Do you lot have any little rituals or traditions you like to kick off your festival with?

[kellly]

13 hours ago, Sawdusty Surfer said:

 @Smash1984 You may like to read this...

 http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/pretrial/factsheet.html

That was a really interesting read! Thanks sawdusty, always find things like this very interesting

[shuttlep]

47 minutes ago, Jakkkkobz said:

We celebrate making base camp with champagne and pork scratchings 

champagne in a can?

[4AssedMonkey]

Tent up.

Stuff in lock up.

Open cider.

Read programme.

Meet neighbours and give them cider.

Go to La Grand Bouffe in West Holts at lunchtime for tartiflette potatoes and red wine sausage.

Brothers Bar.

Get w*nkered on festi strength Brothers.

Get sunburnt.

Sleep it off.

 

[sophlamb]

12 hours ago, neil_d said:

Much like others: tent up, can of cider while taking in the view/atmosphere. With one essential addition: bag of valuables (keys, train tickets) into a lock up asap!

I've not used the lockups before and I'm not really sure why. We drive down so this year I'll definitely be putting a bag in there with my car & house keys and maybe some extra cash. Might even get a Challenge 21 wristband and put my ID in the lockups for safe keeping this year as I do have a bit of a baby face and getting my ID out all the time is tiresome!

So, with this new addition, our routine generally tends to be set up camp and make the tent all cosy and ready for bed, sit outside the tent and have a well earned beer, wander back to the car and collect the rest of our alcohol/other heavy stuff once the queue has gone down, back to the tent via lockups then spend the afternoon wandering around the site and just see what happens!

[mikeydredlox]

for the last two years I have got down late afternoon Tuesday, and then taken a wander up Glastonbury Tor

there are always a few punters up there taking in the view over the site, it's a nice gentle start, and fairly magical imho

[shuttlep]

this year I have decided to stay in a B & B in Wells, so I will arrive Wednesday nice and fresh. Normally i need a nap by the afternoon as I have been up since 3 am getting everything ready and travelling down.

 

will make a nice change this year

[RichardWaller]

5 minutes ago, mikeydredlox said:

for the last two years I have got down late afternoon Tuesday, and then taken a wander up Glastonbury Tor

there are always a few punters up there taking in the view over the site, it's a nice gentle start, and fairly magical imho

I went up the Tor the Saturday before the 2014 festival, was great seeing the festival from up there rather than seeing the Tor from the festival. Really like Glastonbury village too, will do that again definitely. 

[Mezhyp1]

Wednesday activities will be dependant on sleeping on the bus down overnight from Glasgow, a lack of sleep there might result in an extended afternoon siesta 

[eviepeach]

12 hours ago, JanieM28 said:

Well, if it's a proper motor home, remember that you will also have a fridge! Maybe, even a little crappy freezer which can be adequate enough for a bit of ice; not to mention a loo and shower if one or other of you is up for emptying and filling up stuff (I've even done it - no hardship at all).

But, most of all, let me tell you that when you wake up in the morning, and it's pissing down outside, it is an absolute joy to just roll over and go back to sleep in warmth and comfort. After putting the kettle on, naturally!

 

We definitely have a fridge- no freezer though. Excited about the prospect of a cold cider, sitting down on a clean toilet and washing my hair (not all at the same time though). And I guarantee that being able to sleep in a dry, warm bed will help with any hangovers! Guessing you'll be in a motorhome this year? Might see you there!

[JanieM28]

12 hours ago, eviepeach said:

We definitely have a fridge- no freezer though. Excited about the prospect of a cold cider, sitting down on a clean toilet and washing my hair (not all at the same time though). And I guarantee that being able to sleep in a dry, warm bed will help with any hangovers! Guessing you'll be in a motorhome this year? Might see you there!

We're in a hired caravan with awning which we have rented from the same company for the last six years - it's all set up on site for us when we arrive - so I don't know about your motor home or how modern it is.

One thing to remember when you are having a shower, and especially if washing your hair, is to wet everything first, then turn off the water and do the soap and shampoo bit before turning the water back on to rinse. You don't want to run out of water half way through! And be careful of battery use - only use it when you need hot water or lighting so it doesn't run out at an inappropriate moment.

[Charm]

On 16 May 2016 at 8:45 PM, Sawdusty Surfer said:

 @Smash1984 You may like to read this...

 http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/pretrial/factsheet.html

Excellent article, thanks for sharing, whenever I read things like this it makes me glad I'm a vegetarian. 
Charm x

[Hugh Jass]

We always stop for a McDonalds breakfast on the way down.

