BEST AND WORST CAMPING SPOTS

[rumpola]

what time did you get there?

Tbf, it was pretty early on the Wednesday but there was still loads of room Wednesday afternoon. You could probably have squeezed a tent in somewhere on Thursday too.

[Becks12]

The slope on Hitchin Hill isn't too bad - very gentle at least nearer the bottom where the track runs (can't vouch for higher up nearer the fence as I always head about 5-10 metres in).

We were 2/3 of the way up Hitchin Hill and it wasn't too bad. I would slide a bit off my mat in the night but we had zero mud and it was reasonably quiet. We're probably going to Dairy this year as it was a bit of a trek back though.

There were showers at the cyclists camping we could use for a donation which was nice!

We walked past cyclists camping then between woodies and wicket, up past wicket on the left then turned right down towards HH.

[McCor]

Coming in by coach Thursday PM. I'm hoping for Woodsies!

[Fivefingerjohn]

Where's webs ash this year? Gone or merged?

[sime]

Loving this thread and the places people choose and why.

I've camped all over the site from every direction over the years. The past two years I've settled on Bushy Ground at the bottom by the fences, close to Gate A which I come in on via the shuttle bus. I'm older now and as much fun as they are, I'm just not into Pennards or anything too central to things anymore.

For me Bushy is perfect, it's quiet, not too busy and far enough away that I do not feel on top of things but also not too far that I feel removed from the festival. Plus I like the walk back through the site to get back to my tent. Always full of interesting views...!

[swede]

Row Mead is the best. No doubt about it.

Worst is probably baileys or darble or something like that.

Worst of all is worthy view and all the other offsite bollocks, of course.

Why no love for baileys russy. This will be my third year in a row camping there, we used to come in at gate c as it was the closest gate to us, now we drive round the site and come in at gate d.

Not far to walk with your stuff, nice and quiet in a morning for a chill out , plenty of space there on the Wednesday. Straight run along the top tracks to se corner, the park, Arcadia ect plus has pretty decent routes to the main stages.

Edited May 22, 2015 by swede

[Fivefingerjohn]

Anyone well experienced know any advantages/disadvantages of these sites:

Bushy ground

Woodsies

Pylon ground

Darble

[Fivefingerjohn]

Also, anyone got that distance chart thingy?

[russycarps]

Why no love for baileys russy. This will be my third year in a row camping there, we used to come in at gate c as it was the closest gate to us, now we drive round the site and come in at gate d.

Not far to walk with your stuff, nice and quiet in a morning for a chill out , plenty of space there on the Wednesday. Straight run along the top tracks to se corner, the park, Arcadia ect plus has pretty decent routes to the main stages.

Ah I was probably being harsh. I just have bad memories 2 or 3 years ago of wanting to get camped in park home, finding nothing, then searching dairy - nothing - and eventually ending up in baileys. Seemed to take forever to get settled in. A bad start!

[Fivefingerjohn]

Row Mead is the best. No doubt about it.

Worst is probably baileys or darble or something like that.

Worst of all is worthy view and all the other offsite bollocks, of course.[/quote

What's wrong with Darble?

[swede]

Ah I was probably being harsh. I just have bad memories 2 or 3 years ago of wanting to get camped in park home, finding nothing, then searching dairy - nothing - and eventually ending up in baileys. Seemed to take forever to get settled in. A bad start!

I had similar experiences in 2010/2011 coming in at gate c and having to walk right across the festival with my stuff to get camped up near john peel. That's why I like baileys as lots of people come through gate d looking to get to the "popular" campsites, so plenty of space to chose from and compared to those other years the last two have been bliss.

2011 I had to make a second trip to the car with a trolley for the rest of our stuff, the kids were 2 and 4 at the time, it took me and my father in law 7 hours, the weather was mental on the Wednesday that year. I vowed never to go in at gate c again after that

[Hotchilidog]

Hmm...Baileys may now come into the reckoning for me now. Am aiming for South Park 2 but as I am arriving wednesday evening rather than earlier Baileys could provide me with a stress free southside berth. Will be arriving at Gate A if I travel light I think I can make a B-line straight for it and get settled in quickly.

[russycarps]

What's wrong with Darble?

Nothing really. I've never actually camped there, but friends have one year and it seemed to take FOREVER to get back to their tents. Just a bit too far away for my taste. Though they were the far end of the field in fairness.

[Badlands]

There’s probably a lot to be said about mixing it up a bit each year and trying new parts of the site. I actually wouldn’t mind being up Michaels Mead way this year instead of by the Park, probably a bit closer to Acoustic and Williams Green and would force me to get stuck into Silver Hayes a bit more. Our group are creatures of habit however, so there’s little chance of that.

