What is your arrival strategy ?

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, stuie said:

Haha brilliant! People that see you will think you’ve arrived on them! 

We have actually been dropped close to site and cycled in previously but arrived at gate by HOD . Security weren’t great then and made us push bikes up HOD and join back of queue 😞 or maybe they were and it was where cyclists got told to go when arriving at that gate 

[stuie]

6 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

We have actually been dropped close to site and cycled in previously but arrived at gate by HOD . Security weren’t great then and made us push bikes up HOD and join back of queue 😞 or maybe they were and it was where cyclists got told to go when arriving at that gate 

Ah that’s not nice! I’d have cycled along to gate B I think. 

[deepkittycaz]

As I arrive the Tuesday, my usual strategy is to get a morning train from Temple Meads to Westbury, then get the larger GWR connection to Castle Cary. 

 

Much quieter service and I'm generally guaranteed a seat. 

 

Booked it about this time last year, and cost me £7. This year I'm looking at the exact same service and it's £20 quid!! 

 

I really don't want to get the direct train to Castle Cary as it's tiny and likely to be standing room only, but that's much cheaper in comparison.

[gooner1990]

4 hours ago, stuie said:

we borrowed one off a mates dad when there were 4 of us in car one year… made so much difference. 
 

how much are they to buy though I wonder? 

A half decent brand with fitting at Halfords was about £600

[Talcroft]

Man reading this thread has got me giddy. Is it time yet? 

 

Pre-2022 when I was a punter and my friends still did the fest: set off after work Tues then stay overnight with cousin in Bristol who would remind me annually that this whole thing is daft. Then head off at 6am on Weds morning for the crew to assemble in Tesco Shepton car park at 7am to drive in in convoy. Queue usually moving by the time we get to the back of it so in and set up by 12 generally. 

 

22 + 23 solo and as a worker with Avalon: car shares there, 22 was sweet as we were allowed in on the Monday due to train strikes. Get out of car, kiss the ground, then tent up in Avalon camp. Get wristbanded, get shifts, then join the staff parties before the hoi polloi are allowed in. It's lovely to hear the crowds building on the peripheries. Not so lovely to hear the helicopters start blasting in (winding lake is not far from the Avalon camp and it's pretty incessant on the Wed, Thurs and following Mon). 

[svphie]

Only ever volunteered or had a coach ticket so need to work out how me and 2 friends are getting there from North London. I really don't fancy queueing overnight Tuesday, but surely need to be up super early on Wed. No idea about what time we'd get through gates?!

 

My friend who is going to drive thinks we won't fit in with all our stuff in her mum's tiny car, but surely it'll be doable...

[bennyhana22]

1 minute ago, svphie said:

Only ever volunteered or had a coach ticket so need to work out how me and 2 friends are getting there from North London. I really don't fancy queueing overnight Tuesday, but surely need to be up super early on Wed. No idea about what time we'd get through gates?!

 

My friend who is going to drive thinks we won't fit in with all our stuff in her mum's tiny car, but surely it'll be doable...

When I go in a car (coach again, this year) we get up at 3am on Wednesday in Worcestershire, parked by 5-5.30 and in the queue by 6am. Through gates by about 9am. Works fine. 

Ben

[clarkete]

1 minute ago, bennyhana22 said:

When I go in a car (coach again, this year) we get up at 3am on Wednesday in Worcestershire, parked by 5-5.30 and in the queue by 6am. Through gates by about 9am. Works fine. 

Ben

Crikey you folks are hardcore, some of these remind me of the 4 Yorkshiremen sketch "I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed..."

[svphie]

6 minutes ago, bennyhana22 said:

When I go in a car (coach again, this year) we get up at 3am on Wednesday in Worcestershire, parked by 5-5.30 and in the queue by 6am. Through gates by about 9am. Works fine. 

Ben

 

Thanks, good to know.

 

yes, you folks are hardcore!!! I'm not sure I have it in me to get up at 3am knowing I won't have a good nights sleep for the next 5 days 😅 

[dotdash79]

3 minutes ago, svphie said:

 

Thanks, good to know.

