Campervans for Glastonbury 2008

by Joe Bursell

Luckily for festival goers in the UK campervans are no longer classed as commercial vehicles. Why is that good for people who want to see some of the best live music in the UK? It means that rather than staying in a flimsy tent, or paying exorbitant B&B rates, campervan owners or hirers can use allocated caravan spaces. No more fellow Glastonbury festival goers falling into your tent, no more reliance on the less-than-salubrious toilet facilities.

Ultimately the campervan you use has to actually be a campervan- Transit vans with a sofa and a kettle in the back do not count. Loosely speaking your campervan or motorhome should be something that could be substantially described as a home from home on wheels, capable of road use. Glastonbury’s security team is ultimately the judge of what is, and what is not, a suitable campervan.

Bearing in mind that Glastonbury is probably the best managed music festival in existence it makes sense to plan well ahead. As it is not too far ahead (the weekend of 27th, 28th and 29th June 2008) you should make sure you have the right passes and paperwork. If you want to use a campervan you’ll need a dedicated Campervan Pass. Don’t be under the illusion that you can sneak anyone in to the festival though! Campervan fields are a good walk from the festival site, and the usual steel fencing and security staff will be in place.

Possibly the only downside of the campervan facilities is the lack of electricity, but on the plus side you’ll get water, waste-water containers, toilets, and a food trader open 24 hours a day. Also, if you’re fortunate enough to be bringing a really big campervan or Winnebago- that’s longer than 7 metres- you’ll need to purchase two tickets to cover the extra space.

So, that’s what you can expect- so what’s expected of you? Obviously you should enjoy yourself- but being considerate of other festival goers, and the site, is a good idea.
• Display your parking permit so that there’s no confusion over your right to be there
• Arrange to meet friends near the main entrances, rather than hanging around the site
• Bring leveling blocks as the event organisers don’t proved them
• Find out who your neighbours are, its good to talk!
• Look after your stomach- festivals can be less than hygienic, so use good food hygiene
• As above, take plenty of bin bags- also good for stinky old clothes
• Take a torch so you’re not wandering around lost at night
• Use toilets- behind trees and hedges may be fine for bears
• Don’t have open fires and don’t allow oil to leak onto the fields- when you’re gone it is turned back to pasture

Festivals and campervans, the perfect match. To find out how to get your hands on one for the big event contact www.themotorhomecompany.com.



About the author

Joe is a writer with an interest in music festivals. He provides hints and advice on how to get the best from campervans and motorhomes to enjoy live music events. He recommends you visit www.themotorhomecompany.com