Things to remember
- Pack as light as possible- I've included a list of optional items that are good to have- but it is often a long walk from the entrance into the camp grounds- usually at least 30-45 mins, so be prepared to carry whatever you bring.
- British weather is unpredictable, it could quite easily be boiling hot, rainy and cold all in 24 hours- so you need to pack for every outcome- layers, layers, layers. In the summer it will probably be warm in the day, but it will nearly always be cold at night.
- Most festivals do not allow supermarket trolleys to be taken in for carrying- but you can bring suitcases with wheels or granny shoppers- these can be great in terms of not having to carry all the heavy stuff, but be aware if it’s been raining recently, the tires will get stuck in the mud and/or break, and any suitcase you bring, be prepared for it to get wrecked.
- Don’t take your regular purse with all your cards in it- only take your ticket, cash (including coins for the lockers) a debit card for back up and your ID, everything else can stay at home.
- Do buy a programme when you get there- normally about a tenner maximum and they have all the band times and stages, and they usually have a handy pocket version with a lanyard too.
What To Pack
Personal Items (essential)
- Purse, house keys, ticket.
- Phone- If you can, bring an old phone with a long battery life- not your brand new iPhone.
- A water bottle- refill it at the water points and carry it around at all times.
- A little handbag- with an over the shoulder strap (for tissues, hand santizer, etc)
- Portable phone charger- good idea if you plan on using your phone for pictures or meeting up with other people regularly- most festivals have charging points for your phone but there’s often a queue. I’d try to just bring an old phone.
- Camera- the plus is you get to capture all the fun you’re having, the negative is that you’re carrying around something relatively expensive all day. You could try a disposable camera if you don’t mind them being a bit "hit and miss" when you go to print them.
- Tent- A pop-up if possible, as their light and easy to assemble. Check before you leave that it has all the bits you need: lines, poles, groundsheet, and pegs. It’s also worth checking if you know how to put it up!
- Sleeping Bag- Invest in a good one if possible, A hooded one with padding is ideal because it is going to be cold, and the ground will be hard!
- Heat reflective sheet- You can get these on eBay- I’ve put this on the essential list as it can be such a lifesaver in extreme weather- most people use them for keeping the sun off their cars in the summer, but I figured a few years ago you could use them to keep the heat off the tent when the sun comes up in the morning- cos it gets damn hot in there! It’s worked a treat for regulating the heat in the tent and now it’s one of my camping essentials.
- Duct tape- (silver heavy duty) having a roll of this is all kinds of useful- rips in the tent in particular.
- Wind up torch- you will need a torch- the camp grounds at festivals very rarely have lighting except near the pathways.
- Bin bags- for campsite rubbish, and also to put muddy, used or wet clothing/wellies.
Camping (Optional)
- A pillow- nice to have for sleeping, but bulky- you can always use an item of clothing rolled up.
- Sleeping mat- can be a bit of a lifesaver to sleep on if you are camping for several nights, but its bulky and not essential if you don’t have one.
- Food- If you’re on a budget, then cooking your own food is definitely an option, though be prepared to spend a lot of time cooking, and you’ll also need to carry disposable cutlery and bowls, tin foil, and a pot for cooking. Tip: a bag of apples make great portable snacks.
- Swiss army knife- not essential, but really useful to have. This year Victorinox (makers of the Swiss Army Knife) have released a 2013 Classic Limited Edition collection of funky, girly ones that have a blade, nail file/cleaner, scissors and tweezers.
- A balloon or flag- to mark out the tent- your tent will be one of many many tents, at night it can be pretty tricky to find yours unless you mark it out somehow.
Clothes (essential)
I would advise arriving in the wellies, layers and having your coat on you.
- Wellies
- Trainers or boots
- A coat- It will be cold at night.
- Waterproof poncho- the ones that pack away into a little shoulder bag are good, you can use them as a little bag for your bits also.
- Sunglasses
- Woolly hat (night-time)
- Sun hat/cap
- Lots of socks- at least 1 pair for each day. At least 1 pair of thick socks for sleeping, and a pair of long knee high socks is also handy. Thick tights can be handy at night under your jeans too.
- Underwear-(obvs) at least enough each day your there- ladies, just bring one super comfortable bra.
- At least 1 thick comfy jumper.
- A pair of shorts
- A pair of jeans
- Tracksuit bottoms/comfy trousers
- A sun dress/comfy beach type dress - for if it gets super hot.
- A bunch of tops/t-shirts/vests
- Mini umbrella- good for if it rains or to keep the heat off if it’s too sunny- be warned though, you should only use them walking around- in the crowd at the actual gigs, you’re gonna annoy people if your blocking their view and poking peoples in the eyeballs.
Toiletries (essential)
- Anti-bacterial hand gel- you’ll be sitting on the floor a lot and using the communal toilets- always have this stuff on you.
- Tissues - Lots, loo roll runs out fast.
- Wet wipes- You’re gonna feel a bit grimy all weekend, but wet wipes help.
- Talc- A little bottle of talc is a life saver if you’re feeling grimy- use on all the “nooks and crannies” and you’ll feel dryer and fresher instantly- trust me.
- Deodorant
- Ear plugs-most camp sites are quite rowdy throughout the night, if you want to get any sleep I’d recommend ear plugs.
- Sunscreen- even if it’s not really sunny, pop a bit on everyday as you’ll be outside most of the time.
- A towel- even if you don’t brave the shower, you can even use it as a pillow.
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Hay fever medication- particularly if your allergic to grass- your gonna be in a field all day.
- Bug repellent- at night by the fire, there will be bugs, bugs that bite. Either cover up or put bug spray on!
- Pain killers- ibuprofen is a good all-rounder- for hangovers, headaches, back aches (from sleeping on the ground) etc.
- Plasters- Blisters, minor injuries.
- Throat/Cold medicine- Even if you’re not a smoker, people will be smoking around you. You’ll also probably be shouting/screaming a lot at the gigs! It’s pretty easy to pick up a “festival cold” as you’ll be outside in the elements all the time.
- Condoms/Contraception pill- obvious reasons
Toiletries (Optional)
- Shower gel/shampoo/conditioner- if you’re not planning on having a shower (which is completely acceptable as most of the time they showers are cold and grotty) you could wash your hair at the cold water tap in the morning- which is actually quite amazing on a hot smelly festival morning.
- Dry Shampoo- Batiste does a good one.
- Razor- Ladies, your legs are gonna get hairy after a few days- but no one cares.
What NOT To Bring
- Perfume/make up- Whats the point?
- Flip flops- Its muddy, smelly and there will be litter everywhere- don’t expose your feet to this.
- Dungarees/onesies- This is a logistical peeing issue- Just not going to work with the outdoor loos.
- Pyjamas- It’s gonna be too cold at night for pyjamas, just sleep in comfy clothes like leggings, track suit bottoms and jumpers.
- A mallet or Hammer- These are heavy! And a pain in the butt to carry- use a sturdy shoe to hammer in the tent pegs.
- A padlock for your tent- I would advise never keeping anything valuable in the tent, there are lockers for this sort of thing- also bear in mind that having a lock on your tent screams “I have something worth nicking in here”.
- Gas cylinders- DANGER DANGER! Use portable barbeques or cook on the camp fire the old fashioned way- they’re really just accidents waiting to happen.
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