It's important to start as you mean to go on.

[Padgey]

Tent up, gear in, chair unfolded and crack open a can of Thatchers.

[RobertProsineckisLighter]

The last two years we have managed to have a car search. So that's become a tradition. 

Weirdly it's a family car with a baby seat in the back. 

[fionajm777]

My top tip: if you're doing two trips from the car, make sure you take both a chair and at least some beers on your first run. I left both of these in the car on my first run a few years ago and immediately regretted it. When you've walked several miles, queued for hours, pitched a tent and don't have something to sit on and beer to drink at the end...sad times

[Padgey]

2 minutes ago, fionajm777 said:

My top tip: if you're doing two trips from the car, make sure you take both a chair and at least some beers on your first run. I left both of these in the car on my first run a few years ago and immediately regretted it. When you've walked several miles, queued for hours, pitched a tent and don't have something to sit on and beer to drink at the end...sad times

I do something similar with my first trip, clothes bag, tent and chair, and a can of course.  Learnt from my first festival that loading up is not a nice experience and would rather do 2 or 3 lighter trips.

[Charm]

9 minutes ago, Padgey said:

I do something similar with my first trip, clothes bag, tent and chair, and a can of course.  Learnt from my first festival that loading up is not a nice experience and would rather do 2 or 3 lighter trips.

I'm doing a couple of trips this time, it was my first experience of the massive queue in last year and I tried to take everything, standing in a queue for hours with all my gear nearly destroyed me, never again. 
Charm x

[TheSulkingTent]

For us it always starts with a pint at Cork airport giving the glasto nod to anyone with a rucksack, wellies, or a tent. It ends with a slightly depressing but reassuringly traditional burger king in Bristol airport (this part also involves a protracted expedition to the airport toilets where we touch the cold tiles with awe, marvel at the porcelein, and recoil in fear at our feral reflections in the mirror).

Onsite, the OH puts up the tent while I get the first round from the cider bus and then we wander around and feel the old familiar joy surge inside.

[MichaelsBeard]

Touch the ground as soon as I get in. 

[Sawdusty surfer]

On 16/05/2016 at 8:20 PM, Sawdusty Surfer said:

Hmmm, SO not the Glastonbury ethos. 

Hopefully you may learn something at the festival this year.

So many down votes on that...People hoisting themselves by their own petards. 

 Do people really think that Maccy D's is a good, sound and ethical company? Either you are completely ignorant (in the true meaning of the word) or just don't give a fuck about environmental issues, worker exploitation and healthy eating etc. 

 

 

[Alex DeLarge]

This thread has made me so excited! This year will be my first Glastonbury and the way you all describe finishing the tent, sitting down and having a couple of cans of cider sounds like paradise! Thanks for making me grin ear to ear guys.

[mungo57]

wouldn't say we have a tradition so to speak, but it seems we just can't resist at least 2 cans of cider whilst pitching up the tents  last year was the first year I have drank cider only (spirits in the evening) so that will be my ritual going forward. God bless the cider bus

[septemberwillow]

On ‎17‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 10:26 AM, mikeydredlox said:

for the last two years I have got down late afternoon Tuesday, and then taken a wander up Glastonbury Tor

there are always a few punters up there taking in the view over the site, it's a nice gentle start, and fairly magical imho

I love this idea  We live close enough to climb the Tor in an afternoon but never thought to do it the weekend before the fest.

For the past 3 years we've done Worthy View (it's our age) so the tradition tends to be get everything to the tent and put Worthy FM on our portable radio whilst unpacking. Might open a cheeky can of Southern Comfort and lemonade and have a flick through the programme. Then we head in, pausing at the top of the Hill of Death for the view then walk in across the back of the Tipi Fields with another SC+L and get our first beer at the Park Bar, hoping to see Emily!

[Twisted Melon]

16 hours ago, Alex DeLarge said:

This thread has made me so excited! This year will be my first Glastonbury and the way you all describe finishing the tent, sitting down and having a couple of cans of cider sounds like paradise! Thanks for making me grin ear to ear guys.

Absolute bliss

[Jugtanion]

17 hours ago, Alex DeLarge said:

This thread has made me so excited! This year will be my first Glastonbury and the way you all describe finishing the tent, sitting down and having a couple of cans of cider sounds like paradise! Thanks for making me grin ear to ear guys.

You're in for an absolute treat, possibly unlike anything else you'll ever experience. Being inside the festival (rather than in a camping area outside an arena) is where the experience starts for me. That's one of a whole myriad of things that are great about Glastonbury.