Glastonbury 2010 - 40th Anniversary

[paolo]

slash considerably the ridiclously huge areas set aside for acoustic stage crew camping

Good point - I'd forgotten about that field and the one further up. Would add about 25% more space to Cockmill, at a guess.

ETA... You should email the festival and suggest this. The pressure to retain Cockmill as FC in 2008 worked, so it wouldn't necessarily be in vain.

 

[newbie]

The staff at the top explained to me that it was due to the amount of vehicle movements.

it was a bit easier to drive along, I suppose, but itnot as though it was difficult or particularly crowded last year. It's not a place anyone lingers around it, and a few people being purposeful isn't much problem. I can't really see the justification, except perhaps during the busy get in/get out times.

 

[paolo]

it was a bit easier to drive along, I suppose, but itnot as though it was difficult or particularly crowded last year. It's not a place anyone lingers around it, and a few people being purposeful isn't much problem. I can't really see the justification, except perhaps during the busy get in/get out times.

Maybe that was it - not wanting a straight flow from PGB into the top of Cockmill.

Was it also closed Thursday onwards?

 

[newbie]

Maybe that was it - not wanting a straight flow from PGB into the top of Cockmill.

Was it also closed Thursday onwards?

That flow happened anyway, the barrier was the farm side of Muddy Lane, by the green barn.

It was throughout. They changed the traffic routes around the farm this year, maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[paolo]

That flow happened anyway, the barrier was the farm side of Muddy Lane, by the green barn.

When I was up there at midday there didn't seem to be anyone coming from PGB into Cockmill. The staff said they were being sent down Muddy Lane. Maybe it changed at some point.

It was throughout. They changed the traffic routes around the farm this year, maybe that had something to do with it.

Ah ok. I used to camp up that way, but this year being in Williams I didn't really see what was going on up there, apart from visiting the Gold Rush mayhem on Wednesday.

 

[newbie]

When I was up there at midday there didn't seem to be anyone coming from PGB into Cockmill. The staff said they were being sent down Muddy Lane. Maybe it changed at some point.

I walked between Cockmill and PGB regularly throughout the festival, including lunchtime-ish wednesday, and no-one asked for a pass. Funny place, Glastonbury, nothing ever quite adds up

the Gold Rush mayhem on Wednesday.

means nothing to me, what did I miss?

 

[paolo]

I walked between Cockmill and PGB regularly throughout the festival, including lunchtime-ish wednesday, and no-one asked for a pass. Funny place, Glastonbury, nothing ever quite adds up

So it seems! I tried waving my crew wristband, but to no avail. Barriers at the top of the Cockmill track, before the VG2-Farm road.

means nothing to me, what did I miss?

Just meaning the scramble for pitches. A term I've pinched from Tort when he used to talk about the same thing happening in Dragon.

 

[mysterygirl]

Capacity hasn't been increased for a few years now. What they have done is to make the site bigger to give people more space, 56 acres of camping. What people did was not use it and instead, shoe horn themselves in like last year.

Pretty much 2/3rds of the festival was through the gates by Wednesday evening. So if you want a stress free 1st day arrive on Thursday morning. There were no major queues on any of gates much before 10am. Pretty much drive straight from your house, into a car park and walk from there straight to where ever you want to camp without a queue to be seen.

Dunno why people *have* to use family camping. I often find it by far the noisiest site. Go somewhere else, often at night, utterly dead.

I thought capacity had been increased for this year?

Arriving Thursday wouldn't work for us, we come from all over the country and meet in Cockmills. By Thursday morning we wouldn't have a prayer of getting enough space to camp together.

We use FC because of the kids. yes it's noisy but it's kids noise. I had friends come too this year who didn't camp with us - they're loud when they're drunk, don't want to be woken up at 6 by rowdy kids and want to be seen off their heads by little people.. and we obviously have no wish for little people to be observing in that very observant kids way the off their faces friends etc etc etc...
Family camping's just better suited to kids, especially smaller ones.

 

[paolo]

I thought capacity had been increased for this year?

Arriving Thursday wouldn't work for us, we come from all over the country and meet in Cockmills. By Thursday morning we wouldn't have a prayer of getting enough space to camp together.

