What is your arrival strategy ?

[danbailey80]

On a train Friday evening. I'm a teacher. Shoot me.

[AcidCasual]

26 minutes ago, danbailey80 said:

On a train Friday evening. I'm a teacher. Shoot me.

 

Have you not seen the Kneecab thread - these are dangerous words round here

[SophusBeuford]

For the first time, we'll be driving to the festival rather than taking the coach/public transport. Staying with family in Blandford on Tuesday night to break up the journey and we'll be aiming for West car parks and Gate D. Won't be the end of the world if we get sent to Gate A tho! 

Unsure whether to arrive ~6am Weds or a bit later... having never used the car parks, had to queue for more than 30 mins or been able to control our arrival time we're undecided! Seen lots of stories about people arriving early morning and not getting in until midday (potentially making the early wake up pointless?)

Anyone got any similar experiences or advice?

[lefthandedopener]

Driving from Manchester to Western Super Mare on Tuesday morning. Have a hopefully nice, chilled evening by the sea, got a decent looking room for £80. Then probably set off at around 8am and drive the last hour to the site. Not been for a decade but when i used to come regular, you were as likely to be pitched up by 1pm if you arrived at 6am or 9am, still generally the case?

 

 

[Yeo-vile idiot]

Normally drive over in the morning Weather depending ( and obvs it will be glorious) this year staying with friends in the  village the night before and having a bbq . Then head for gate B 

[gooner1990]

6 minutes ago, Yeo-vile idiot said:

Normally drive over in the morning Weather depending ( and obvs it will be glorious) this year staying with friends in the  village the night before and having a bbq . Then head for gate B 

they must be popular people during the festival! 
 

do they camp as well or do they head back home each evening? 

[Yeo-vile idiot]

11 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

they must be popular people during the festival! 
 

do they camp as well or do they head back home each evening? 

Normally stumble home 

[Watergirl]

I used to stay in Glastonbury Town on the Tuesday night and get up super early to be on the one 7 a.m. shuttle bus. Was quite stressful and if it was full the next one was at 9 a.m. and the country lanes would be clogged up.

Now with Oxfam, which works really well, although I miss my visits to the town as Oxfam departs from Bristol.

[cidermonkey]

Normally travel down on the National express coach from Edinburgh to the festival, decided to have a change in plan given they want almost £200 for the return trip.

 

Flying down to Bristol arriving at airport about 11pm. We have a coach booked from Bristol bus station at 4:20am so will probably hang about the airport for a couple of hours before getting the bus into Bristol bus station.

 

Does anyone know what time the bus station starts filling up on the Wednesday morning with people waiting on the coaches to the festival? Empty bus stations are generally not the nicest places to hang around during dark…
 

 

 

[dotdash79]

So I’ve been looking at some photos from last year and I arrived at gate A and was in my place in the snake at 4:30ish

 

we were packed together at about 6:30

 

by 8:17 I was near the crossing to get to the gate 

 

 

by 9:30 I was set up and had my first can open. 

[dg.bandol]

1 hour ago, cidermonkey said:

Normally travel down on the National express coach from Edinburgh to the festival, decided to have a change in plan given they want almost £200 for the return trip.

 

Flying down to Bristol arriving at airport about 11pm. We have a coach booked from Bristol bus station at 4:20am so will probably hang about the airport for a couple of hours before getting the bus into Bristol bus station.

 

Does anyone know what time the bus station starts filling up on the Wednesday morning with people waiting on the coaches to the festival? Empty bus stations are generally not the nicest places to hang around during dark…
 

 

 

The coach prices are crazy. I’m coming down from Glasgow on a coach+ticket package and the coach was £160 return. My van full of people (as it was last year) was £40 a head.

Contemplated doing the opposite to you coming back (shuttle to Temple Meads, bus to airport, EasyJet flight back to GLA) but the times don’t seem particularly convenient.

 

May just resign myself to the fate of a hellish 11+ hour bus journey back to Glasgow then collapse in a heap when I get back. On the plus side, at least i don’t have to worry about taking it easy on the Sunday.

[clasher]

3 hours ago, cidermonkey said:

Does anyone know what time the bus station starts filling up on the Wednesday morning with people waiting on the coaches to the festival? Empty bus stations are generally not the nicest places to hang around during dark…

 

 

The last two years we got to the Bristol bus station at around 5:30/6 in the morning and that's about the time any sort of noticeable queue started to form. There will be NatEx personnel there earlier (don't know when the earliest departure is), so you won't be alone alone.

[Someoni]

15 hours ago, EavisAintDead said:

I've tried a few arrivals; staying at a friends house in Street and getting in the queue at 5 (back in 2014 this gave you a short queue and the pick of the fields), driving down from Bristol and getting caught in masses of traffic (2016, never again please) and even sleeping in my car in the car park until 4AM 

 

The last two festivals, I've left my house in Glastonbury at 3AM and enjoyed the sunrise with a sausage sandwich somewhere in the first few rows of the queue of Gate A

 

We have now found our preferred camping spot and my friend thinks we'll get more sleep in the queue itself rather than in my comfy spare room so for the first time I will be getting there at ~11PM Tuesday and trying to get some kip in a camping chair. Might need a nap by 2PM. 

11pm Tuesday night would be a hard no from me! I'd be pickled for the Wed if I did that. Fair play to your mates.

