Newbie Questions

SomeGuy4 · August 2, 2018

This is the first time I will be going to BD, I was wondering if anyone had any useful tips and have some questions.

What is the food/drink like there and is it pricey (I have been to some festivals that have left me pretty broke just from food),

how are the queues getting in I read somewhere they can be up to 2 hours?

What is the security/searches like?in the past I have been to festivals were the security tried to take someone's insulin of them and then spent the evening taking all the drugs they confiscated instead of looking after people. Are they okay with paracetamol and stuff I know some places are super strict on stuff like that

Whats the walk like from the car park to the camping area?

**eFestivals** · August 2, 2018

not been for a few years, but ...

Food and drink is at the cheaper end of what festivals charge (hurray!).

Queues will depend when you arrive, but I made the mistake of trying to turn up for opening last time I went and spent more than 2 hours queuing. (boooo!)

Security are at the more laid-back end of things, but ultimately it would depend on the individual(s) you encountered.

Can't say about car park to camping, was in a campervan.

Dave The Owl · August 6, 2018

We went last year for the first time and loved it - back again this year and regretting not having gone sooner.

Food and drink really impressed us - particularly compared to the big commercial festivals. Food is never cheap, but wide range of choice, generally good portion sizes and some real bargains (the roast chicken stall by the Big Top last year was a real find if you're a carnivore!). Drink is where Beautiful Days comes into it's own though - the bars are run by Otter Brewery so have an excellent range of ales, beers and ciders - and all reasonably priced (last year was £3.50 to £4.00 a pint - so miles less than watered down mainstream Carling at many other festivals)

We arrived well after gates opened last year (had to work on the Thursday) so can't comment on queues - we drove straight in and then strolled up to an empty wristband exchange. Even late we didn't have trouble finding a pitch for a large tent though. Security was very light touch in our case.

Walk from car to gate was under 5 minutes, then gate to where we camped about the same again - so in total about two Glastonbury car park fields - a great relief for us!! Arena camping would be about 10-15 minutes from the gates I guess.

Can't recommend the whole festival highly enough - lovely atmosphere, great layout and good views and sound on all stages.

Quark · August 7, 2018

How strict are they on the 9pm re-entry ruling? My brother's got to vacate site on Saturday and hoping to get back before the curfew, but will depend on traffic. If he misses the 9pm slot is that definitively it until Sunday morning?

Tarka2014 · August 7, 2018

Does anyone know what defines a campervan? I have a campervan ticket and an SUV which I fold down and attach a bespoke awning to? I understand things are fairly relaxed.

bogeybear · August 12, 2018

Afternoon all, first time for us to go to BD. Does anyone know if you can take a small fire pit?

**Neville Street** · August 12, 2018

On 8/7/2018 at 7:56 PM, Tarka2014 said:

Does anyone know what defines a campervan? I have a campervan ticket and an SUV which I fold down and attach a bespoke awning to? I understand things are fairly relaxed.

I would say you will be fine based on previous years van field set up

ShuMart · August 13, 2018

I usually aim to get there between 12:00 and 14:00 on Thurssday, car park opens at 12:00 & gates open at 14:00.

Most years when the queue starts to get reasonable they open the gates early so the queue does not impeed the traffic in the car park. It usually takes me about an hour to get in.

What will add 2 hours to your journey is following the official Beautiful signs on the A30. They will take you off the A30 early and through a couple villages presumably to aviod queueing down the A30 at the site. Unfortunatley when you get to site all the traffic from the A30 has priority and you will be stuck in that queue for 2hrs rather than driving stright in off the closest A30 junction with no queue. IIRC you only need to go 1 junction past the official exit or head for postcode EX14 3AZ (Lower Gosford farm) This is comming from the Exeter direction and again at 12:00 -14:00 on Thursday

Car park is 5-7 minutes walk from family camping or about 15-20 mins from the far edge of the site.