Tips for new campervan users

[annax]

There used to be a thread in Questions which would get bumped each year that I can no longer find. I thought I might give some useful tips to those who are not used to their campervan needs...

Picking up you campervan

If you’re hiring a campervan, it is just like hiring any vehicle: check that it has no unrecorded damage, that you know which key does what and where all the facilities are. Do you know how the chemical toilet works? Is your gas bottle full? How do you turn the gas on, both for cooking/heating hot water and for the fridge.

Make sure that your water tank is full - either at the pick up point or enroute  

Don’t take any glassware. Fill up the ‘garage’ unit under the van with all your luggage so it doesn’t roll around inside.

If you are picking it up in the afternoon, will you get to your destination before they stop taking new arrivals for the day?

Driving your campervan

It’s bigger than a car and Google maps might decide to send you down some roads that really aren’t suitable  Stick to the motorway or the A roads.

If you’re stopping at motorway services consider whether you’d be better off in the HGV side rather than the car side of the parking.

Arriving at Glastonbury

Have your coloured campervan ticket and your festival tickets ready to show but don’t give them to anyone unless it is the coloured ticket to swap for a proper window sticker. 

Your van will likely get searched for glass before you are asked to follow a steward to your pitch. Think about which side of your van your awning is on and decide whether to go forwards or reverse. 

Once you are parked, get yourself level. This is essential - no one wants to sleep at an angle but more importantly your gas-operated fridge won’t work and all your chilled food will stop being refrigerated. There should be some levelling blocks with your camper - use these. Your smartphone probably has a spirit level on it (iOS users it is on the Compass)

There are toilets and waste water/toilet disposal in the campervan fields but no electric hookup or fresh water hookup. You will need a way to transport your dirty water from the van to the waste point - take a washing up bowl for this. You will need a way to get fresh water to the van from the tap. Take a collapsible water carrier and a funnel with a bendy neck to make this easy. 

Tuesday night

is a very special night for the CV fields. Get yourself a barbecue going, relax and get settled knowing that there’s a whole week of fun ahead of you and that you’re already pitched with no mad queue or race to get a good spot. 

 

What have I missed? Any other tips for campervan users?

[carlosj]

@StoneCircle
  Was it your post for the general cv stuff?

[annax]

1 minute ago, carlosj said:

@StoneCircle
  Was it your post for the general cv stuff?

That rings a bell...

[paulshane]

My tip if you're hiring a camper and driving - make sure you know how to unlock ALL the storage areas / gas cupboards etc etc

I was behind someone a few years back who got asked to open the storage bins on their motorhome as part of a search and they didn't know how and it appeared to get a bit stressy for them.

 

 

 

[StoneCircle]

10 minutes ago, carlosj said:

@StoneCircle
  Was it your post for the general cv stuff?

Indeed it was, here it is! 

 

[gigpusher]

My main tip is more for during the festival and that is just use the lock up's so you don't waste valuable time leaving the site and getting back on. We put spare socks, beers for the evening/hoodies for later in the evening. Think about where you are likely to be when you'll need them and drop them off their on the Wednesday or Thursday or just do it each day as you come in. 

[carlosj]

19 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

My main tip is more for during the festival and that is just use the lock up's so you don't waste valuable time leaving the site and getting back on. We put spare socks, beers for the evening/hoodies for later in the evening. Think about where you are likely to be when you'll need them and drop them off their on the Wednesday or Thursday or just do it each day as you come in. 

And if you're vague like me, write the locker location on the ticket and photograph it, otherwise it becomes Glastonbury roulette as to where you dumped want....

[EZYSEY]

34 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

My main tip is more for during the festival and that is just use the lock up's so you don't waste valuable time leaving the site and getting back on. We put spare socks, beers for the evening/hoodies for later in the evening. Think about where you are likely to be when you'll need them and drop them off their on the Wednesday or Thursday or just do it each day as you come in. 

Great tip! Are the lockers at the entrance to Gate C?

[psychology]

Don't panic driving them, they are as easy as a car. Only thing to watch is if it's a big motorhome watch the back end swinging out when you turn especially if people are under/overtaking you.

[paulshane]

9 minutes ago, EZYSEY said:

Great tip! Are the lockers at the entrance to Gate C?

yes, immeadiatly after the ticket checks.

[semmtexx]

Check the height. You don't want to catch the roof any restricted height access. Or take off a theatre balcony hoarding type thingy on the Charing Cross Road when pulling over to check a map. Just saying. 

[gigpusher]

14 minutes ago, EZYSEY said:

Great tip! Are the lockers at the entrance to Gate C?

There are but they are also dotted around the site. I tend to find that we usually go between 6 and 7-ish to pick up our evening supplies so if you know what stage you are likely to be at each day you could dot them around the site. I also put my money in envelopes for each day and use the lock up's like a cash machine. 

[BluePaul]

If you've putting up an awning, make sure you know how far it extends so you can let the stewards know how much room to give you.  Easiest way to do this is to arm your passenger with a groundsheet/tarp that is the approximate size of your awning and kick him/her out as you pull into your space so they can spread out the groundsheet to claim the additional space you need.  That way you also ensure you don't err on the side of caution and take up too much limited camping space!

