Coach Time vs Good Camping Spot

[FestiHead]

So booked a coach package back in Oct, going from Bath - found out the leaving time is 9.45am on the Wednesday, so still a decent early time but unsure if my group of 4 is able to get a great camping spot?

The previous times I've been we've got GA tickets, then bought a 6am coach from Bristol which has meant we've always been pitched up in Oxlyers by 10am Wednesday. Guessing from Bath at 9.45am we'll be at the site between 10.30-11am and hopefully at Oxlyers by 11.30-12ish?

Question is - will we be able to grab a spot in Oxlyers at that time or will it be full by then? If full, where would people recommend that's still central?

[Divein]

Which part of Oxylers do you?

If you go towards the back wall you'll get a space no problem. 

We've camped there since 2010 and you always get space at the back. 

[BambooShanks]

You should be ok.  At worst you might not be able to have your tents all next to each other but there's usually a bit of space to be found.

Failing that, Paines will have space.

[gibble]

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

[BambooShanks]

1 minute ago, gibble said:

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

There's usually space in South Park 1 & 2, Baileys, Rigs field and Back house so if you don't mind a bit of walk, that's probably your best bet

[Sasperella]

5 minutes ago, gibble said:

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

Somewhere near Pylon maybe? I camp there usually, lots of space. 7 might be a push, but worth a go! Do you have any of your crew arriving earlier?

[Divein]

8 minutes ago, gibble said:

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

If I was arriving by coach at that time I reckon I would be pitching up as soon as I got through Gate A which is Pylon Ground, you dont want to be walking too far and wasting time trying to find a spot. There's always space around there, it's just it will be a bit of a walk from the SE corner but thats part of the fun.

[gibble]

Thanks people - no one arriving earlier unfortunately. We managed to get our 7th ticket in the resale but again it's a Thursday coach one. We have arrived on a Thursday before although that was in a car so probably a bit earlier than we'll get there this year...hopefully it will all be good. We are there anyway and that's the main thing!

[mario man]

We arrived Thurs am last time & camped in Pylon, seemed to be plenty of space if you walked a bit off the main routes into the camping areas 

[FestiHead]

43 minutes ago, Divein said:

Which part of Oxylers do you?

If you go towards the back wall you'll get a space no problem. 

We've camped there since 2010 and you always get space at the back. 

Nice! Usually go in the middle-ish on the Other Stage side?

Is the back wall the bit up by Park Farm or near the toilets on the railroad?

 

[FestiHead]

45 minutes ago, Kinkyinuit said:

You should be ok.  At worst you might not be able to have your tents all next to each other but there's usually a bit of space to be found.

Failing that, Paines will have space.

Nice one, thanks. Where do you usually go?

 

[Divein]

8 minutes ago, FestiHead said:

Nice! Usually go in the middle-ish on the Other Stage side?

Is the back wall the bit up by Park Farm or near the toilets on the railroad?

 

Yeah towards the farm, can get a bit smelly if its hot but you get use to it. If you walk behind the property lock up which is near the Other Stage food stalls and Silver Hayes then there's usually space further in there. They you just need to get to the fence line that splits the field and BBC introducing back stage and work down and you're pretty much in the main hub of the festival, it's great. 

[BambooShanks]

9 minutes ago, FestiHead said:

Nice one, thanks. Where do you usually go?

 

Paines or South Park depending on what time I get in / how big the group is.  

[jow95]

57 minutes ago, gibble said:

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

In 2017 we could only get a Thursday coach and arrived Thursday lunch, walked straight through the gate and pitched up in Pylon Ground as soon as we could, plenty of space for our 4 tents and it's quite chilled out up there. You spend so long thinking and hoping that you'll camp in a specific campsite but we were forced throw that out the window in 2017 and once you're there and set up I don't think it really made too much difference. You've got a longer walk to some things but you're closer to others, just means that you can't nip back to your tent if you need something that easily so take everything you need

[FestiHead]

18 minutes ago, Divein said:

Yeah towards the farm, can get a bit smelly if its hot but you get use to it. If you walk behind the property lock up which is near the Other Stage food stalls and Silver Hayes then there's usually space further in there. They you just need to get to the fence line that splits the field and BBC introducing back stage and work down and you're pretty much in the main hub of the festival, it's great. 

Ideal, thanks! Hopefully should be okay then 

[Helsbels]

1 hour ago, Divein said:

If I was arriving by coach at that time I reckon I would be pitching up as soon as I got through Gate A which is Pylon Ground, you dont want to be walking too far and wasting time trying to find a spot. There's always space around there, it's just it will be a bit of a walk from the SE corner but thats part of the fun.

We ended up camping there last time round (long story but the coach toilet leaked on our rucksacks)  and there was loads of space the whole festival. Was very very quiet at night though which could be a good thing or a bad thing. I was with my other half rather than with a group for the first time so we would stagger back from the naughty corner which with it being a dry year wasn't an issue. Was nice to not have to do the walk of death for once

[Joshuwarr]

We usually camp on the edge of Oxlyers (nearish to the path by the food stands near Silver Hayes) and have often had no problem getting a few tents in, even if its later in the morning/early afternoon

[Lubic]

1 hour ago, gibble said:

On a similar note we have a Thursday coach package from Manchester (don't know what time yet). Anyone know where is most likely to have space for a group of 7? We don't mind a walk...

You'll be fine with any of the campsites near gate A. I always get a Thurs coach and camp in Bushy, but Pylon will be a safe bet for a group of 7. You'll have the bonus of being near the coach station and not having to carry your gear across site. And it's not a particularly far walk to Silver Hayes, JP, Other, and even the Pyramid.

[The Nal]

You'll be fine at that time at the back of Oxylers because the whole place smells of human piss and cow shit. 

[Sku]

Photo from Google Earth in 2017 to show what people have already been saying. Top corner, still a lot of space, even when the rest seems pretty full. A lot of tents to climb over to get all the way back there every time though!

(I camped here in 2013)

[kalifire]

I've no idea what anybody sees in Oxylers.

[Wooderson]

In wet years spoken of around the site “Could be worse, love, we could be in Oxylers.”

[Joshuwarr]

3 minutes ago, kalifire said:

I've no idea what anybody sees in Oxylers.

For me its the ease of access to most areas and the nice flat ground (risky in bad weather, but I'm not a huge fan of camping on a slope either!). Never had any trouble there either

[ledwards]

4 minutes ago, Sku said:

Photo from Google Earth in 2017 to show what people have already been saying. Top corner, still a lot of space, even when the rest seems pretty full. A lot of tents to climb over to get all the way back there every time though!

(I camped here in 2013)

Can you walk down the wall type thing at the top? 

[Sku]

1 minute ago, ledwards said:

Can you walk down the wall type thing at the top? 

You can try, but people camp right up to it. It's not kept clear as a path.