Family camping

[lalala]

Yup, just me & the (not so) litl'un this year- my 3rd Glastonbury since 2000! (shocking, I know)

Has anyone camped in the family field before? What's it like? Is it thousands of miles away from the carpark? Coz it's just going to be me & my son, I'd rather be where other folks with kids are (I think! Pehaps not if it's full o happy '2.4 kids, a nanny & a 4x4' type families )

Any insights would be most appreciated.

[paulo999]

Yup, just me & the (not so) litl'un this year- my 3rd Glastonbury since 2000! (shocking, I know)

Has anyone camped in the family field before? What's it like? Is it thousands of miles away from the carpark? Coz it's just going to be me & my son, I'd rather be where other folks with kids are (I think! Pehaps not if it's full o happy '2.4 kids, a nanny & a 4x4' type families )

Any insights would be most appreciated.

Edited April 9, 2008 by paulo999

[fairyinboots]

I camped in family camping one year. I was on my own, and decided to camp there for reasons know to myself!! It was lovely, very friendly, and easy to make friends with your neighbours.

I was also going to go this year, as I was going alone again. But since they have re-opened registrations, a couple of my friends are coming, so we will go elsewhere.

Good luck you will love it. And I agree, ask around on the boards for someone else who may be in the same situatuion as you. You will have no problems camping in family camping.

[airds]

Yup, just me & the (not so) litl'un this year- my 3rd Glastonbury since 2000! (shocking, I know)

Has anyone camped in the family field before? What's it like? Is it thousands of miles away from the carpark? Coz it's just going to be me & my son, I'd rather be where other folks with kids are (I think! Pehaps not if it's full o happy '2.4 kids, a nanny & a 4x4' type families )

Any insights would be most appreciated.

[eve & nash]

I think the family camping was rubbish last year. We got there Wed night last year and had no camping space left.

[loopylane]

Yup, just me & the (not so) litl'un this year- my 3rd Glastonbury since 2000! (shocking, I know)

Has anyone camped in the family field before? What's it like? Is it thousands of miles away from the carpark? Coz it's just going to be me & my son, I'd rather be where other folks with kids are (I think! Pehaps not if it's full o happy '2.4 kids, a nanny & a 4x4' type families )

Any insights would be most appreciated.

[loopylane]

new to all this

i am a first timer going with my 9 yr old boy this and just a little worried would like to chat to other single mums

also other that have been with children to get tips on what to take

[davidd]

I think the family camping was rubbish last year. We got there Wed night last year and had no camping space left.

[eve & nash]

no camping space left on the weds ? me and the son had the choice of travelling on the weds or the thurs and were going to come thurs, but if it gets that busy so early you'd say as early as poss ? not too bothered to tell the truth , just have to tell the other half we'll have an extra days holiday in the sun ! we're coming down on the national express from manchester, anybody give me a clue what the service is/was like ?

[davidd]

I would come weds during the day if i was you to get your spot.

[paulo999]

"No space on Wednesday" is an exaggeration.

We arrived mid afternoon Weds, and there was still room to pitch large tent groups about halfway up the hill. Lunchtime Thursday we added another three tents to our camp with no problems, and no prior taping off.

If you can get there early you will obviously get more choice, but the "full on Wednesday" comment is simply incorrect.

[lofichic]

My sister in law was going to come and bring my 11 year old niece, who is desperate to go to Glasto, but now my s-i-l can't afford it. As far as my niece is concerned, they're not going and she's disappointed, but I'm really in two minds about whether I should take her anyway.

Any advice from people who have taken not their own kids before? She so wants to go, and I'm going with my OH of 5 years and my cousin, so we're all family anyway.... What are the pros and cons?

[jameshunt]

My sister in law was going to come and bring my 11 year old niece, who is desperate to go to Glasto, but now my s-i-l can't afford it. As far as my niece is concerned, they're not going and she's disappointed, but I'm really in two minds about whether I should take her anyway.

Any advice from people who have taken not their own kids before? She so wants to go, and I'm going with my OH of 5 years and my cousin, so we're all family anyway.... What are the pros and cons?

[lofichic]

Simple.

pros: she'll have the time of her life

cons: she'll need one of you to escort her to the loos at the most inconvenient times...

[jameshunt]

Hahaha, yes. I'll have to get her shepee training.