 

yes, you folks are hardcore!!! I'm not sure I have it in me to get up at 3am knowing I won't have a good nights sleep for the next 5 days 😅 

Wednesday isn’t a very busy day so you can have a nap in the afternoon. 

[Johnnyseven]

36 minutes ago, svphie said:

Only ever volunteered or had a coach ticket so need to work out how me and 2 friends are getting there from North London. I really don't fancy queueing overnight Tuesday, but surely need to be up super early on Wed. No idea about what time we'd get through gates?!

 

My friend who is going to drive thinks we won't fit in with all our stuff in her mum's tiny car, but surely it'll be doable...

 

What car does she have? Do the back seats split so they can go down with still a back seat to sit on? You should be able to get a reasonable amount of stuff in if they do.

Edited April 15 by Johnnyseven

[bennyhana22]

55 minutes ago, clarkete said:

Crikey you folks are hardcore, some of these remind me of the 4 Yorkshiremen sketch "I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed..."

 

The last two years that strategy has got us to our prime real estate in Paines as the vanguard for our big group and much loveliness ensued! Also, I tend to be reasonably sensible on the Wednesday night sleep-wise, as there's not much going on after midnight and I don't drink. So I can recover nicely for the lunacy of the next four nights!

 

Being on the coach this year means I am in the hands of others in my group to do the land grab!

 

Ben

[clarkete]

58 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

Wednesday isn’t a very busy day so you can have a nap in the afternoon. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, bennyhana22 said:

 

The last two years that strategy has got us to our prime real estate in Paines as the vanguard for our big group and much loveliness ensued! Also, I tend to be reasonably sensible on the Wednesday night sleep-wise, as there's not much going on after midnight and I don't drink. So I can recover nicely for the lunacy of the next four nights!

 

Being on the coach this year means I am in the hands of others in my group to do the land grab!

 

Ben

Oh, it's not obligatory to drink too much overly sweet strawberry cider and then come over all unnecessary on the Wednesday?

[phillyfaddle]

Different this year as I have a volunteer ticket as a friend’s PA in the assisted campsite. First time I’ll be camping on main site since 2012! Got a B&B Tuesday night (near Podimore), then being collected early doors on Wed as we were only allocated 1 car park pass (understandably). Getting mentally prepared to queue again, as my festival ticket will be at the dedicated gate. 

[gooner1990]

1 hour ago, svphie said:

Only ever volunteered or had a coach ticket so need to work out how me and 2 friends are getting there from North London. I really don't fancy queueing overnight Tuesday, but surely need to be up super early on Wed. No idea about what time we'd get through gates?!

 

My friend who is going to drive thinks we won't fit in with all our stuff in her mum's tiny car, but surely it'll be doable...

I'm hiring a roof box and bars for a week following a tip on here.  Costing us £95.

[Spindles]

2 hours ago, bennyhana22 said:

When I go in a car (coach again, this year) we get up at 3am on Wednesday in Worcestershire, parked by 5-5.30 and in the queue by 6am. Through gates by about 9am. Works fine. 

Ben

20 mins down the road from you in the ditch and we used to do the same with identical results.  I've tried a few arrival strategies from the overnight queue to arriving at dawn.  Last few festivals I've switched to coach and arriving later in the day Wednesday when the queue's died down, I find this the most stress free arrival strategy, off the coach, maybe 10-20 mins to get through the gate at most if you arrive lunchtime and straight in any time after 3pm.

[Pear_Cider]

2 hours ago, bennyhana22 said:

 

Being on the coach this year means I am in the hands of others in my group to do the land grab!

 

Ben

 

When is your coach arriving Ben? Just wondered if you will be at the R&F Wednesday afternoon for our annual hug! 😄

 

Trev

[EavisAintDead]

3 hours ago, svphie said:

Only ever volunteered or had a coach ticket so need to work out how me and 2 friends are getting there from North London. I really don't fancy queueing overnight Tuesday, but surely need to be up super early on Wed. No idea about what time we'd get through gates?!

