Glastonbury Packing List: The question I get asked the most about Glastonbury is – “what should I take to Glastonbury Festival?” I have learnt the hard way. I was unprepared for my first Glastonbury. No wellies, no blow-up mattress and no waterproof jacket.
I still loved it! Over the years I have added more essentials to make my Glasto easier and more comfortable. I hope this Glastonbury Packing List helps you have an amazing festival. See you on the farm!
Here is a printable version of the Glasto Packing List (it’s also in the Appendix if you’ve bought a physical book):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1071jvGpyNX5DdkBJU4WSUx5bdlS6hKHszoUkVfTRC1M
What To Take To Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival Essentials
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- Your Glastonbury Ticket!!! Make sure you check that you have packed your ticket.
- Your ID. They may ask you at the gate for your ID so bring it along.
- Money and Bank Cards. More and more vendors are taking card and phone payments now at Glastonbury which is a great thing. However, sometimes the signal drops out so make sure you have some cash with you. Take out more at the ATM’s on-site when you need it.
- Tent. I have had 3 types of tents at Glastonbury. A pop-up one, a small 2-man one and finally a large tent with lots of space. There is no right or wrong in what type of tent you take to Glastonbury as long as it is good quality. However, if you want comfort then a large tent will be better. Our Glastonbury experience has become easier since we got a bigger tent.
Tents to take to Glastonbury:
Pop-up tent: The Amflip Camping Tent has good reviews, especially from people who have used it at festivals. The beauty of a pop-up tent is that you can have your first cider in 5 minutes! Or in this case, 2 seconds!
Mid-Range Tent: We used to have the Coleman Kobuk Valley Tent which saw us through many Glastonbury’s. It’s sturdy and can take all kinds of weather. It is not too heavy so you won’t need a trolley to carry it.
Stand-Up Tent: The benefit of having a larger tent is that you can really relax inside it if the weather turns for the worst. You can also stand up and get dressed which is a blessing if you need to pop to the long drops at 04:00! Outwell have stopped producing the tent we use but The Coleman tent Vail 4/6, family tent is a close match. We go camping a lot so having a decent tent is a must.
There are camping stores on the site that sell tents and equipment just in case you have forgotten something but I recommend buying your tent before and trying it out. We once turned up to Glastonbury with our brand new tent not knowing how big it is. We just about fitted it into a space.
Stuff to help you get to Glastonbury
- Sat Nav or Google Maps if travelling by car
- Bus or Train Tickets if travelling by public transport
- Car Parking Sticker
- Map of Car Parks & Map of Festival
- Water and snacks for the journey
- Hotel Booking Info & Address (If coming the night before)
- Mobile Phone (Glastonbury Tips: Change your mobile home screen to the phone numbers of people you are attending Glastonbury with. That way, if you lose your phone, the person who finds it can call your mates straight away. This has worked for loads of our mates at past Glasto’s.)
- Our Glastonbury playlist to help the journey along.
Glastonbury Tips: Tune into Worthy FM (87.7) when you get close to the farm, it really gets you in the mood. Leave Clean Clothes and Trainers in the car for the drive home.
Inside Glastonbury
- A large trolley. Buying a trolley made our Glastonbury Experience so much easier. Instead of carrying all our gear we now put most of it on a trolley and let that do the work. In the queue, I just roll it every few meters and once we are on-site the route to our campsite is mainly downhill. The only tricky bit is going uphill but I get people to give me a hand.
- Make sure you get a heavy-duty trolley. We also have a lighter version and the wheels came off leaving Worthy Farm. Thankfully the police and guards at the gate helped us. The typical Glastonbury spirit. Our heavy-duty one has done countless Glastonbury’s and other festivals with no problems.
- Plastic Storage Boxes – We put most of our stuff in plastic storage boxes and load them on the trolley. That way the trolley is balanced out which makes it easier to cross the Worthy Farm terrain.
- Bungee Cords to wrap around the trolley.
- Spanners and pump just in case you have a problem with the trolley going in or out of the festival. As I mentioned before I have never had a problem with my heavy-duty trolley but I carry spanners and a pump with me just in case there is a problem. That way I won’t have to walk all the way back to the car.
Inside Glastonbury
- A good sleeping bag. We take two types with us. Karen has the warm one and I have the lighter one because I don’t feel the cold. The Fit Nation Viking sleeping bag is the one we use.
- Airbed/Mattress – We have used quite a few blow-up mattresses at Glastonbury. Many have been crap but the latest one we brought has been great. We got it in 2015 and it is still going strong. It is called the Intex Inflatable Bed. You can also buy airbeds on-site at the camping stores. We also take our light quilt and pillows. We wrap the quilt around our blow-up bed making it nice and snug.
- Pump for Mattress. You don’t want to be trying to blow up your mattress with your mouth after one too many ciders!
- Mallet
- Lights for inside the tent. You only really need these if you have a big tent. A head torch will work fine if you have a smaller tent.
- Fairy Lights. Okay, these are not essential. However, at Glasto 2019 we all camped together and pimped up our area. It became a nice chill-out zone and was perfect for swapping our Glastonbury stories.
