Glastonbury 2011

Griff77

To all of you Glastonbury veteran's I've a few quick questions for ye. My mates and I are looking into flying into Bristol on Wednesday morning early! What's the easiest, quickest way out to the site? Is a taxi a good option and if so how much will it be roughly and will it take long? Buses also seem to run with National Express to the site, is this a good way of travelling? They seem to run from Bristol town so you'd have to make your way there first I assume? Finally stocking up on beer, where and how is the easiest way to do it and will the offy's be open early in the morning? Already getting excited... Cheers Griff

Toast

Taxi is the quickest. Probably about 70 pounds. 50mins with no traffic (there will be some though). They'll fix the fare at the airport so you know what you are paying and you can get a few people in at that fare. National Express isn't bad it is just Bristol is in the wrong direction completely so you'll probably add an hour to your journey. It is great for getting back from the festival though and the ticket is 20 pound return so if you are looking to save money then it is the way to go.

I strongly recommend just bringing a bunch of spirits over in plastic bottles. The site is massive and trying to lug huge slabs of beer to your camp will kill you. If you've your mind set on it you'll need to get the taxi to stop somewhere on route. Most garages have off licenses and they are open in the morning. Make sure to mention this when booking at the airport and when you meet the driver. They're fairly used to the request so shouldn't be a problem but the nearest Tesco is Bristol so if you drag them off in that direction they'll probably be fairly annoyed. If you go with the National Express option you'll find an offy somewhere near the bus station in Bristol without much hassle.

robinph

As Toast says, a taxi is the quickest and simplest way from the airport. There will be plenty of other people on the flight going the same way as you so you might be able to team up with others to share the cost of the ride. Get some of the half bottles of spirits in the airport on the way out as they are all in plastic, just watch out for your Ryanair carry on rules. I've heard people previous years getting the taxi to stop off at somwhere on the way so people can pick up some beers, but carefully think about how much stuff you really want to carry once you get to the site as you will be walking a long way over rough ground when you get there so will soon get pissed off with carrying slabs of beer about with you.

Griff77

Thanks Toast and Robinph! I think we might look into getting a taxi there that morning and maybe picking up a few cans on the way if there's room in my bag for a half dozen. Is there anywhere on site that you can buy cans? At electric picnic theres a full off license where you can pre-order some beers but if not as you say some spirits might be the way forward!

Just to get an idea into my head of the scale of the place, would we be looking at a good hour walk from the drop of to some of the prime camping spots? Speaking of which, where would be the prime/most popular camping fields at Glastonbury?

Yea I think we'll look into getting the bus back to the airport on the Monday as our flight will be leaving at 3ish so should be loads of time to get there I hope...

Thanks again for the quick replies.

robinph

Here is a map of the site from last year for you:
http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/data/image/2010map.png

It is a huge site, and it is very easy to get lost and take ages to get anywhere. It is also easy to get around if you know where you are going and know the best ways, but you are better of just going where your nose takes you and see what happens in your general wandering around the site.

You can get from one side of the site to the other in 30 minutes, but that depends on time of day and what acts are just changing over at the time. For when getting to a camping spot it could take any amount of time really as you'll get stuck in a bit of a queue at the gate, then at the ticket check, then at the wrist band check, then at the point where you get a view of the site and go :eek: then at the point at which the wheels fall off your trolley, then ...etc...etc

Popular fields that will fill up early are Dragon Field, Pennards, and the ones infront of either main stages. Kidney Mead, Row Mead and Big Ground in front of the Pyramid and Dance Field (previously called Oxlyers) in front of the Other Stage. Unless you really enjoy getting trampled on and no sleep and getting flooded if it rains then I'd avoid the Dance Field. When I was still camping we tended to head for Pennards which is a good field, but other people have since learnt that and it gets pack quickly. Park would probably be my next choice, but both of those will be a long trek from where the taxi will drop you off at the bus station.

mickeyboymel

Anyone driven over? Thinking of getting the ferry from Dublin To Holyhead on Tuesday and driving down to arrive late Tuesday night as the campsites open early and therefore avoid all the traffic on Wednesday morning. I was going to book the overnight return sailing from Holyhead on the following Monday night (2am ish).

youcancallmeal

mickeyboymel wrote: »

Anyone driven over? Thinking of getting the ferry from Dublin To Holyhead on Tuesday and driving down to arrive late Tuesday night as the campsites open early and therefore avoid all the traffic on Wednesday morning. I was going to book the overnight return sailing from Holyhead on the following Monday night (2am ish).