[swede]

Theres probably a lot to be said about mixing it up a bit each year and trying new parts of the site. I actually wouldnt mind being up Michaels Mead way this year instead of by the Park, probably a bit closer to Acoustic and Williams Green and would force me to get stuck into Silver Hayes a bit more. Our group are creatures of habit however, so theres little chance of that.

For some like me it's not about habit but knowing what works, i like a good start to the festival, if you don't get a good start in terms of pitching up that's most of Wednesday gone

[SLEEPYMOPS]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into west parking coming from london. Every year we get directed to east and have to carry all our stuff over to the other side of the site. Is there a village or something we can aim for??

[nikkic]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into west parking coming from london. Every year we get directed to east and have to carry all our stuff over to the other side of the site. Is there a village or something we can aim for??

We drive from London and have always found it to be a bit of luck more than anything else, in the sense that with a convoy of 4-5 cars, some were directed West and some East. Not really sure if there's a trick to it. Although thinking about it maybe there were different post codes for each side? Not sure. (Sorry that's not much help!!).

We can't arrive until late Thursday this year so hoping there'll be a lot less traffic and it'll be easier to head for Gate D, as the rest of our mates will already be camped in Dairy.

[rumpola]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into west parking coming from london. Every year we get directed to east and have to carry all our stuff over to the other side of the site. Is there a village or something we can aim for??

Yeah, go M4/M5 then pick up the A361. Alternatively, as you are coning from London, go M4 to junction 17 and head south towards Chippenham and Melksham and pick up the A361 there. Go through Shepton Mallet and stay on the A361 through Pilton and you will end up in the west car parks.

You may have stewards trying to direct you to the east car parks just after Shepton Mallet but just ignore them and head to Pilton. They won't stop you.

[SLEEPYMOPS]

I must be really unlucky to have been sent to the east side 8 times in a row. Maybe this year is my lucky year

[SLEEPYMOPS]

Yeah, go M4/M5 then pick up the A361. Alternatively, as you are coning from London, go M4 to junction 17 and head south towards Chippenham and Melksham and pick up the A361 there. Go through Shepton Mallet and stay on the A361 through Pilton and you will end up in the west car parks.

You may have stewards trying to direct you to the east car parks just after Shepton Mallet but just ignore them and head to Pilton. They won't stop you.

Cheers for this

[jamesrfisher]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into west parking coming from london. Every year we get directed to east and have to carry all our stuff over to the other side of the site. Is there a village or something we can aim for??

We are from Sussex, like to camp on west side, after a couple of years of slogging across site in 2012 we decided to park on west side.

Take M3

A303

At roundabout of A303/A37 which is signposted to A37 for the festival, take the exit before the A37 which is the A372.

Take 1^st exit off this, B3151 signposted to Somerton

Carry on this road following signs to Street

At Street take A39 to Glastonbury.

[Hoax]

Does anyone have an idea of how quickly south park 2 fills up??

[swede]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into west parking coming from london. Every year we get directed to east and have to carry all our stuff over to the other side of the site. Is there a village or something we can aim for??

Just find the postcode for the side you want to come in on. We're from hull but put the postcode in our sat nav as if we're coming from wales, it means you 'll basically drive round the outside/outer edge of the site to get to where you want to be. This will be our third year doing this, first year we thought we was lost, but trust yourself and your sat nav, and if any stewards try to direct into the other car parks that you don't want, just ingnore them, we are perfectly in our rights to park at the gates we want to be at

[swede]

I must be really unlucky to have been sent to the east side 8 times in a row. Maybe this year is my lucky year

Don't let the stewards dictate which side you go in at, if you see them waving you in off the road but it's not where you want to be just ignore them and keep driving

[incident]

I must be really unlucky to have been sent to the east side 8 times in a row. Maybe this year is my lucky year

Firstly, ignore the guy telling you to press on regardless. It's essential for the Festival that they keep locals happy, and as part of this they go to a lot of effort to minimise traffic through Pilton village. As that's the only realistic route from the East Car Parks to the West and vica versa, there's no way that they'd direct someone from one side of the site to the other unless there was a good reason (such as no space left on that side).

It is however very, very easy to guarantee you park up in the West. Just approach the site form the West. If you drive through Glastonbury Town on the way to the site, then you'll be directed to a Car Park on the West side. If however you go through Shepton Mallett, or take the A37, then it's almost certain you'll end up in the East.

It is largely in your hands, it just requires you to plan your route correctly - and if you get it wrong, treat it as a learning experience and don't make the same mistake next year.