- Camping Chairs. Yes, a lot of people hate the chair w***ers but glasto is about love, not hate. If it is a muddy and wet Glastonbury then chairs become essential. You can sit in the larger bars, sit at the back watching gigs and if your tent is big enough, sit in there too. We generally take ours out only during the day and leave them in the tents at night.
- Fancy dress gear and flags. I plant my flag near where we camp. It helps me find my way home after a day and night partying. (also pin your tent with the What 3 words app. That way you will always find your way home!
- A reusable water bottle, to fill up from the free taps on site.
- Wellies and sturdy boots. I prefer to walk around in good walking boots but sometimes the Glastonbury mud wins out and my wellies show an appearance.
- Day bag. I have been using the same one for years and it still has splotches of various Glastonbury experiences. I use it to carry toilet rolls, booze, head torch, water bottle, phone chargers and power banks.
- Music Festival Essential – Reusable Cup Holder Beer Lanyard – Water Bottle Sling Carrier Strap
- Eye mask and ear plugs. I sleep so well on Worthy Farm. Maybe it’s all the walking and dancing. However, for some people, it might be a tad loud at night so earplugs are a must.
- Toilet Rolls. Yes, you can get free loo roll from the various charities but take your own too. You never know when you will need it!
- S Hook for the toilets. That way you can hang stuff on it instead of putting your stuff on the floor.
- Summer and winter clothes. Don’t take too much! I generally just change my T-shirts and keep the same bottoms on for the whole festival. I wear trekking trousers, they have loads of pockets and can detach to become shorts if it gets hot.
- A hoody.
- A waterproof jacket.
- Underwear
- Sunglasses
- Pyjamas
- Small towel.
- Collapsible Bucket or washing up bowl.
- Toiletries: Deodorant, Eco Wet Wipes, Dry Shampoo, Sunscreen, Toothpaste. Some people queue up for the showers. We embrace the traditions of old Glastonbury and become hippies for 5 days.
- Nurofen, Coconut Water and Berrocca – You can thank me on the farm!
- Bin bags for dirty clothes and rubbish. Love the farm. Leave no Trace.
- Phone charger and power bank. The phone coverage gets better every year. I mainly use my phone to keep an eye on those secret glasto slots.
Glastonbury Tips: Mark valuables with the house name and postcode so they can be posted back to you.
On your mobile, change your screensaver to a friend’s (someone who is with you) phone number. That way if someone finds your phone they can call your friend. This being Glastonbury people hand in found items all the time.
To help the madness along:
- Booze. We take spirits with us to drink at night. In the day, I live on good old Somerset Cider that I buy from the onsite bars.
- Snacks. There is amazing food at Glastonbury and you will be eating a lot. No matter how much we eat, we always get the munchies back in our tent so we have some snacks to keep us satisfied.
Heading Home:
Lots of patience!
Glastonbury Tips: If you are driving, leave some clean clothes in the car. That way you can drive home semi-clean.
What Not To Bring To Glastonbury
- Do not bring disposable vapes.
- Don’t bring gazebos.
- Do not bring any knives.
- Do not bring anything made of glass.
- Do not bring non-biodegradable body glitter.
- No portable laser equipment or pens are permitted.
- No sound systems or drums.
- No generators.
- No sky lanterns or kites, unauthorised fireworks, or wax flares.
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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:
Crem
An essential tip I’ve leant for the boys is taking a fabric container bottle. Ideal for spending a penny at 6am rather then a trip to the long drops or pissing outside your tent (don’t pee in the fields!)
Ps great little blog.
Paul Farrugia
Hahaha, thanks! Our tent is quite big so we have a bog in a bag stool.
Denise Pierce
Great blog just got registered for next year first time in my 50’s solo traveller cnt wait great tips will keep checking in for anything else you post
Paul Farrugia
Hey Denise. That is fantastic. You will love it!
Terry
The screen saver idea is genius. I will be doing that for sure this year
Paul Farrugia
Cheers, Terry! See you on the farm! 🙂
Nicky
Packing for a festival this weekend (not glasto) and found this list super useful. Thank you! x
Paul Farrugia
Hey hey! Glad you liked it!
Hayley
Just found your blog and loving it! You guys have a very lovely and familiar Glastonbury energy 🙂 I also always take plasters, throat sweets, and duct tape! With on the Berocca, but not taken coconut water before! Great idea.
Paul Farrugia
Hey Hayley, thanks for the lovely words! Plasters and Throat sweets are a great idea. I will add them to the list!
Damon
Hi Paul , I’m new to the blog ….
Very helpful so far ,
I’ve never been successful in the ticket process , tried 4 times now is there any advice/ tips to boost my chances ..
Glastonbury’s been calling my name for years lol
Jackie
I’m planning to go in 2024 ..If we can get tickets as its been on my bucket list for years so need all the tips possible. I am going with a girlfriend and we have a tent 🙂 but need as much advise as possible.
Live in Devon so the location of Glastonbury is only just over an hour away bit apart form that we have the gear but no idea so any advise is very welcome for Glastonbury 2024 . 🙂