Thats exactly what were doing. Done it the last few years and it works out at about €100 each return (4 people in one car including petrol money). We usually get the late boat which arrives into holyhead around 11:30pm on Tuesday night and then take turns driving through the night to arrive at Glastonbury around 6/7am. Previous years we had to wait in a queue to get into the car park but should be a lot easier this year because they are opening the car parks at midnight. Going home we get the late boat on Monday night, think it leaves from holyhead around 11pm and arrives into Dublin around 2am. I wouldn't get an earlier boat unless you were planning on leaving Glasto about 4am on Monday morning. There have been some years where the traffic getting out of Glastonbury is insane, 8hour waits and the likes!

bennyc

youcancallme>al wrote: »

Thats exactly what were doing. Done it the last few years and it works out at about €100 each return (4 people in one car including petrol money). We usually get the late boat which arrives into holyhead around 11:30pm on Tuesday night and then take turns driving through the night to arrive at Glastonbury around 6/7am. Previous years we had to wait in a queue to get into the car park but should be a lot easier this year because they are opening the car parks at midnight. Going home we get the late boat on Monday night, think it leaves from holyhead around 11pm and arrives into Dublin around 2am. I wouldn't get an earlier boat unless you were planning on leaving Glasto about 4am on Monday morning. There have been some years where the traffic getting out of Glastonbury is insane, 8hour waits and the likes!

My first time going here and the plan was to get the Dublin to Holyhead arriving in Holyhead at 11.30am on the Wednesday. According to AA its over a 5 hour drive down. What kind of q are you talking about on the wednesday evening arriving to the car park ?
Stena's last ferry is 21.30 on the Monday is that cutting it fine ?

robinph

bennyc wrote: »

My first time going here and the plan was to get the Dublin to Holyhead arriving in Holyhead at 11.30am on the Wednesday. According to AA its over a 5 hour drive down. What kind of q are you talking about on the wednesday evening arriving to the car park ?
Stena's last ferry is 21.30 on the Monday is that cutting it fine ?

It used to be that arriving in Somerset around 5pm would be hitting the peak arrival time on the Wednesday and you'd then be stuck in a huge queue for hours. Now you'll probably be stuck in a huge queue for hours whatever time you arrive. Do not go with the idea that you'll get to the site at 5pm and setup camp by 6pm and drinking at the Cider bus by 7pm though. You'll probably be lucky to have the tent set up before the sun goes down.

Aim to get there as early as you can, and then go earlier than that.

You should be fine for the 21:30 going back. It will take a while to get out of the site on the Monday, but as long as it's not muddy (which it won't be) you should easily be able to get onto the motorways by early afternoon. Just try and not get too wasted on the Sunday night so that you can get packed and up to the car parks asap Monday morning as you will be stuck for hours regardless in a queue to get out.

youcancallmeal

bennyc wrote: »

My first time going here and the plan was to get the Dublin to Holyhead arriving in Holyhead at 11.30am on the Wednesday. According to AA its over a 5 hour drive down. What kind of q are you talking about on the wednesday evening arriving to the car park ?
Stena's last ferry is 21.30 on the Monday is that cutting it fine ?

Yeah 21.30 on Monday should be grand, thats the boat I'm planning to get anyway! If the weather is good and no rain then I'd say leaving the site around midday on Monday should be fine. If there is heavy persistent rain over the weekend then you would probably want to look at leaving a lot earlier, maybe even just after the last act on Sunday night.

The year there was 8 hour delays there was heavy rain and flooding all weekend. A lot of cars and buses got swamped in fields and local farmers had to come along and pull them. It was bedlem all morning! Thankfully we flew that year but it was still a nightmare trying to get to Bristol airport, we got up at 7am and queued for 4 hours for a bus which then took another 6 hours to go 40km to Bristol!! We had a 7pm flight and we only got there about 45 mins before take off. We were covered in filth and they made us wrap black plastic sacks around us so we wouldn't wreck the seats on the plane! I laugh when I look back at it now but it really was hell at the time. I think it was after that year that we decided to start driving.

I wasnt there last year but my friends said they had no problems at all. Packed up the car around midday and drove straight out with little or no traffic to contend with. I heard it was a very hot Glasto, maybe that means things run more smoothly?

robinph

youcancallme>al wrote: »

Packed up the car around midday and drove straight out with little or no traffic to contend with.

