Glastonbury Guide: What To Pack

If you’re planning your trip to Glastonbury, the best piece of advice would be to pack light. Can you live without a dozen pairs of colourful wellies? Probably. Do you really need 87 make-up products for a four-day event? Probably not.

Remember that you’re going to have to carry your stuff a long way before you reach the campsite. It’s usually another lengthy walk before you find a spot to pitch your tent that’s not beside the portaloos. Carrying a heavy rucksack for a long time is never fun, so cutting down on the amount you bring can really make a big difference.

Luckily, we have all of the essential items you need to pack right here:

• Camping Equipment
• The Essentials
• Clothing
• Personal Hygiene and Medication
• What NOT to bring with you

Camping equipment

No festival experience is complete without the tent. You probably don’t need that luxury 5 person tent that weighs a tonne though. The smaller it is, the lighter it is to carry to and from the campsite and therefore, the happier you’ll be on arrival. You’ll also need a sleeping bag and a torch (with spare batteries). It might be a good idea to bring your re-usable water bottle also. There are free taps on site to refill it and believe me, you’ll be delighted you’ve brought it with you.

The Essentials

It might sound obvious, but make sure you’ve your festival ticket. You’d be distraught landing at Bristol Airport with sleeping bags and tents in tow, but minus a ticket. Other important bits to pack include your passport (and a few photocopies), boarding passes and your travel insurance details. Get your hands on some sterling before you go and take a reasonable amount with you before you hit the festival. The queues at the ATMs are usually crazy, but do bring your card with you, just in case.

Image Credit Ben Cremin. Used under CC license.

Clothing

Wellies are a festival essential for a reason. The weather in the UK is just like here at home – unpredictable. A handy tip is to wear your wellies instead of packing them. You might look a bit silly boarding the plane but it will save up a lot of room in your luggage. Waterproof jackets/ ponchos are also a must for mucky festival weather. Make sure to pack a spare change of clothes in case of bad weather. It might sound obvious, but pack spare underwear and LOTS of spare socks – you’ll need them. A warm jumper is also vital as it can get chilly in the evenings. On the other side of things, if the weather is a scorcher you’re going to need sunglasses, a hat and lighter t-shirts and shorts. Your best bet is to bring a few bits and pieces that you can layer on top of another if needs be.

Personal Hygiene/ Medication

Toilet roll is always a must for festivals. It’s a well-known fact that the portaloos at festival sites aren’t up to a high standard, so bring plenty of your own supplies. You may want to pack a small bottle of hand sanitizer too.  Your best friend at Glastonbury however will be your pack of wet wipes. Whether you want to freshen up, clean the mud off your boots or take off your make-up after a hard night of dancing, these versatile wipes will do all that. They also double up as a handy substitute for toilet roll if you run out of toilet paper (which you will). Stock up also on mini toiletries such as dry shampoo, deodorant, soaps, mouthwash etc. They’ll save you a massive amount of space and will come in handy throughout the weekend. Don’t forget to pack any medication you may need as well as a basic first-aid kit with items such as plasters and paracetamol. As we said before, Glastonbury weather can be very changeable so make sure to pack your sun cream, in the hope that the sun makes a rare appearance.

Image Credit Wikimedia. Used under CC license.

…And what to leave at home

• It’s worth mentioning again – you really don’t need all those clothes.
• There’s no need for the fancy gazebos – they take up valuable tent space in the campsite and let’s face it, they’re very awkward to carry.
• Don’t bring too much food/ drink. You might think you’re being clever by avoiding the pricey food stalls but there’s only so much dry cereal and biscuits you can eat. Eventually, you will succumb to the temptation of a bag of hot, salty chips.
• Don’t bring any aerosols or anything in a glass bottle (even perfume) – it will be confiscated.
• There are no animals, except registered guide dogs, allowed into the festival site so it’s best to leave Mittens with mam and dad for the weekend.
• Sound systems, generators, sky lanterns, kites, fireworks, and flares will all be confiscated on entering the festival site so best to leave them at home.

Main Image Credit Ashton. Used under CC license.