Glastonbury Health and Safety
The Stuff That Actually Matters
Let’s face it, nobody wants to think about the serious stuff when they’re planning the best weekend of their year, but a bit of common sense goes a long way at Glastonbury. This isn’t about being boring, it’s about giving you practical advice to make sure you can actually enjoy yourself without ending up in the medical tent or worse, nursing two day hangovers and missing all the action. Your body is going to be working overtime, and if you don’t look after it, it will absolutely let you know about it.
The difference between people who have an amazing Glastonbury and people who spend half of it feeling rough? They actually listened to the boring health advice. The good news is that Glastonbury has excellent medical and welfare services and they’ve genuinely seen everything. The better news is that most problems are completely avoidable with a tiny bit of planning and self-awareness. So let’s talk about keeping yourself (and your mates) in good enough shape to make it through to Sunday night’s headliner.
Medical and Welfare: The main medical centre is usually setup by Big Ground campsite and is pretty much a full blown hospital with doctors, nurses, paramedics and even has x-ray & ultrasound facilities! There are smaller welfare points in each major area and also roving medics who genuinely know their stuff. If you’re feeling rough, whether that’s dehydration, too much sun or you’ve just overdone it, don’t try to “man up” or “power through”. The medical team have seen it all before and they’re not there to judge, they’re there to help. They’re also surprisingly good at dealing with everything from insect bites to panic attacks.
Staying Hydrated: This is the big one. You’ll be walking miles, possibly in blazing sun, definitely sweating, and probably drinking more than usual. There are free water taps scattered around the site, use them! Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up regularly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, dehydration hits fast and nothing ruins your weekend faster than a bit of heatstroke. The signs are headaches, dizziness, and feeling generally crap. If that sounds like you, find water and shade immediately.
The Stewards Are There To Help When They Can
Sun Protection: British sun hits different when you’re stuck in a field for five days with no escape. Factor 30 is a minimum and reapply it more than you think you need to. The medical tents see loads of lobsters, err… people, with proper sunburn who thought they’d be fine. Sunglasses aren’t just for looking cool but a must, as you’ll also be squinting at stages all day. And honestly, bring a hat, you’ll look like a walking cliche for about five minutes, then you’ll be grateful when everyone else is getting fried.
Look Out For Your Mates (And Each Other): This is massive at Glastonbury. If someone in your group is acting weird, can’t walk straight, or just seems off, don’t leave them to “sleep it off.” Stay with them, get them water, and if you’re worried, get help. The welfare teams are brilliant and they’d rather you brought someone who just needs a sit-down than miss someone who actually needs help. Trust your gut, if you see something that doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.
Personal Safety: Glastonbury’s generally really safe, but you’re still dealing with 200,000 people in a massive field. Keep your valuables secure, as pickpockets do exist especially in crowded areas near the main stages. Don’t flash loads of cash about and maybe leave the expensive jewellery at home. Most people are sound, but why take the risk?
Know Your Limits: Look, we’re not going to pretend people don’t party at Glastonbury but be sensible about it. You’ve got five days to pace yourself, you don’t need to go mental on Wednesday night and spend Thursday & Friday feeling like death (those two day hangovers are a real killer once you’ve hit 30+). Eat some proper food, not just chips and beer. Get some sleep, even if it’s just a few hours. Finally, if you’re taking anything you shouldn’t, test it first and don’t mix substances. The medical team can’t help you, if they don’t know what you’ve taken.
Emergency Contacts: Make sure someone at home knows roughly where you are and when you’re coming back. Keep emergency numbers in your phone, but also write them down somewhere, phones die, get lost, or get nicked. The site emergency number will be in your festival program but calling 999 works too if it’s properly serious.
Weather Emergencies: British weather can go from lovely to lethal pretty quickly. If there’s lightning, get inside a proper building or vehicle, tents don’t count! In extreme heat, find shade and water. If it’s properly hammering it down and you’re getting cold, don’t tough it out, hypothermia is real even in summer. The welfare tents are there for exactly these situations.
Go Enjoy Yourself
Glastonbury is about letting loose and having the time of your life. But let’s face it, you can’t have a legendary weekend if you’ve wrecked yourself by Thursday afternoon. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, eat something that isn’t chips occasionally and keep an eye on your mates. That’s literally it. Follow those basic rules and the worst thing that’ll happen is you’ll be knackered and need a proper shower by Monday. Which, let’s be honest, is a pretty good outcome for five days at Glastonbury. The people who have the best Glastonbury experiences aren’t the ones who go hardest earliest, they’re the ones who make it through all five days still standing. Be one of those people.
Want One Less Worry? Secure Your Camping Option Now
Why stress about buying a tent, when you can hire a decent one. Keep your budget intact and trade storage stress for festival success.