 

My friend who is going to drive thinks we won't fit in with all our stuff in her mum's tiny car, but surely it'll be doable...

Dream big

[bennyhana22]

33 minutes ago, Pear_Cider said:

 

When is your coach arriving Ben? Just wondered if you will be at the R&F Wednesday afternoon for our annual hug! 😄

 

Trev

Birmingham is one of those where you don't get departure times to book. You're at the mercy of the SeeCoaches people, to whom I have sent my customary 'please can we be on the first coach out of Dodge?' begging email! 

That notwithstanding, you may bet your house on that hug happening, old pal. 

Ben
x

[Kaboom Boxer]

I'm staying at Tangerine Fields, anyone got any advice on arrival strategy?

 

We're driving down to Coxley on Tuesday night after work so will wake up relatively close to the farm on Wednesday morning. What is the vehicle queue for TF usually like on a Wednessady morning?

 

We obviously won't be bringing any camping gear through the gates once we're set up, is there a separate queue at Pedestrian Gate B for people just entering site rather than setting up camp? If it's one queue for all what time does this normally die down?

[tarw]

3 hours ago, phillyfaddle said:

Different this year as I have a volunteer ticket as a friend’s PA in the assisted campsite. First time I’ll be camping on main site since 2012! Got a B&B Tuesday night (near Podimore), then being collected early doors on Wed as we were only allocated 1 car park pass (understandably). Getting mentally prepared to queue again, as my festival ticket will be at the dedicated gate. 

If you’re parking in the accessible car park there won’t be a queue apart from the one for the minibus to take your stuff to Spring Ground 

[StoneCircle]

1 hour ago, tarw said:

If you’re parking in the accessible car park there won’t be a queue apart from the one for the minibus to take your stuff to Spring Ground 

@phillyfaddle I don't agree with @tarw about there not being a queue, some people wait for hours on Wednesday morning. 

Expect to queue when you and the person who you are the PA for collect their access pack and your ticket from the Accessible Arrivals Marquee in the car park. People start queuing overnight just like any other pedestrian gate so depending on what time you arrive will depend on the wait. Wednesday morning is the busiest time. I recommend taking a chair for the queue and plenty of water and snacks. There are toilets but nothing else. I have experienced both entering the festival via the Accessible Arrivals Marquee and working there. I volunteered as an Oxfam steward, my role was checking tickets there. 

Edited April 15 by StoneCircle

[tarw]

4 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

There will definitely be a queue as you collect your access pack from the Accessible Arrivals Marquee in the car park. People start queuing overnight just like any other pedestrian gate so depending on what time you arrive will depend on the wait. Wednesday morning is the busiest time. I recommend taking a chair for the queue and plenty of water and snacks. There are toilets but nothing else. I have experienced both entering the festival via the Accessible Arrivals Marquee and working there. I volunteered as an Oxfam steward, my role was checking tickets there. 

I stand corrected!  Must just have been when I’ve been on shift there that there wasn’t a queue. 

[StoneCircle]

Just now, tarw said:

I stand corrected!  Must just have been when I’ve been on shift there that there wasn’t a queue. 

My shift was 2pm to 10pm on Thursday and it was steadily busy until about 7pm.

 

On Wednesday some of my friends joined the very long queue at 6am and eventually reached the front at 11:15 am. By the time they got to Spring Ground both of them were absolutely exhausted and would never do it again. I know I couldn't physically queue like that which is why we go into E21 Forward Accessible Campervan site. 😊

[tarw]

15 minutes ago, StoneCircle said:

My shift was 2pm to 10pm on Thursday and it was steadily busy until about 7pm.

 

On Wednesday some of my friends joined the very long queue at 6am and eventually reached the front at 11:15 am. By the time they got to Spring Ground both of them were absolutely exhausted and would never do it again. I know I couldn't physically queue like that which is why we go into E21 Forward Accessible Campervan site. 😊

It must have been the Thursday that I was up there then. I was busy loading the minibuses and it was a steady stream all day and didn’t notice any big queues to get to the marquee. Just shows how your perspective is different from different angles-never seen it from the queue side