What is your arrival strategy ?

[Detective McNulty]

easy street. pre erected tent and a mate taking all my stuff down. swan in off the official coach on thursday with a bag of cans and off we go.

[kalifire]

Aiming for an arrival at PGA of about 4:45am ish on Wednesday morning, via a shuttle from the drop off at B&W. I try and arrive just before the coaches start piling in. Camping on the north side of the site this year rather than Pennards, just to make things a tad easier.

[Ryan1984]

4 hours ago, The Nal said:

 

Just arrive later and miss the queues

This is my plan next (?) time I get a ticket. Set off Weds lunchtime and set up afternoon/evening. Those four/five-hour queues in the heat are no fun.

[TokiDoki]

6 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

 

Listening to @JoeyT on Glastocast saying about things that have changed.....easy Wednesday arrival and it being quieter on site!

 

My first 4-5 Glastonburys felt like you were in the minority arriving then, and now like you say its stressful arriving and trying to get it right as now everyone's up for a full 5 day party.

 

Definitely in 2003 and 2005, we arrived around early afternoon Wednesday and there were no queues to get in, and almost completely empty camping fields. Had our pick of where to camp with no rush to choose. Didn't really start to fill up until late afternoon Wednesday, but most people were arriving on Thursday I think.

 

Strategy this year has been the same the last 10 years, leave home at 5am Wednesday, arrive at the Blue carparks around 8am, hopefully into the site and setting up the tent by 11am. Has worked every time so far!

 

 

 

 

[gooner1990]

So.....this year.

 

Have bagged a resale ticket in general sale.

 

Now going with three guys I know from London who are travelling separately, the contentious is not bothered about a central camping spot so maybe a late morning-lunchtime Wednesday arrival at PGD then hopefully get in a campsite possibly around Dairy/Rigs Field/Back House/South Park 1.

 

Anyone else done similar? I've arrived pre-gate opening time for so long (bar coach years) that I don't know what it will be like arriving then in terms of car park position, queues at the gates and camping options once we are in.

 

[thewomble]

6 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

So.....this year.

 

Have bagged a resale ticket in general sale.

 

Now going with three guys I know from London who are travelling separately, the contentious is not bothered about a central camping spot so maybe a late morning-lunchtime Wednesday arrival at PGD then hopefully get in a campsite possibly around Dairy/Rigs Field/Back House/South Park 1.

 

Anyone else done similar? I've arrived pre-gate opening time for so long (bar coach years) that I don't know what it will be like arriving then in terms of car park position, queues at the gates and camping options once we are in.

 

We are similar except only couple of us travelling by car as the rest are getting the coach. Got a hefty drive but also hoping to arrive around lunchtime and get space for 3 tents (1 large 2 small) in Dairy/somewhere near there. Done Oxfam last year and parked on the other side of the site in 2023 so no idea what to expect. We do have off-site parking this year though which eases some stress around car park position!

[gooner1990]

3 minutes ago, thewomble said:

We are similar except only couple of us travelling by car as the rest are getting the coach. Got a hefty drive but also hoping to arrive around lunchtime and get space for 3 tents (1 large 2 small) in Dairy/somewhere near there. Done Oxfam last year and parked on the other side of the site in 2023 so no idea what to expect. We do have off-site parking this year though which eases some stress around car park position!

 

I'll be heading for West parking and praying its not near the back!

 

The three guys have one big tent to share and I have a 3-man Fresh and black so we aren't a big group either.  Just hope there is plenty of space left.

 

Last year due to queue issues at PGA we didn't get up to South Park 1 until 1pm or so and got in ok there....

[Twiggy553]

Have to drop the kids at school Wednesday morning, then drive down from near Kendal in my Campervan.

[nikkic]

The last few years we've arrived on Thursday (due to childcare). Our friends had been there since gates and taken our tent for us, setting up in Big Ground.

This year we will be heading down on Wednesday. 

My question is, if we want to camp in Big Ground, what time will we need to join the queue? 

 

[gfa]

46 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

So.....this year.

 

Have bagged a resale ticket in general sale.

 

Now going with three guys I know from London who are travelling separately, the contentious is not bothered about a central camping spot so maybe a late morning-lunchtime Wednesday arrival at PGD then hopefully get in a campsite possibly around Dairy/Rigs Field/Back House/South Park 1.

 

Anyone else done similar? I've arrived pre-gate opening time for so long (bar coach years) that I don't know what it will be like arriving then in terms of car park position, queues at the gates and camping options once we are in.

 

If your in around midday i'd say:

 

Dairy - pretty full but definitely space for maybe 2-3 smaller tents together and possibly even more / some larger ones if you properly look. We've camped in Dairy twice and was similar both years.

 

Back House - camped here last year, it had heaps of room all of Wednesday we were in a little field off to the side of the main one (if it rains AVOID, the access was a state last year by sunday)

 

Rigs should be fine based on location. South Park 1 probably similar to Back House.

 

Dairy is the only one you may struggle a bit with

[Ben7amin_]

I was working last year so was already on site, I was not on shift Wed morning for gates opening so I took my self down to PG B for gates open. 

 

There had been people who had queued for absolutely hours at the front of queue. They all had so much stuff loads of trolleys etc etc.

 

What I did notice was when gates opened all these guys rushed to get the best spots but because they had bought so much stuff on this trip they were so slow making there way to big ground. People from much further back in the queue who just had small tents were just running straight passed them. 

 

I'm sure they got a spot OK but it just seemed counter productive to queue that early but then be so slow on the next bit. 