We use FC because of the kids. yes it's noisy but it's kids noise. I had friends come too this year who didn't camp with us - they're loud when they're drunk, don't want to be woken up at 6 by rowdy kids and want to be seen off their heads by little people.. and we obviously have no wish for little people to be observing in that very observant kids way the off their faces friends etc etc etc...
Family camping's just better suited to kids, especially smaller ones.

From 'lolbeck' on efests (Wicket FC Crew).

"As a few others have said, Wicket's where you want to be if you want proper family camping.

We're pretty strict on who we let in, sort of...if your kids are under 18, then you're welcome. Otherwise, get out.

As for it being packed, Wicket didn't even fill up until late Friday night. Tonnes of space all the time, I think most people went over to Cockmill first and didn't even consider Wicket.

And we had lovely, wide, mown paths in the grass.

Sightly biased as I was reppin' campsite crew up there, but my lordddddd we tried damn hard to keep that place lovely."

 

[tarannau]

It's not always realistic to want to travel from different ends of the country and expect to camp together, is it?

Hefty chunks of festivalgoers now seems to want to get in as early as possible on Tues night/Wednesday morning, to camp exactly where they want and to save sufficient space for their mates too, some of which may arrive hours/days later. It's simply not plausible to expect that everyone, with or without kids, can end up with what they want. Very little would seem to be able to change that

 

[newbie]

"As a few others have said, Wicket's where you want to be if you want proper family camping.[/I]

surely they need a really good, child centered cafe there? A PTA or carnival club or something running a place that's just a little bit better than the Sub-Aqua.

 

[mysterygirl]

It's not always realistic to want to travel from different ends of the country and expect to camp together, is it?

Hefty chunks of festivalgoers now seems to want to get in as early as possible on Tues night/Wednesday morning, to camp exactly where they want and to save sufficient space for their mates too, some of which may arrive hours/days later. It's simply not plausible to expect that everyone, with or without kids, can end up with what they want. Very little would seem to be able to change that

In our case we aim to arrive at the same time, and usually manage to get into the carparks within about half hour of each other. We don't start setting up until we're either all there or the stragglers are within spitting distance, I don't think that's unreasonable. We certainly don't expect to save space for hours & hours or days.
I don't think it's unrealistic to expect to camp together if we're all prepared to wait for each other when we get there, and this is the reason why we don't want to arrive on Thursday morning, because it wouldn't work for us.

Tbf, the problems we encountered this year were made worse by the good weather/ heat and the football. Had it not been so hot, the kids that got sick in our gang wouldn't have done, which was our main concern. They still would have been a pain in the backside Im sure, but that's not quite the same thing is it

 

[paolo]

surely they need a really good, child centered cafe there? A PTA or carnival club or something running a place that's just a little bit better than the Sub-Aqua.

found this comment...

"Can I also add that when I was leaving on the Monday that Wicket ground was spectacularly clean, campers & crew members really did a great job of keeping that field clean/tidy. btw, I loved the two caravans with the tarp between them at the bottom that was made into a some sort of Greek taverna like outside eating/drinking space, I was very jealous.... can we pop along and share next year if we bring our beers/food? "

Not quite sure if that's a proper cafe, or just some kind of bring-your-own space?

Either way, some kind of extra incentive would be good. Proper cafe and some kind of play area? e.g. http://hackneyplaybus.org/our-services/events/ Not a substitute for the proper Kidz field, but at least would make it a bit more enticing.

And maybe better publicity of how busy Cockmill normally is, and much less busy Wicket is.

(I've just looked at the Q aerial photo, taken on Friday afternoon. That wicket camp crew person wasn't exaggerating - it's half empty. Gaps between tents of 6 to 10 feet )

 

[newbie]

Greek taverna like outside eating/drinking space[/B], I was very jealous.... can we pop along and share next year if we bring our beers/food? "

wasn't quite what I was thinking of. The food choice at the sub-aqua may be pretty limited and not particularly aimed at children but at least it's not themed so people want to hang out there with beer.

 

[paolo]

wasn't quite what I was thinking of. The food choice at the sub-aqua may be pretty limited and not particularly aimed at children but at least it's not themed so people want to hang out there with beer.

Sure. It was more an observation about what is apparently there, rather than a nod of approval.

(I did miss my SSA breakfasts this year... gah!)

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

Maybe that was it - not wanting a straight flow from PGB into the top of Cockmill.