[BluePaul]

2 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

There are but they are also dotted around the site. I tend to find that we usually go between 6 and 7-ish to pick up our evening supplies so if you know what stage you are likely to be at each day you could dot them around the site. I also put my money in envelopes for each day and use the lock up's like a cash machine. 

In my addled state I sometimes forget we are not living in Video Game World and assume that whatever I left in one lock up will actually be immediately available to me at any of the other lock ups...

Disappointment and embarrassment inevitably awaits.

[EZYSEY]

What are people saying on levelling blocks. Are they a necessity or will I get by without in east?

[gigpusher]

9 minutes ago, BluePaul said:

In my addled state I sometimes forget we are not living in Video Game World and assume that whatever I left in one lock up will actually be immediately available to me at any of the other lock ups...

Disappointment and embarrassment inevitably awaits.

?? If only!!

[annax]

Oh and another thing on awnings. If you’ve got a built in one, don’t over extend it. And don’t leave it open if it’s sheeting down with rain or even windy. One Tuesday night in 2016, there was an almighty crash at about 5am when one collapsed. Utterly ruined. Woke everyone up. Was impossible for them to wind back into the mechanism properly and required much gaffer tape to make safe for the way home. Not cheap when returning the hired van either. 

[Watchy]

Don’t do what we did on our first trip after buying it. We packed lots of stuff in the large garage with a view to sort it all out when arrived, but we left the key on the table at home. We had only the shoes we had on, no coats, no towels no cooking utensils and more. Thankfully we managed as it was only for 2 days. 

[Avalon_Fields]

8 hours ago, EZYSEY said:

What are people saying on levelling blocks. Are they a necessity or will I get by without in east?

I’ve never used mine, some of East CV is on a slope (Part of E17 is), but more importantly try to avoid setting up on a slope for the risk of wet ground and getting stuck, CVs in the main don’t cope with that well. If the forecast looks wet then think about bringing wheel grip mats. 

Best of all with the CV fields, Tuesday is a lovely chill out day, so bring plenty to eat and drink and have a party! And in the East, head up to the top of the Hill of Death early evening, sit there and take it the great view of the festival.

[EZYSEY]

10 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

I’ve never used mine, some of East CV is on a slope (Part of E17 is), but more importantly try to avoid setting up on a slope for the risk of wet ground and getting stuck, CVs in the main don’t cope with that well. If the forecast looks wet then think about bringing wheel grip mats. 

Best of all with the CV fields, Tuesday is a lovely chill out day, so bring plenty to eat and drink and have a party! And in the East, head up to the top of the Hill of Death early evening, sit there and take it the great view of the festival.

thanks. Maybe i'll invest in some wheel grip mats instead then. Not that we'll need them as its going to be glorious sunshine. 

Are there any food outlets open inside the festival on Tuesday? 

[carlosj]

9 minutes ago, EZYSEY said:

thanks. Maybe i'll invest in some wheel grip mats instead then. Not that we'll need them as its going to be glorious sunshine. 

Are there any food outlets open inside the festival on Tuesday? 

I've never taken much note of the vendors, but there's a big burger bar in the field somewhere near the hill of death. Don't think there's much choice other than that kind of food.

[Avalon_Fields]

3 hours ago, EZYSEY said:

Are there any food outlets open inside the festival on Tuesday? 

As @carlosj says, it’s very limited, I’d really recommend you bring everything you need for the Tuesday. 

[paulshane]

4 hours ago, EZYSEY said:

thanks. Maybe i'll invest in some wheel grip mats instead then. Not that we'll need them as its going to be glorious sunshine. 

Are there any food outlets open inside the festival on Tuesday? 

did you mean -outside- the festival? unless you are working, you won't be able to access inside until the gates open on wednesday.

 

As for fod in E or W camping, there are a few burger vans, which may be open tuesday, but bring food unless they are not.

[BeddyDriver]

 

16 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

I’ve never used mine, some of East CV is on a slope (Part of E17 is), but more importantly try to avoid setting up on a slope for the risk of wet ground and getting stuck, CVs in the main don’t cope with that well. If the forecast looks wet then think about bringing wheel grip mats. 

Best of all with the CV fields, Tuesday is a lovely chill out day, so bring plenty to eat and drink and have a party! And in the East, head up to the top of the Hill of Death early evening, sit there and take it the great view of the festival.

Ive had to use my levelling blocks most years to avoid rolling out of bed ! E20/21/23 can be quite slopey depending exactly where you end up,

Be sensible when driving in, if you see a soggy field, or other people sliding simply hang back and drive slowly but keep moving. If you stop a weighty motorhome on a soggy, or even moist field with a slight slope you aren't going anywhere again without churing it up for someone else !

I managed to drive a 4.5 tonne motorhome in and out of E21 in 2016 with no help, whilst many others were getting stuck.

 

[annax]

If you want to use the power sockets on board, connected to the leisure battery, they’re probably not regular cigar lighter sockets. 

Something like this will allow you to connect whatever you can connect to a lighter socket...

W4 00070A Adapt-It 5 Socket

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001G7V57I/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_pgpbDbXCRV539