 

 

 

[nikkic]

18 minutes ago, gfa said:

If your in around midday i'd say:

 

Dairy - pretty full but definitely space for maybe 2-3 smaller tents together and possibly even more / some larger ones if you properly look. We've camped in Dairy twice and was similar both years.

 

Back House - camped here last year, it had heaps of room all of Wednesday we were in a little field off to the side of the main one (if it rains AVOID, the access was a state last year by sunday)

 

Rigs should be fine based on location. South Park 1 probably similar to Back House.

 

Dairy is the only one you may struggle a bit with

Did it rain last year? I could have sworn it was dry!

[dotdash79]

9 minutes ago, nikkic said:

Did it rain last year? I could have sworn it was dry!

Rained on the Friday morning for about 10 min, then I think it rained on the Monday afternoon.

 

Might have been a water point that caused the issue.

[dotdash79]

35 minutes ago, nikkic said:

The last few years we've arrived on Thursday (due to childcare). Our friends had been there since gates and taken our tent for us, setting up in Big Ground.

This year we will be heading down on Wednesday. 

My question is, if we want to camp in Big Ground, what time will we need to join the queue? 

 

We wanted to camp in Big Ground in 2023 and we joined the queue at 5:30, we didn't get through until about 11 am and that point space was limited, ended up squeezing into kidney mead.

 

IF you have a few tents to set up you need to be queuing quite early.

[itsfomas]

Arriving by coach this year for the first time. Would love some top tips on best places to camp etc. I'm not thinking about it too much until the full map is out, plus I am at the mercy of the coach times!

[Skip997]

On 29/03/2023 at 22:27, Skip997 said:

Saturday pre event.

Set off as soon as I'm ready, usually early afternoon. Stop for fuel and supermarket stock up.

Enter via red gate, park up in holding space, get my H&S band, join the queue, can vary in size, last year there was one van in front of me. Get vechile pass issued, drive slowly down the railway track, through Undle Ground and into to Dragon field. Saying hello to many mates on the way. Park up, sort the van. Possibly start a shift or else chat with folks.

Last year was about 30 minutes from arriving at Red Gate to being parked up.

Much the same except I now try to arrive sooner. Last year was about 2 weeks earlier 

[dg.bandol]

1 hour ago, nikkic said:

Did it rain last year? I could have sworn it was dry!

Definitely rained at a couple of points last year- at least 2 mornings for at least 10mins, but didn’t really affect any viewing enjoyment as it was early. 2023 was a scorcher. Think I was hit with one solitary rain drop during Cat Steven’s and aside from that it was 25/26 degrees through the whole festival.

[dotdash79]

2023 it rained for about an hour on the Wednesday around lunch time.

[Someoni]

Plan is to stay overnight just off M5 J11 and then drive in to CV Blue general for about 10am. Hopefully be in the front half of the first field, set up both motorhomes, then meet the neighbours.

 

Wander over to the top of the hill in the evening for a couple of drinks and most likely a singsong!

 

Wednesday will watch the masses go and may e go down to the gates for 8am, probably look to go in around 10am for the initial wander around and explore.

 

3 newbies with me so kind of want them to lead in a general sense 

[clasher]

7 hours ago, itsfomas said:

Arriving by coach this year for the first time. Would love some top tips on best places to camp etc. I'm not thinking about it too much until the full map is out, plus I am at the mercy of the coach times!

 

Coaches drop you off at gate A, so you'll be probably looking at the NW part of the site. The coach queue is prioritised, so you should be in fairly quickly (the last two years we arrived just after the gates opened and were in within one hour). Coach time will be obviously essential if you want to get a more central spot.

[IFinallyGotATicket]

10 hours ago, Ben7amin_ said:

I was working last year so was already on site, I was not on shift Wed morning for gates opening so I took my self down to PG B for gates open. 

 

There had been people who had queued for absolutely hours at the front of queue. They all had so much stuff loads of trolleys etc etc.

 

What I did notice was when gates opened all these guys rushed to get the best spots but because they had bought so much stuff on this trip they were so slow making there way to big ground. People from much further back in the queue who just had small tents were just running straight passed them. 

 

I'm sure they got a spot OK but it just seemed counter productive to queue that early but then be so slow on the next bit. 

 

 

 

I was one of the lighter people on the first trip, I remember all the big trollies moving slow so I weaved in and out and was THE FIRST person through gate B last year , probably started about 75 people or so back, so your point is valid , first in the queue wasn't first through the gate 

[nikkic]

14 hours ago, dotdash79 said:

We wanted to camp in Big Ground in 2023 and we joined the queue at 5:30, we didn't get through until about 11 am and that point space was limited, ended up squeezing into kidney mead.

 

IF you have a few tents to set up you need to be queuing quite early.

Thanks.

 

To join the queue at 5.30 we’d probably have to leave our house at 2am.

 

Not quite sure that’s the way I want to start the festival! 
 

 

[nikkic]

Plan B might be Bailey's or South Park 1 or 2.

Guessing these won't fill up until later in the day on Wednesday? 

[Jack H]

Getting the coach from Cambridge and arriving to the site for roughly 9.30, set up in Hitchin field and wait for the rest of my group to arrive around mid day and help them set up before setting out for my tour of the site. 

[upstream]

arrive at about 10am on the saturday, collect my H&S pass then drive up to the park and set up camp say hi to some old friends have a wander round site. then go home again. Sunday collect 10 of my team and help them get all their gear onsite and set up their camp and get all their accreditation done then mooch about take newbies in my team on a tour and then chill till Tuesday when it becomes meetings then party till gates open