[The_Fish]

Do campsites get so full now that people think queueing overnight on the Tuesday is reasonable behaviour? If you rock up on Wednesday afternoon do you now have no chance of a spot in Pennards or near the Pyramid?`

[Someoni]

10 minutes ago, The_Fish said:

Do campsites get so full now that people think queueing overnight on the Tuesday is reasonable behaviour? If you rock up on Wednesday afternoon do you now have no chance of a spot in Pennards or near the Pyramid?`

I think its been so for a number of years now. You still see people squeezing in a single tent here and there into late Wednesday for sure 

[The_Fish]

18 minutes ago, Someoni said:

I think its been so for a number of years now. You still see people squeezing in a single tent here and there into late Wednesday for sure 

 

Crazy, but then I am 40. I'm already wondering how I'll survive on so little sleep, not sleeping much on Tuesday feels like a recipe for disaster for me, glad I can avoid it, wish everyone luck if they're doing that, hope their dream spots are free.

[Someoni]

1 minute ago, The_Fish said:

 

Crazy, but then I am 40. I'm already wondering how I'll survive on so little sleep, not sleeping much on Tuesday feels like a recipe for disaster for me, glad I can avoid it, wish everyone luck if they're doing that, hope their dream spots are free.

I'm only a year behind you but opt for campervans these days, sacrifice the proximity for solid sleep is a trade off I accept these days 

[Euphoricape]

I really don't think it matters too much where you camp, personally I prefer to be on the outskirts so quieter to sleep. Hitchen hill or rigs field are preferable to Pennards or oxylers for me. Queuing on Tuesday night and losing a night's sleep before the festival even starts is madness to me lol.

[foolee]

18 minutes ago, Euphoricape said:

I really don't think it matters too much where you camp, personally I prefer to be on the outskirts so quieter to sleep. Hitchen hill or rigs field are preferable to Pennards or oxylers for me. Queuing on Tuesday night and losing a night's sleep before the festival even starts is madness to me lol.

Yeah I agree. Been to both Darble and Hitchin Hill, liked both camps and fairly quiet when you do head back. Means you can party and sleep when you want rather than having to stay up. Saying that I’m not much of a night owl.
 

Considering either getting driven down around 4am Thursday morning or getting more sleep and getting the train 8/9ish Thursday but not sure what’s better. Is it likely if we drive we’ll have to camp in Hitchin Hill anyway and that walk must be shorter when getting the train rather than driving due to gate locations?

Edited May 14, 2025 by foolee

[Ben7amin_]

1 hour ago, The_Fish said:

Do campsites get so full now that people think queueing overnight on the Tuesday is reasonable behaviour? If you rock up on Wednesday afternoon do you now have no chance of a spot in Pennards or near the Pyramid?`

 

Having camped in Pennard Hill I'd say it's the most overated camp spot. 

Edited May 14, 2025 by Ben7amin_

[Euphoricape]

24 minutes ago, foolee said:

Yeah I agree. Been to both Darble and Hitchin Hill, liked both camps and fairly quiet when you do head back. Means you can party and sleep when you want rather than having to stay up. Saying that I’m not much of a night owl.
 

Considering either getting driven down around 4am Thursday morning or getting more sleep and getting the train 8/9ish Thursday but not sure what’s better. Is it likely if we drive we’ll have to camp in Hitchin Hill anyway and that walk must be shorter when getting the train rather than driving due to gate locations?

I'm Thursday coach, so will probably try for Hitchen hill or lime kiln. The walk from gate A isn't too bad, about 20 mins with all your luggage etc .

[Fred Zepplin]

I've done all sorts over the years. Train from London twice in my first few years 07 and 08 when not to many people queued up over night. Next 3 times I got the bus from Nottingham, the last year we were heavily delayed, left Nottingham at 9AM Wednesday and didn't get on site till 1AM Thursday. Ending up camping in one of the outer fields. There might have been space in the main fields but it was too dark to see. Have driven down the last 8 times. Originally getting in the queue as soon as the car parks open and sleeping in the queue to camp in Big ground. Last 2 years and this year since we have the kids and are camping in Wickets we don't rush now. Leave Lincoln about 8-9AM and get to site 12-1. Have a steady walk in with no queuing and set up camp about 2-3. I think if I went now without the kids I wouldn't bother queuing up. As people have said sometimes you don't even get on site till 11-12 even if you've queued all night. I would rather have a good nights sleep at home and camp in a quiet field

[CR77]

I usually get there Wednesday evening (6pm-ish) or Thursday mid afternoon.  I hate queuing, and I get annoyed when stuck in a heaving crowd... add in staying up all night, and the lack of a shower, and that's my recipe for an agitated start to the festival!!  I can't imagine why anyone would want to start the festival that way... but kudos to those who can hack it and keep smiling!!

 

I've never had a problem finding somewhere to camp on the Thursday.  Was in Darble last year, and I don't mind the walk back - doesn't seem far at all.  But when I ventured into the festival after pitching my tent, there were loads of spaces for single tents that I noticed, even in Pennards etc.  I wouldn't want to camp centrally though anyway!

[Twiggy553]

2 hours ago, Ben7amin_ said:

 

Having camped in Pennard Hill I'd say it's the most overated camp spot. 

Its feral. someone took a sh*t near our tent the one year I camped in there.

[JoeyT]

Friends taking my tent / stuff to put up in the EC fields on Tues.

 

Do school run Weds morning then ditch car in glasto town and get the shuttle.

 

Hope to be on site by 11am with a rucksack full of beers. Avalon Inn shortly after.