaw]

You'd be very surprised as to where latecomers squeeze in... Also, if you camp in Pennards where space is minimal, you will be frowned upon if you save space or keep space as a communal area...

[kalifire]

From what I've been told by Glasto veterans, I wouldn't touch Pennards with a barge pole, or Oxylers either. I'm sure it suits some, but the prospect of spending five nights crammed like sardines around loud, giddy teens and a higher-than-average chance of crime makes the walk to a less central field infinitely preferable.

Edited May 7, 2014 by kalifire

[Thearg]

It's the erosion of all the camping on the SE side over the years,first it was Williams then Dragons and now everyone crams into Pennards.

[stuartbert two hats]

I camped in Pennards once, to join camp tryangle that used to be set up on here. Two of us turned up to be told by some girl "I can't let you camp there", because she was saving space for about 10 when hadn't turned up. Not "any chance you could find another spot, I've got some mates coming soon", but "I can't let you camp there" ! Sod off. Most aggressive, rude behaviour I've ever encountered in 10 festivals.

[Woffy]

I camped in Pennards with my two eldest children one year - who were 11 and 9 at the time.

We were delayed when arriving and it was the only place i could find to pitch up at 11pm in the rain.

It was noisy but everyone around us was really good fun; some more 'senior' ladies there for Neil Diamond, a scottish lad who got trench foot within 100 yards of leaving his house due to walking through a field of wet grass to get to the station and two girls who i had to help by removing a twatted lad who'd fallen asleep in their tent.

So, yeah, it's pot luck really.

Last year we were camped by the Pyramid due to be too tired to keep looking for a different pitch and we had a great time, surprisingly.

I mistakenly told some neighbour to 'fuck off and go and find a toilet to piss in, not on our tents!' every night, poor bloke!

"I'm camped here! It's me you've told to fuck off AGAIN!" He took it really well!

It almost became a nightly tradition!

[sheffieldlady]

I have never camped there, last year we had a group of friends who camped there and said that they returned to find their tents moved for the group next to them. Not very polite. I think it is pot luck though, sadly, much like in the real world there are plenty of idiots who stand out much more at Glastonbury!

[michael eavis' beard]

Pennards suffers from it's reputation. It's become the place to camp for a certain type of festival goer. More often than not these are under 25 and believe that being the loudest or the lairiest is the height of "cool". If you fall into that category you'll probably love it (hence why it is so busy) but if you're not, it's not a very welcoming field at all.

And, as others have said, the amount of litter on that campsite is a disgrace!

[TheGreenDropsRule]

This year is my tenth. I've camped twice by John Peel Stage when it was New Bands, twice in Park Home, once in Dairy Ground and four times in Pennards. Worst place for neighbours was Park Home. Only time we had someone squeeze a tent into a communal space was Dairy Ground (it was our own fault as we made the communal space big enough to squeeze a tent into). Never had any problems with Pennards.

Obviously it's more cramped, but the people there in my experience are no better or worse than anywhere else. It's probably louder later than some of the further out places.

Oh and I know one of the campsite stewards and can confirm that any idea of thieving being significantly worse in Pennards is absolute bullshit

[DeanoL]

Since the naughty corner became a thing, it's become a bit of a hot spot as party-central (whereas ten years ago, it was less busy than say, Big Ground, I think). Likewise as late-night Park has become more of a thing, Park Home has gone a bit more in that direction. Plus with more fields opening up on the edges of the site, quieter camping on the outskirts is now further out. Weird thinking back to the first year I went, when Pennards was one of the most out of the way camping locations (it was near Lost Vagueness, but some of the furthest from any of the main stages).

Oh and I know one of the campsite stewards and can confirm that any idea of thieving being significantly worse in Pennards is absolute bullshit

Edited May 7, 2014 by DeanoL

[stardustjunkie]

From what I've been told by Glasto veterans, I wouldn't touch Pennards with a barge pole, or Oxylers either. I'm sure it suits some, but the prospect of spending five nights crammed like sardines around loud, giddy teens and a higher-than-average chance of crime makes the walk to a less central field infinitely preferable.

Edited May 7, 2014 by stardustjunkie

[Bradders]

Everywhere was like that in 2010!

Pennards is where people who want to be in the centre of the action go. Young people, basically. People on here tend to be older and like their peace and quiet a bit more, so aren't a fan of the busier, younger, louder campsite, which is fair enough.

If anything Pennards has the best reputation of any campsite. Talk to people in the queue and more will be aiming for that one than anywhere else.