Nipped over to Tesco in Shepton Mallet at lunch where the early arrivals were stocking up on organic veg and suncream for the week.

It gladdens the heart to see a man with a battered stove-pipe hat, a wooden staff taller than himself and a slightly bewildered expression ambling around the bakery aisle 🙂

They must be keen, I didn't think it started until Thursday.

gates open 8am wednesday

Service stations on the way home when it's all over are hilarious. Full of stinking, bedraggled, and bemused casualties. And the usual clean cut disapproving families and reps.

Mind you, that's also true after a particular muddy mtb event 🙂

Ordinary paying punters get let in from Wednesday but there's always an earlier influx with people who have some excuse to be there beforehand.

Last year the traffic jams on the Wednesday were monumental…

Heading down overnight on Tuesday.

CAN

NOT

WAIT

are you taking an umbrella, ella, ella, ay, ay, ay, sam?

Can't be festival goers, what are the "veg" you speek of?

Must be mistaking some middle class picnik in the park music event with a festival :-p

Sorry, you're dead right there.

But back in the day when it was the Pilton Pop Blues and Folk Festival… lying in the mud by the pyramid stage… haze of oregano smoke… abandoned buses… Marc Bolan… dodgy portaloos… jumpers for goalposts…

Those were the days. 😉

Anyone else coming down?

Most of the ones that were over here 2 weeks ago left their brains on the quayside before boarding the ferries.
That and the mess they left behind, oh and for some reason they seem to think that this is a 'dry' island with no offies or supermarkets, why else did they bring cases of booze over on the boat? Muppets!

Umbrella? No need

8)

got my factor 50 packed… taking all the trousers and hoodies out of my bag, replacing with shorts and T-shirts…

I hope non of you have bought tent/gear from the Green Tent Company.

They didnt stand up to well at Download.
http://forums.downloadfestival.co.uk/m4662615.aspx

duntmatter – Member

"Service stations on the way home when it's all over are hilarious. Full of stinking, bedraggled, and bemused casualties. And the usual clean cut disapproving families and reps."

Reading train station the day after is always absolutely hilarious for that. Especially with the 10000 festival goers who thought they'd be fine if they turned up 5 minutes before their train then turn up and find a queue that goes almost all the way back to the campsite

I am so excited that I got myself worked up about it that much earlier today, I think i nearly did a little sex wee over it! 😆

Heading over on Wednesday, no rush as i'm local-ish anyway so going to have a decent brekky before we leave.

Heading down Thursday after a night shift… I'm 3 hrs drive away… What would be best time to set off? Get my head down and then cruise over mid afternoon or go straight away after night shift in the morning… Ooooh decisions decisions!!!

Thursday, i'd head over straight away if you can manage it, you'll get there when parking queues are dying down.
Or you could get some sleep so you don't start the weekend already knackered!

little llamas are both above the age meaning I would have to buy 4 tickets so I won't be going again until they are old enough to buy their own 🙂

brack if you want a big space get there asap. If you have mates there already who can save you a spot or only need a little space then don't rush.