I'm thinking more and more about it. Last Glasto I didn't even get slightly drunk - I think the most I had to drink was 3 pints of spicy cider of the course of an entire day, and it's a long time since my off my face days. It's not missing out on any experiences I'm worried about - I'm sure I'll see things I never would have without her - but more things like getting her to bed, if it's muddy and she has to walk all around the site, dealing with an irritable child... Hmm. I shall ponder it further!

Edited April 9, 2008 by jameshunt

[Francis Biley]

new to all this

i am a first timer going with my 9 yr old boy this and just a little worried would like to chat to other single mums

also other that have been with children to get tips on what to take

[lalala]

new to all this

i am a first timer going with my 9 yr old boy this and just a little worried would like to chat to other single mums

also other that have been with children to get tips on what to take

[JaneyB]

Hey Loopy, glad I'm not the only brave/stupid one on here!

Maybe we should start up a single parents thread? Would love to chat once I workout how to use this site properly.

I've never taken my son with me before & expecting it to be quite a different experience this time! Wasn't expecting it to be just the 2 of us either, but hey it's now or never coz he needs his own (full price!!) ticket next year. I keep swapping between 'Yay, can't wait, tis gonna be fantastic' & 'OMG, 4 days of wading thru mud with a grumpy ratbag, what was I thinking???' I have even considered buying a cheap caravan off Ebay, but the campervan field doesn't sound all that much fun & then there's the extra £50 & the possibility of said caravan self destructing on the way there...

Edited April 9, 2008 by JaneyB

[lalala]

Does the family field really fill up that quickly? I was planning totry to arrive early Thursday morning. Does itstill take forever to get on site? Routefinder tells me it's a 2.5 - 3 hr journey, so how long's it REALLY going to take?

Thanks for all thecomments ppl, I'm proper excited now & it's still ages away!

[lalala]

...dammit, spacebarisknackered!

[paulo999]

Does the family field really fill up that quickly? I was planning totry to arrive early Thursday morning. Does itstill take forever to get on site? Routefinder tells me it's a 2.5 - 3 hr journey, so how long's it REALLY going to take?

Thanks for all thecomments ppl, I'm proper excited now & it's still ages away!

[lme]

I went last year (first time) with 3 kids (5, 8 & 11) and a friend who had a dodgy back so couldn't carry anything & we had a ball. Stayed in the 'new' family field, just above the disabled camping. Not too far from the coach drop off & easy to get down to the cafes for a bacon sarnie in the morning.

My kids are pretty confident / streetwise & 11yo was quite happy to go exploring (as was the 8yo though I only let her go off for short periods). Did family field, green fields etc & saw loads of bands (kids are seasoned gig goers & very into music). Would have thought taking an 11yo would be no trouble.

Only thing we were determined to do different this year was come by car - partly to avoid the chaos (and middle of the night start) of getting the coach home & partly to be able to bring more stuff / have somewhere dry to leave it til needed. Poor 5yo ended up travelling home in a bin liner cos all her clothes were soaked.

[cthulu]

I'm taking an 11 (nearly 12 year old boy). It will be just me and him. This is my second Glastonbury but his first. Last year I camped near the open cinema. It was good spot, not noisy at night or in the morning. I was thinking of camping there again or the family fields. Anyone with kids wanting to meet up welcome!!!

Edited April 12, 2008 by cthulu

[FunkyChunkyMonkey]

Hi - Taking our 3yr old and 7(and a half!!) year old this year. First time taking the kids. I do have a question which is perhaps slightly naive esp. as I do have some festival form.....

OK so Family area is quiet at night but it is it so quiet that late night socialising is frowned upon???

By socialising I mean friends, a little background music, campfire and chat till the early hours.and not a full on soundsystem party and shouty pissheads BTW. At the end of the day there is background noise throughout the night regardless, some kids will wake up regardless. When I think back to last few Glasto's I have been to, I have probs only ever done one all nighter at each one anyway and that has usually been at the circle

[paulo999]

Hi - Taking our 3yr old and 7(and a half!!) year old this year. First time taking the kids. I do have a question which is perhaps slightly naive esp. as I do have some festival form.....

OK so Family area is quiet at night but it is it so quiet that late night socialising is frowned upon???

By socialising I mean friends, a little background music, campfire and chat till the early hours.and not a full on soundsystem party and shouty pissheads BTW. At the end of the day there is background noise throughout the night regardless, some kids will wake up regardless. When I think back to last few Glasto's I have been to, I have probs only ever done one all nighter at each one anyway and that has usually been at the circle