The getting out of the car park that you end up in is a bit of a lottery really. There is no way of predicting which route they will direct traffic out of each field, how many other fields you will go through and then how far you will be driving on the farm lanes before you get to a main road. It changes every year, and the way they let you into the car parks is not likely to be the same way you get out so to get to the car for 12 and get straight out is very lucky indeed.

I think it took us 2 hours to get onto the farm tracks from our field last year, then another hour to get to the nearest A road. Other years from a very similar parking location we have done it in minutes.

Just saying that people should expect to get stuck, but hope not to.

youcancallmeal

How was the heat last year anyway? I heard it was one of the hottest Glastonburys ever! I would imagine it was a nightmare being woken up in your furnace of a tent at 7am after a heavy nights partying. Its hard to get a happy medium

robinph

Was the first completely dry year since the first one I went to in 1995. I don't think it was quite as toasty as that year, but was a long time ago now so can't be sure my little grey cells remember all too well anymore. Tents are a nightmare with even a little bit of sun in the mornings. Your almost better leaving the door open a bit at night and suffering a bit of cold, whilst your drunk etc it won't matter too much anyway, then at least you'll not be completely fried in the morning.

I go in a camper now which is a bit better, but not much if there are several of us in it and nobody can quite reach a window in their comatose state when the sun comes up.

FernandoTorres

What are the car parks like? I.E. would you be happy enough leaving the car there for the duration safety wise?

robinph

FernandoTorres wrote: »

What are the car parks like? I.E. would you be happy enough leaving the car there for the duration safety wise?

The car parks are safe. There are guys up on security towers around the place, although not as much in the actual car parks as the camper van fields. Several years ago I did see smoke rising from one of the carparks and friends said they saw the car on fire, I think that was due to that particular car not having liked the drive into the site and deciding to commit suicide itself rather than any hoodlums causing trouble though. There was also cars flooded out in another field in a different year after the rain.

Don't leave valuables on display, leave the glove box open, it's probably safer than leaving it parked in any other city center for a long weekend.

Glastonbury is the largest "city" in the south west of the UK after Bristol for the last weekend in June, the crime rate is also far lower than any other city of an equivalent size.

opr

9 February 2011
We wanted to remind you that international ticket balance payments will be taken from 9am (GMT) February 25th until 23:59 (GMT) 3rd March 2011. Balances will be paid either online at www.seetickets.com/g2011 or on the booking line: 0844 412 4635.

UK ticket balances will be payable in the first week of April 2011 (9am April 1st – 23:59 April 7th).

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/newsinternational-balance-payments-due-this-month

Opr

Furious-Red

THE LIBERTINES are getting back together again to play Glastonbury Festival this June.

That should keep the sniffer dogs happy for the afternoon.

The group, fronted by PETE DOHERTY and CARL BARAT, reformed last year especially for the Reading and Leeds festivals.

And, surprisingly, the gigs were more professional than when The Libs first knocked around together and caused chaos at venues countrywide.

This time, though, there is a danger that Pete will get "lost" in Glasto's legendary hippy fields.

A source said: "Although there are no signs of new songs, the boys have realised that they can take a nice payday by playing each summer.

"They bagged more than £1million for Reading and Leeds in 2010 and, although they won't get as much for Glasto, it will still be a good earner."

Pete wrote on his blog last week that his manager had phoned, saying, "There's some offers for Libertines gigs."

He then deleted the post after realising that he was giving too much away about the band's plans.

Pete, Carl and bandmates JOHN HASSALL and GARY POWELL are lined up for a slot near the top of the bill on the Other Stage.

CEE LO GREEN, THE VACCINES and BIFFY CLYRO have also been signed up by farmer MICHAEL EAVIS who runs the Somerset festival.

With COLDPLAY headlining, it's shaping up to be a special year...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/3405326/Libertines-go-for-Glasto.html

RasTa

Beyonce to headline.

http://m.prnewswire.com/news-release...115756999.html

opr

Coldplay posted this not to subtle hint on Twitter.

“where me and chris went climbing today"



Strong rumours of U2 to follow Arcade Fire on the Friday night. Not getting my hopes up yet but that would be awesome!

Opr

Furious-Red

Glastonbury Festival organisers have confirmed that Coldplay will headline this year's Glastonbury Festival on the Saturday night.

