Camping at Glastonbury
What You’re Actually Signing Up For
Look, camping at Glastonbury is where it gets tactical. We’re a tent hire company so yes, we’ll mention our gear when it’s relevant, but mostly we’re going to share the camping intel that takes years to figure out. This is the stuff that will save you from ending up in a washed out tent or walking miles to see anything decent!
Glastonbury camping isn’t like pitching up at your local campsite or even your average music festival. This is just over 200,000 people descending on a working farm in Somerset, turning it, briefly, into a city similar to the population size of York! This temporary metropolis is where your tent becomes your home and sanctuary for five days. The camping element is absolutely crucial, it’s not just where you sleep, it’s a fundamental part of the entire Glastonbury experience. Mess it up and you’ll spend the festival exhausted, uncomfortable and probably regretting every life choice that led you there.
The challenge with Glastonbury is the scale of the thing. We’re talking about a site so vast that some camping areas are genuinely miles from the main stages. So, your location determines everything: how much sleep you’ll get, how far you’ll walk each day, whether you’ll be surrounded by families or all-night ravers and crucially, how quickly you can escape if the weather turns and those fields become mud baths. And that weather is the great equaliser, even the most expensive tent won’t save you if you’ve pitched in a natural drainage channel.
But here’s the good news! With the right information, you can navigate all of this. You can find your perfect spot and create a comfortable base camp that enhances rather than hinders your festival experience. That’s exactly what this guide is for, giving you knowledge upfront so your first (or next) Glastonbury camping experience can be as smooth as possible.
The Great Wednesday Rush
The vast majority of people camping aim to arrive at Glasto on Wednesday morning, why you ask? Well, veterans of the festival know that all the best camping spots get taken by the Wednesday. A survey found that around 60% of all campers return to same spot, year after year. So, finding a decent camping spot is a strategic operation, first-timers arriving on a Thursday can find this a bit brutal! By then, you’re often left with the awkward slopes, the spots right next to the toilets or those far-flung fields that require a genuine expedition to reach the stages. What looked like endless space on the map suddenly becomes a game of Tetris, squeezing your tent into whatever gaps remain between already-established camp cities.
Where Are The Best Spots Then?
There is intense competition for the best spots on site, yet somehow some groups manage to bag them year after year, which must take some military level of planning! Truly though, the best spot depends on what you want your Glastonbury experience to be like. Are you there for maximum sleep and prioritising peace and quiet? Or do you want to be in the thick of it all, where the party never stops and you’re just minutes from the action? Perhaps you’re seeking that sweet spot somewhere in between, close enough to stumble back to your tent after a late-night set, but far enough away to catch a few precious hours of sleep. Your ideal pitch is personal to you, shaped by your priorities and whether this is your first Glastonbury or your fifteenth.
For easy access to the Pyramid Stage, Big Ground & Row Mead are your go to. Big Ground is usually full by Wednesday afternoon, so aim to get on site first thing. Famously it also usually features the only flushing toilets on site near the glamping area! Likewise, Row Mead is also super popular as it overlooks the main stage, which means if you position your tent right, you can watch the main stage acts without ever leaving your sleeping bag.
What To Expect At Pennard Hill Ground
Looking for more of a party vibe? For true chaos try Pennard Hill Ground or Park Home Ground. Both are situated by Arcadia, within touching distance of Stone Circle and Shangri-la, and is the beating heart of camping at Glastonbury. Both sites are extremely popular and fill up quickly, so if you’re into partying until 3 am (as the stage at Arcadia pumps out music until this time) and want to be right in the hustle and bustle of it, then these are the sites for you. Don’t expect too much sleep though!
If like us, you like to sleep then Hawkwell and Darble are your best bets. Situated around, but not far from, the main festival ground, both are slower to fill than our previous picks and usually have spaces into Thursday. Darble is good as it’s flat, less prone to flooding and is in a decent distance to Woodsie and the Pyramid Stage. Hawkwell is also a particularly lovely spot overlooking the site with some spectacular sunrises, if the weather is right! Be warned though, it is steep in places, so make sure you have some good quality hiking boots and a bit of stamina.