Was it also closed Thursday onwards?

yup, closed the whole festival... there was barely any traffic on it. The times I was up at the loo, the whole time I saw three vehicles use it.
I dont see any reason why there couldnt be a pedestrian lane and a vehicle lane, its plenty wide enough for both to pass

 

[paolo]

I dont see any reason why there couldnt be a pedestrian lane and a vehicle lane, its plenty wide enough for both to pass

True, that would work.

 

[Sunray]

yup, closed the whole festival... there was barely any traffic on it. The times I was up at the loo, the whole time I saw three vehicles use it.
I dont see any reason why there couldnt be a pedestrian lane and a vehicle lane, its plenty wide enough for both to pass

No need, barely enough people to justify Ped gate B to be open at times. When I was on shift all we did was reasonably light pass out traffic for people going to their cars.

Each main gate has something like 60 or more people working on it, add another and they would all be doing nothing.

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

No need for it to be closed or open??

 

[Sunray]

No need for a new pedestrian gate with stacks of staff doing nothing.

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

I think youve completely misunderstood.
Im talking about the road which runs between the top of cockmills and the farmhouse and welfare and also takes you across the top of big ground and (I think Big lickle)

In previous years its been open to pedestrians, making it relatively easy to get to medics, police, cashpoints etc. This year it was completely closed off... theres masses of space there
The point I was making is for the meagure amount of traffic which seemed to be using it, it could have safely been opened.. there was absolutely no good reason at all to prevent people walking along it

 

[pootle]

I think I know where you mean LMHF...only had crew access?

Sorry to miss you at the meet up btw. Had to be ready for work at 6.30am nxt morning and was in bed by 10pm. Rock and Roll ; )

Next year Gadget?

 

[moose]

Has anyone blamed big tents yet? They should do. 10 years ago couples generally slept in 2 man tents. Now they have 4 room Behemoths. With porches. No wonder the camping gets crowded!

 

[Badgers]

Has anyone blamed big tents yet? They should do. 10 years ago couples generally slept in 2 man tents. Now they have 4 room Behemoths. With porches. No wonder the camping gets crowded!

Guilty of this ^

Justified by the fact we bring a couple of folding chairs, some food, some drinks, rain gear, sun gear, some cooking bits. Then a small radio and a few other luxuries.

Is this too fussy? Maybe I am old but I like to wake up and make tea/coffee/bacon roll in the morning. Chairs are a blessing, especially in the muddy years. Also the option to pop to the car and change is not a welcome one at Glasto!!

I used to go with thick socks, boots, shorts, two t-shirts, a jumper and a waterproof option. Then just a 1/2 person tent with single sleeping bag. Used to blag more stuff then, eat less, do more drugs and sleep without a pillow but was younger

 

[moose]

Dont get me started on folding chairs!

 

[madzone]

I need a tent I can stand up in but this year managed to get hold of a Sunncamp Tarn 300 which is tall but doesn't have a massive footprint. I wouldn't want to go family camping in it for a week but for festivals it's just the job.

 

[madzone]

Dont get me started on folding chairs!

Why?

 

[madamv]

I understand the growl at big tents but for a lot of people its their annual holiday and the most needs to be made.

Its too costly (in terms of needing a comfy space) to wriggle around a two man dome when you're over 30. The youngsters don't care....... they got energy and wriggleability.

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

I think I know where you mean LMHF...only had crew access?

Sorry to miss you at the meet up btw. Had to be ready for work at 6.30am nxt morning and was in bed by 10pm. Rock and Roll ; )

Next year Gadget?

YUP! thats where I mean... and dont worry about missing me, I wasnt there long myself before the youngest was begging for his bed ( rare)

 

[madzone]

I understand the growl at big tents but for a lot of people its their annual holiday and the most needs to be made.

Its too costly (in terms of needing a comfy space) to wriggle around a two man dome when you're over 30. The youngsters don't care....... they got energy and wriggleability.

I get that it's people's holiday but it's also a festival and overly big tents is one of my bugbears. I had to buy an emergency tent that I could stand up in last year as mine leaked like buggery and the only one I could get was a two bedroom vis a vis. It was kind of ok taking that to Womad where I had the kids with me but I just felt hideously guilty taking it anywhere on my own. I need one I can stand up in and that was the only one I could get at the time but I was still aware that I was taking up way too much space. I think if people are complaining about lack of space then everyone needs to work out if they can maybe downsize a bit. It is a holiday but it's not a camping holiday per se.