Taking a campervan to Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival is a music lover's mecca, having hosted some of the biggest bands and artists in the world throughout its 50 year history. People from all around the world flock to the festival by car, bus, train, or as we're talking about here, campervan. Did you know that you can park and stay in a campervan at Glastonbury? With all of the coverage of endless tents and muddy festival goers, maybe you didn't. So let's cover everything you need to know when you take a campervan to Glastonbury Festival. From getting tickets to parking to waste disposal, we've got the answers for you.

Festival tickets and campervan tickets

Let's start with the most important thing first. If you're going to Glastonbury, you need a festival ticket. If you're taking a campervan, you also need a campervan ticket. Campervan tickets alone don't get you access to the festival, so you need to budget for both.

There are different types of campervan tickets, which relate to the size and type of vehicle pitches you need:

• Quiet Campervan Pitches (Blue Route) - Perfect for, you guessed it, those looking for a quieter field with easier access to the festival grounds. Your campervan needs to be a maximum of 8 metres in length.

• General Campervan Pitches (Blue Route) - More suited for people looking to enjoy the atmosphere and entertainment, these pitches are also onsite and can accommodate campervans up to 8 metres in length.

• Regular Campervan Pitches (White Route) - These are located at the Bath & West Showground, which is not at the festival itself. There is a 24 hour free shuttle bus available to get you from the showgrounds to the festival site. Campervans can be up to 8 metres in length.

• Large Campervan Pitches (White Route) - Also located at Bath & West Showground, these pitches are suitable for campervans up to 16 metres in length. The 24 hour shuttle bus is available to people with tickets for these pitches as well.

Festival tickets and Glastonbury campervan tickets can be purchased exclusively from the Glastonbury website.

Types of campervan you can have at Glastonbury Festival

The festival has some strict rules around the type of campervan that is allowed in the campervan fields. It has to be a proper campervan, not just a van with a mattress in the back. So you'll need to have fitted beds, and purpose built cooking or washing facilities. Here's what you need to look for when booking your campervan rental:

• How many it sleeps. Don't just look at the number, make sure to also to also look at the vehicle details to see how the beds are configured. And:

• Whether it has a gas stove for cooking. There is no electricity onsite and generators aren't allowed. Or:

• Shower facilities. Many campers have showers built in. Makeshift washing facilities are not acceptable.

When you make a search with Motorhome Republic, the features of each vehicle are clearly listed in the search results. You can also click on Vehicle Details for more in-depth information.

Getting to the festival by campervan

The drive to Glastonbury Festival is a huge part of the fun, as the excitement and anticipation builds. Here are your directions depending on if you need to follow the Blue Route or the White Route:

Blue Route

If you're heading for the Quiet or General campervan pitches at the festival itself, you can take the A37 from the North or South. If you're coming from the East, you'll need to get on the A361. You'll then be able to follow the Blue Route signs to your parking.

White Route

The Bath & West Showground is located off the A371 and is about 10 minutes from the festival site. You will be guided by the White Route signs once you get onto the A371.

Parking spaces are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so you need to factor this in when planning your arrival. It's important to note that you can arrive no earlier than 12pm on the Tuesday before the festival, otherwise you may be turned away.

What you can and can't take into the campervan fields

Let us start off by saying, always be smart when taking things to a festival. Pack lightly to ensure maximum comfort and don't take things that aren't allowed, no matter how well you think you can hide them. Security staff will check your belonging on arrival.

So, what can't you take? Here's a non-definitive list:

• Illegal substances (you know what we're talking about).

• Glass containers. Alcohol must be in plastic bottles or cans.

• Fireworks.

• Generators.

• Animals (with the exception of guide dogs).

And what can you take?

• Small tents, which can be pitched behind your campervan / caravan if space allows.

• Barbecues, as long as they can be used off the ground.

• Guide dogs.

• Food and alcohol.

Once you're parked and set up

Okay, now you're at the Glastonbury campervan site let's get into what's there and how you get to the festival campsite and the festival itself.

Campsite amenities

If we were to summarise what amenities are available at the campsites, we would say; just the basics. There are toilets, access to water, containers for waste-water and somewhere to buy food. As mentioned above, there isn't any electricity provided, so you'll need power packs or something similar to charge devices.

Getting to the festival from your campsite

If you're parked in the Quiet/General campervan area, then you can walk to the main part of the festival. Expect it to take around 20 minutes or longer as things get busier. For those catching the shuttles from the showgrounds, it's around 10 minutes drive to the festival site.

Where to hire a campervan from

You can travel to Glastonbury Festival by campervan from all over the UK. Some of the closest locations are:

• Bath, which is about 22 miles from the festival site.

• Bristol, about 25 miles away.

• Bournemouth, approximately 57 miles away.

• Cardiff, about 66 miles away.

• Southampton, about 67 miles away.

• Or pickup a motorhome in London and travel about 128 miles to the festival.

Motorhome Republic has all sorts of rental options available, including small campervans, large motorhomes and everything in between. Just make a search to see what's available and you'll be having Glastonbury fun in no time!

Ready to leave

By now, you've no doubt danced, partied, sang, walked for miles and had a blast whilst doing it. But, like all good things, your time at Glastonbury Festival must come to an end. So, on the Sunday you will be able to start exiting from 12pm until Monday evening. Make sure you take everything with you or dispose of litter in the appropriate bins before you leave. Your weekend probably didn't involve much sleep, but make sure you're well rested before you leave or take frequent stops to rest.

Before you return your campervan rental to the depot, make sure it is clean and full of petrol or diesel. Check for any belongings before locking up and handing over the keys. And with that, you're all done.

Don't forget...

You want your experience with hiring a campervan and heading to Glastonbury Festival to be flawless. So, don't forget to get a festival ticket and a campervan ticket. Make sure you're staying in the right campervan field for your vehicle. If it's longer than 8 metres, then you only have one option at the Bath & West campervans large pitch. Arrive early, but not too early. There is no queueing before 12pm on the Tuesday before the festival to get into the campsites.

Empty waste water into the waste water containers provided. Don't dump your waste water anywhere else. Bring power banks to charge your devices and don't bring any glass containers. Leave valuable items at home, in case they get lost or stolen. Campervan sites can accommodate an awning, if your vehicle has one. If you're staying onsite, bring sensible footwear for the walk to the main stages. Be courteous to your fellow campers and follow the rules.

And most of all, have fun!