The Festival website says,

"We're very pleased to confirm that Coldplay will be the Saturday night Pyramid Stage headliners at this year's Glastonbury Festival...

This will be the world-conquering group's first Glastonbury show since their triumphant 2005 performance. In 1999, Coldplay made their Glastonbury debut in the New Bands Tent, weeks after signing their record deal. Just three years later, they made their first appearance as Pyramid Stage headliners, shortly before the release of their Rush Of Blood To The Head album propelled them to global success. We can't wait to welcome them back again."

Festival organiser Michael Eavis says, "Coldplay have played such a major part in the Festival over the last 10 years or so. As their popularity grew around the world I was so proud of them. This is the triumphant return of a band that everyone here feels part of. They're one of the greatest phenomena to grow from these fields."

Coldplay have also been working on a new album, and it's likely they'll air a few new songs alongside crowd favourites.

robinph

Meh!

Have Coldplay appeared more often than "Bodger and Badger" or "The Glastonbury Town Band" yet? Certainly seems like it.

opr

Beyonce has been confirmed as the Sunday headliner

They better have something dam good up against her on the other stage.

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/news/11/110215f.shtml

Opr

Furious-Red

I wouldnt be a big fan of her but if have heard she puts on a great show

apper76

Any thoughts on camping etc at Glasto? Has anyone ever brought a campervan or hired one of the tipis? What are they like? The toilet situation is my main concern, missing Sigur Ros because I was in the line for the toilets at EP is not an experience I want to repeat.

scudzilla

For those driving, why are ya going Dublin to Holyhead? Would be a LOT easier to go Rosslare to Fishgaurd, when ya get off in South Wales it's just a straight drive down the M4, it's 140 miles less and a much easier drive

stinkle

apper76 wrote: »

Any thoughts on camping etc at Glasto? Has anyone ever brought a campervan or hired one of the tipis? What are they like? The toilet situation is my main concern, missing Sigur Ros because I was in the line for the toilets at EP is not an experience I want to repeat.

I'm a girl and I think the toilets are grand. Never been to EP but I assume it's all portaloos? Glasto also has the infamous "long drops" as well as portaloos, but they're totally fine, albeit a bit smelly. Queues are only a problem at the main stages in between big sets, but tbh those stages all have lots of loos and the queues move quickly. I have no toilet horror stories of glasto, unlike other big festivals!

Have only every camped "normally", but a mate opted for some fancy pants thing last year (don't think it was a Tipi though) - the nice ventilation of a big (already set up!) tent and the shower option were the only real pros over regular camping apparently

robinph

apper76 wrote: »

Any thoughts on camping etc at Glasto? Has anyone ever brought a campervan or hired one of the tipis? What are they like? The toilet situation is my main concern, missing Sigur Ros because I was in the line for the toilets at EP is not an experience I want to repeat.

Been going by campervan for the last few years now. It's a bit more civilised in the campervan field and you are no where near as crowded in as in the tents.

The loos are fine everywhere and I would say the long drops are the preferable venue for doing ones business. The turdisis can be very unpleasent places to encounter in warm weather but as others said there are loads of them and you shouldn't have much of a problem with queues.

apper76

stinkle wrote: »

Have only every camped "normally", but a mate opted for some fancy pants thing last year (don't think it was a Tipi though) - the nice ventilation of a big (already set up!) tent and the shower option were the only real pros over regular camping apparently

That sounds like Tangerine Fields. I think that's what we are going for... the shower and the set up tent is the draw!

opr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr-BYVeCv6U

I’ll be going this Summer back to England to perform on the biggest festival in Europe, and maybe even in the world, called Glastonbury. We’re going to be starring on that on Saturday night.

http://www.glastowatch.co.uk/2011/don-mclean-self-confirms-for-glastonbury/

Opr

mickeyboymel

scudzilla wrote: »

For those driving, why are ya going Dublin to Holyhead? Would be a LOT easier to go Rosslare to Fishgaurd, when ya get off in South Wales it's just a straight drive down the M4, it's 140 miles less and a much easier drive

Leaving from Westmeath, there is about 35km in the difference but personally I'd prefer to drive through North Wales and down the M6/M5 than make my way from Mullingar to Rosslare.

Also its a consolation that when I arrive back in Dublin on the Tuesday morning, I'm only an hour from home.