Alternatively, there is an off-site option in Pilton Hill Camping. They offer pitches for camping, glamping (if you can’t be bothered to put up a tent), clean showers, toilets and breakfast at the pub next door. They are in walking distance of the festival itself, at around half an hour each way if you’re up for it. If you’re not, then they also have a free shuttle bus to Gate A or take your bike and use the free on-site bike storage.
What If I Can’t Reach My Chosen Spot?
Missed the bus? Train running late? Or just your boss hassling you to finish something last minute before you disappear for five days. Getting there is the most important bit!
No matter where you end up camping, you are about to have the time of your life! So don’t worry if you can’t camp at your chosen spot. The key is preparation with the right kit, realistic expectations, and embracing the adventure, mud, sunshine, crowds, and all that Glasto has to offer.
We can certainly help with the right kit aspect, check our selection of tents for hire! (You knew we’d mention it at some point!)
Enough About Camping. What Alternatives Are There?
If you’re a bit more highbrow or just don’t fancy “roughing it”. There are numerous options, however some are extremely expensive.
The Luxury Options: Budget £3000 – £27,000(!): Onsite there is luxury glamping at Camp Kerala, The Pop-up Hotel & Love Fields. Each offer different packages that include high end suites in bell tents, fully furnished with king sized beds and some have access to other facilities such as spas, yoga classes and exclusive restaurants. The Pop-Up Hotel even has its own pool!
The Mid-range: Budget: £1000 – £3000: There are also further “budget” glamping options at The Retreat & Upper Woodlands Retreat. Options include bell tents with beds and access to hot showers. The Retreat also run a buggy service to save walking to and from site (handy, eh!). Tipi Village is also another shout, if you have a larger group as the Tipis there will fit 6 people. Finally, if you have a campervan, Love Fields also offers campervan spots with access to showers, food and a bar.
The “Low End” Option: Budget – Under £1000: Worthy View & Sticklinch are the official pre-erected camping sites. Just bring your sleeping bag, mat, a pillow and anything else, and away you go. Both have showers/toilets and grub on site. Call us old fashioned, can you really call it camping though if you’re not putting up your own tent? You make the call on that one!
Any Final Camping Tips?
Sure, here are a few things we’ve learnt at Glasto. Some of these tips also work at other festivals and campsites, so don’t be shy about using them elsewhere!
Use What3words: Glastonbury is an enormous site. Trying to find your tent in a field with 5,000+ other tents in dark is a bit of nightmare, especially after a few drinks! Once you have your pitch, pin your tent location with What3words. It’s a lifesaver when you’re stumbling around guy ropes at 2am.
Arriving Late? Tune Into Worthy FM(87.7): If you haven’t been able to make it to site on the Wednesday, then tune into Worthy FM once you’re close to the site to get info on which fields still have space for a pitch. If you’re unable to tune in you can always ask at a campsite crew base, they usually have the latest figures and can point you in the right direction.
Space Management: Every inch of space is at a premium on each field, so try and not take too much extra stuff. And for the love of God leave that gazebo behind! The last thing anybody wants is for that thing to take off and come crashing down on some poor soul, minding their own business, half a mile away.
Base Camp: Don’t stress too much about finding the perfect camping spot. You will find that most of the time, you’ll be away enjoying yourself anyway. So treat it like a base camp, it’s a spot for resting, changing and keeping dry if the weather takes a turn.
Pitch Tips: Don’t turn up in a brand new tent without knowing how big it is or how to put it up. Have a practice the evening before leaving for the festival, go down a local park and have a go putting it up and packing it away again. You’ll thank us later if you have to do this in the rain!
Glastonbury camping isn’t glamorous, but with proper planning it doesn’t have to be miserable either. Will you still end up muddy, exhausted, and questioning your life choices at some point? Probably. But armed with this knowledge, at least you’ll be muddy, exhausted, and questioning your life choices from a well-positioned tent that isn’t floating away. See you in the fields!
Sleep Easy, Party Hard
Make the simple choice for your Glastonbury base camp. Secure your festival ready and budget friendly tent with us.