Opening queues at Ped Gate B?

[MJP]

Hey all

How are the opening queues at ped gate B?

We'll be using this gate this year for reasons and need to know how early to join the queue.

[balti-pie]

saw people at the front of the queue at about 1pm tuesday last year, the crazy twats. It thickened up from about 5-6pm and by the time it got dark it was a biiiiig queue snaking back into the car parks. i headed in at about 9am on the wednesday morning (EPO/staff passout) and the queue stretched much further back than i could see but was moving fairly briskly. Its impossible to say if you're better off going to B or C, i'd tend towards B because C has the campervan people trying to get wristbanded too, but there's more room for the queues at C so that might be processed quicker. 

I know this isnt much help, but dunno lol 😄

[drunk pumpkin]

2 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

saw people at the front of the queue at about 1pm tuesday last year, the crazy twats. It thickened up from about 5-6pm and by the time it got dark it was a biiiiig queue snaking back into the car parks. i headed in at about 9am on the wednesday morning (EPO/staff passout) and the queue stretched much further back than i could see but was moving fairly briskly. Its impossible to say if you're better off going to B or C, i'd tend towards B because C has the campervan people trying to get wristbanded too, but there's more room for the queues at C so that might be processed quicker. 

I know this isnt much help, but dunno lol 😄

1pm is insane!

I agree that B is getter than C. 

I was in the camper fields last year and the queue on Wednesday morning snaked up past the top of E16 and that's more than 1km from the gate 

[balti-pie]

1 minute ago, drunk pumpkin said:

1pm is insane!

I agree that B is getter than C. 

I was in the camper fields last year and the queue on Wednesday morning snaked up past the top of E16 and that's more than 1km from the gate 

It was ridiculous 😆 It was a group of about 8-10 fellas, late twenties/early thirties, and there was one bloke with a shaved/bald head who was hella sunburnt by about 3pm. In the queue outside the festival, a good 18 hours before the gates even open ffs! I just wanted to slather him in aftersun and try to piece together his brain for the next five days! I've had a sunburnt head once in my life and it scared me into permanently having access to a hat if the sun is even considering appearing 🥵 

[parsonjack]

Anecdotally I'd say B is quieter due to PGA, D and C being nearest to West and East carparks respectively.

There is the presence of Tangerine Fields punters to add to the mix, although most of those would be arriving from 0900 Weds morning onwards.  Certainly (being a TF punter...) we've often been at PGB around midday Weds for first entry and never had to queue for more than around 15 mins or so.

[4AssedMonkey]

We've tried to aim for B before but the stewards in the car parks/camper fields all claimed they weren't sure of the route.  In hindsight I think they were deliberately trying to swerve people to C instead.  From East car parks what's the best route??

On the occasions we ended up at C, we joined the queue about 3:00 - 4:00am and were through the gates by about 9:00am if that's any gauge.

[stuie]

34 minutes ago, MJP said:

Hey all

How are the opening queues at ped gate B?

We'll be using this gate this year for reasons and need to know how early to join the queue.

04:30am Wednesday!

[Barnabybear]

I was working at ped gate B for oxfam on the Tues(got the fabled early shifts).A group of guys arrived around 10am. 

It was early afternoon before anyone else joined them, but by 7 or 8pm the zigzagged queuing field was pretty much full and by 10-11pm the queue was way back past the oxfam camping area and towards the car parks. 

[p.pete]

Love a good queue discussion.  For East (B/C) I think it massively depends on what order they fill the car parks (edit: which I'd love to know more about, if anyone has any ideas?), and when you plan to arrive.  Yes, people in campervans add massively to the length of the queue at C, but 'most' of them aren't queueing overnight - they're not aiming to get a good camping spot, they already have a comfy bed, they've been able to relax, have a few beers and decent scran - the queue can wait until the morning.  If they're really keen then maybe 7am, otherwise my guess is more between 10/11am, but they're probably constantly adding to and keeping gate C queue busy.

After that the next issue is how far the car parks are from C, as pointed out all the other gates the carparks line up reasonably with the gate, whereas at C there is the extra trek through the car park.

Edited April 19, 2023 by p.pete

[drunk pumpkin]

As this could be my last one ever I'm making it a holiday and using Love Fields. 

One reason is the not needing to join the back of the queue to get in Wednesday when we arrive (at least I hope that's the case) 🤞

[p.pete]

36 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

 by the time it got dark it was a biiiiig queue snaking back into the car parks.

5 minutes ago, Barnabybear said:

by 7 or 8pm the zigzagged queuing field was pretty much full and by 10-11pm the queue was way back past the oxfam camping area and towards the car parks. 

This sounds like way more than I can remember in previous years, crazy!  I think 2017 and 2019 we've arrived around midnight, both times put in carpark 2, which is one of the two big ones at the very north of the carpark - big queue already at that time, but this sounds like a massive escalation.

Last year was it just decent weather and excitement at first festival in three years?  Or is this a permanent thing now (most years when people arrive early it does seem like, unless the weather plays a part, it just keeps growing from there rather than reversing).

[p.pete]

12 minutes ago, stuie said:

04:30am Wednesday!

Where about was this photo taken?  I know there's a big long path after you leave the car park to get to gate B, but I don't remember it being that wide at any point!  Is this back towards the carparks pretty much?

[parsonjack]

24 minutes ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

We've tried to aim for B before but the stewards in the car parks/camper fields all claimed they weren't sure of the route.  In hindsight I think they were deliberately trying to swerve people to C instead.  From East car parks what's the best route??

