Glastonbudget

applemango

Hi just wondered if anyone had been recently?

I did a quick search but the thread was quite old and closed.

We've been contemplating it for a while but as it would be our first festival (sad I know):) ....any advice/past experiences would be much appreciated.

Also not sure whether to do it as a family or try it first just us to see how it works out

Thanks:)

awindup

I wait about 5 years ago. Took my son he was 11 at the time my friends son and my friend with all of us in one small tenter. We bought the weekend passes which seem to be the best value for money and they included the Camping. I'm not sure whether it was more expensive if we were to have taken the Caravan which at the time I had but never thought about however the facilities on the camp site itself I'm nothing like explained in the leaflet. They did say they would have hot water but that was provided by walking up to the food vendor when they opened and using the urn that was there to get t there for there was only portaloos to wash in and they didn't have any soap and will quite frankly after a while Not were standing in let alone trying to have a washing up brush your teeth. Therefore if you are planning on camping try and borrow Caravan as you were at least have some better facilities because we did not find any showers on the campsite but on the caravan site there was at least a shower block with 2 cubicles although there were hundreds of people lol I suppose at least they had a cup of tea when they wanted one whereas we didn't because there is a zero tolerance on cooking of any kind including boiling water on the campsite itself. Do not be tempted to take any alcohol into festival in anything other than plastic containers which means you're better off buying large plastic bottles of who's rather than Cairns or trying to take are short in. They search every bag. The food but questionable but it's a festival however considering that they had the same facilities we did other than what they brought with them I doubted the cleanliness after the first date and did not really eat. There will be a fair bit of noise and nudity in fact when we arrived the Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute was on and he was naked on stage with the sock over his penis and that pretty much set the tone lol. We did have two lots of streaking and flashing despite our boys being 10 and 11 although I don't suppose a minded too much some parents would. I hope this is being useful I don't think anything Has Changed very much but the one thing I would definitely recommend you do is taking some lightweight camping chairs because if the ground is wet you will regret it if you're the sitting down type. All that being said it was a wonderful experience for a festival the only thing remaining if they say take plenty of money because the alcohol is expensive along with the food which is always horrendously expensive for what it is. Then again it's a festival lol let yourself go by a silly hat and enjoy yourself. Paul

applemango

Thanks for the reply and the tips-I had given up and hadn't been back to check
We have booked to go without the children this time to see how it goes and I'm now hoping in the time since you visited things have improved a bit!

But as you say it is a festival and I'm sure we'll have a good time
anyway.

Taplledraw

I have been lots of times both camping and in a caravan (which means walking up killer hill daily easy to get down!!) You can take alcohol in but no glass is allowed on site as it is held in the cow fields and returned to them afterwards and yes they can search your bags. You can not buy weekend passes just for the whole festival its first come first served when finding a pitch so the earlier you arrive the better. if you are camping advise not too near the loos although they are so so much cleaner than they used to be. There are places you can charge your phones free if you want and lots of stewards around for when You get lost! Arrange a meeting place the cider bus is good everyone knows where that is if you ask!Take baby wipes and wash in your tent or get water and warm it in a big gallon container and tip it over yourself to wash your hair. You don't get showers in all the camping fields . You can take a camping stove and cook your own food (they sell them there and spare cannisters) in fact they sell everything there if you look. We always cooked a full english breakfast/lunch meal ourselves . You can eat every food under the sun and it is not expensive for eating out the hygiene of these vans is very well checked and often . We even had freshly cooked scones and afternoon tea there (we had to wait till the scones finished cooking!) ask at the information tent for the daily newsheet etc and if its sunny they often give out sun screen. grab a free Yeo valley bag with your programme in on the way in and ask if you need loo paper/bin bags (presume they still give these out this year) it will get chilly at night and if it rains it will be muddy however if you have with you wellies/flip flops,waterproofs/ a sunhat and as said a fold up chair you will be fine. It is a fantastic atmosphere wander to the healing fields and craft areas, dont forget things like the circus areas and look in all the little tents as they often have amazing things going on dont just stick to the main stage areas. You will find everyone is friendly whilst they are there wish that everyone could be like that in real life they even have midwives there if needed and yes one friend did one year had the baby and went straight back (Cant say I would have but each to there own!) You may see people in strange attire or not a lot at all and you will see a lot of people being happy ,singing badly and loudly along with bands and children asking Mums and Dads how they know ALL the words to songs they think are new!! Oh and if you want to get to the front or get in to a particular tent go early and claim your space! It is addictive though I'm not going this year although the thought of a locals sunday ticket had crossed my mind!!