Heading to your first Glastonbury can be daunting. I know how you feel. I made so many mistakes during my first couple of Glastonbury’s. That is why I created this website and wrote The Glastonbury Festival Guidebook. To make your first Glasto go as smoothly as possible. Below is a round-up of essential Glastonbury Festival information for first-timers. I hope they help.
What to take to Glastonbury
This is one of the most common questions I get in my Facebook Group. It all depends on how you are travelling to the festival. If it is by car you can bring more than if you were travelling by coach or train.
Here is my Glastonbury Packing List. Remember that you have to carry everything with you for quite a while so be ruthless with what you bring. Which brings me to the next question.
Which is the best trolley to take to Glastonbury
People have different preferences. Some people love their wheelbarrows, others love their sack trucks. I know some Glastonbury veterans bring wheelie bins.
I have used the Von Haus Garden trolley for over 10 years now and it has lasted well. Just don’t overload any of the trolleys mentioned.
This is a purchase that you really shouldn’t try to save money on. Most of the cheaper brands will break within moments once they encounter the Worthy Farm terrain. I have seen it happen countless times. Having a broken trolley is worse than having no trolley at all.
Please note, if you are travelling to Glastonbury by public transport you probably won’t be able to take a trolley with you.
Which is the best camping area at Glastonbury?
Each camping area at Glastonbury is different. Do you need a decent night’s sleep or will you be partying hard in Block 9 all night? Do you want to be near The Pyramid Stage or The Park area?
It also depends on how you travel to the festival. All coach and bus attendees will be dropped off at Gate A. So it makes sense to camp in areas close to that gate. Otherwise you could be walking for another hour.
Camping at Glastonbury is a real concern for first timers but in all my times down at Worthy Farm I hardly stay by my tent. As soon as I have breakfast I am out wandering those fields of Avalon. Here is the full guide to where to camp at Glastonbury.
Glastonbury Toilets
The toilet situation at Glastonbury puts the fear of god in any Glastonbury newbie. I was exactly the same at my first Glasto. I soon got over them and so will you.
Every year the toilets get better and better. They are cleaned more regularly and there are more of them. The most common loos are the Long Drops. These are everywhere and are open to the elements. Some might have toilet rolls but I always carry some with me in my day bag.
A reader of this website sent me a great idea and said to take an S-Hook with you to be able to hang your stuff on. This is especially handy if it is a wet Glasto.
There are also loads of urinals for the men. She Pee’s for the females and my favourite, the compost toilets. There are also accessible toilets scattered around the main areas of the festival site.
Try to go to the toilets during a set instead of between sets. They will be a lot quieter and you will still be able to hear the music. Take in some essential oil spray to make it a lot more bearable.
Most importantly, do not pee on the land. Glastonbury gets fined for this and it is one thing that could jeopardise the festival’s future. Either hold it in and wait or go before everyone else does.
How much cash to take to Glastonbury?
That all depends on you. Glastonbury is a temporary city and like any city you can spend a fortune or do it cheaply. We tend to treat Glasto as a holiday and go all out. We take our own booze (mainly spirits) for the evening but the rest we buy on site.
There are ATM’s around the site, some with cheaper fees than others. The ones by Worthy Farm seem to have the cheapest fees. Most bars, food stalls and gift stalls accept card/mobile payment. However, sometimes the signal drops so it is always best to have some cash on you.
Some stalls prefer cash as they got charged for using card payments. Don’t bring all your cash with you. Though Glastonbury is quite safe considering it is size, there are still a few people who wouldn’t think twice of targeting a tent if they knew it had loads of money in it. It is better to take it out at the ATM’s when you need it.
Can you take alcohol into Glastonbury?
Yes you can. Glastonbury is one of the only festivals that I know of that allow you to bring in as much alcohol as you like. As long as it is for your own consumption you will be fine. I have seen people bring in trolley loads of booze.
Mobile Recharging
I remember my first Glastonbury where we had to recharge our mobiles in a tent around tables. There were many different mobiles then with different connectors so you had to find the right table.
It is a lot easier now with power banks. I use the Anker brand and my mobile tends to last throughout the festival. I don’t use it much to be honest. I only use it for photos because I see Glastonbury as the perfect place to disconnect from the outside world for a few days.
Vodafone offered a free phone and device charging exchange system last year. The connect tent is opposite The Left Field Stage.
Property Lock-ups
Please use the lock-ups. They are super handy and are run by some amazing volunteers and charities. Please leave a donation once you have finished using them.
There are 13 lock-ups around the site. They are open 24 hours. They are open from Wednesday morning until noon on Monday.
You can leave anything you like, from your trolleys to booze and clothes. The Lock-ups are handy if you are staying in a campervan or Glamping site as getting back to your site takes ages.
Campsite Stewards
There are campsite stewards at all the major campsites in the festival. They are on duty 24/7. They can call in medical help, police and fire. They are brilliant. They got me home at my first Glasto when I was totally lost!
The Glastonbury App
There is normally a Glastonbury App released close to the opening of the gates at Worthy Farm. It is normally in conjunction with the main mobile phone provider.
Showers at Glastonbury
I have never bothered with the showers. I embrace my hippy spirit and fill a bucket from the taps. There are showers located at the bottom of the Kidzfield and there are solar-powered showers in The Greenpeace Field.
Water
There are water refill points all over the festival. There are also Water Bars. All tap water on site is safe to drink. Single Use Plastic bottles are banned on site so make sure you bring some water canisters.
See you on the farm!
The Glastonbury Festival Guidebook Is Now Available
So, you’ve scored tickets to Glastonbury? Congrats! Now, let’s make sure your first time is more epic than a Pyramid Stage headliner. Our Glastonbury Festival Guidebook is like your cool best friend who’s been there, done that, and is ready to guide you through the festival’s wonders. Download it below:
Leave a Reply