From east carparks then heading north along Pylle Road ie Blue Route to where it joins Cockmill Lane and PGB is probably your best choice.  You could also head down to PGC and then walk north up Cockmill Lane until you get to PGB but you might find it difficult to get down to PGC because of the queuing for PGC stretching up Hill of Death.

 

[stuie]

13 minutes ago, p.pete said:

Where about was this photo taken?  I know there's a big long path after you leave the car park to get to gate B, but I don't remember it being that wide at any point!  Is this back towards the carparks pretty much?

No, it's from the front of the queue.  The back of the photo is towards the car parks. 

From this point onwards, there's a small road that you cross before you walk past the farm buildings and some portaloos and up to Gate B

[andymk]

41 minutes ago, drunk pumpkin said:

As this could be my last one ever I'm making it a holiday and using Love Fields. 

One reason is the not needing to join the back of the queue to get in Wednesday when we arrive (at least I hope that's the case) 🤞

My sister stayed in Love Fields last year and had no problem getting in. Once you're allowed into Love Fields (Midday on Wednesday) and setup, they joined the front of the queue on the road right next to gate C and were in and wristbanded within about 10 minutes

[drunk pumpkin]

25 minutes ago, andymk said:

My sister stayed in Love Fields last year and had no problem getting in. Once you're allowed into Love Fields (Midday on Wednesday) and setup, they joined the front of the queue on the road right next to gate C and were in and wristbanded within about 10 minutes

that's what I was hoping!

Thanks for the answer.

I know its pricey but for glamping its so bloody close!

Over the years I've done WV, tangerine fields and both camper fields and everyone has always been  a slog back.

My personal preference is always to camp on site but when my beautiful wife comes she wants a level of posh!

[stuie]

14 minutes ago, drunk pumpkin said:

that's what I was hoping!

Thanks for the answer.

I know its pricey but for glamping its so bloody close!

Over the years I've done WV, tangerine fields and both camper fields and everyone has always been  a slog back.

My personal preference is always to camp on site but when my beautiful wife comes she wants a level of posh!

You should still expect to queue to enter the festival at peak times each day.  I worked PGC last year and at it's peak, it could take people an hour or so to get in.  You come in the same way as all the campervan people each morning! 

[SighMo]

1 hour ago, p.pete said:

Where about was this photo taken?  I know there's a big long path after you leave the car park to get to gate B, but I don't remember it being that wide at any point!  Is this back towards the carparks pretty much?

This is where we’ve spent most of the night the last couple of festivals. Sleeping bags on ground sheets works ok if it stays dry. Didn’t sleep that great last year as I had a seasoned Glasto goer talking through the night at a couple of mates who hadn’t been before. It is really quick from here once it all gets moving. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by SighMo

[Blisterpack]

6 minutes ago, stuie said:

You should still expect to queue to enter the festival at peak times each day.  I worked PGC last year and at it's peak, it could take people an hour or so to get in.  You come in the same way as all the campervan people each morning! 

I’m coming down on Tuesday for my first time in CV East (done west RIP….) so I’m quite happy to just wander in whenever there is a small queue. Got two mates coming with me tho who want to get in handy on Wednesday and grab their usual spec in Kidney Mead. They are hoping to be in by about 9am - reckon they will need to queue from about midnight….?

[SighMo]

11 minutes ago, Blisterpack said:

I’m coming down on Tuesday for my first time in CV East (done west RIP….) so I’m quite happy to just wander in whenever there is a small queue. Got two mates coming with me tho who want to get in handy on Wednesday and grab their usual spec in Kidney Mead. They are hoping to be in by about 9am - reckon they will need to queue from about midnight….?

 

this was taken at 0805 on Weds. We arrived at 1845 on Tues. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by SighMo

[stuie]

7 minutes ago, Blisterpack said:

I’m coming down on Tuesday for my first time in CV East (done west RIP….) so I’m quite happy to just wander in whenever there is a small queue. Got two mates coming with me tho who want to get in handy on Wednesday and grab their usual spec in Kidney Mead. They are hoping to be in by about 9am - reckon they will need to queue from about midnight….?

Possibly...  the good thing is that from the CV East fields you can look down the hill at PGC and see the queue for yourself.  At some point, the queue will be going up the hill and snake right through the middle of the CV fields!  You'll be able to judge when they should get in the queue from that! 

[MJP]

Parking/route access isn't a problem for us. I don't think I was expecting this level of queue given that it only services the village and the off-site private camping. How silly was I! 🤣

Edited April 19, 2023 by MJP

[balti-pie]

Just now, MJP said:

Parking/route access isn't a problem for us. I don't think I was expecting this level of queue given that it only services the village and the off-site private camping. How silly was I! 🤣

This is the thing - if its previously been the quietest gate then through forums like these, people find that out and spread the word that its the quietest - then it gets rammed, and everyone waits ages while gate C is much quieter than usual . . . then everyone hears about gate C being quiet and goes there instead, and it gets busier while gate B cools down and becomes nice and quiet. Gate tennis! 

[drunk pumpkin]

27 minutes ago, stuie said:

You should still expect to queue to enter the festival at peak times each day.  I worked PGC last year and at it's peak, it could take people an hour or so to get in.  You come in the same way as all the campervan people each morning! 

from Love fields were do you join the queue. At the gate itself or do you need to walk up the hill to join the back?

[p.pete]

5 minutes ago, MJP said:

Parking/route access isn't a problem for us. I don't think I was expecting this level of queue given that it only services the village and the off-site private camping. How silly was I! 🤣

Ah, that explains the wording of 'reasons' in your first post.  I feel you may be joining the queue from the side, nearer to the front of it - so you might need more local knowledge but probably have less to worry about.