Information - Glastonbury Blog 2008

CAN I STILL BUY A TICKET TO GLASTONBURY THIS YEAR?

Registration for Glastonbury Festival 2008 has now been re-opened.
Register here www.glastonburyregistration.co.uk and an email will be sent to your registered address with your registration number when your photograph has been approved. Approvals will take up to 24 hours.
When you have your registration number tickets may be purchased here while available www.seetickets.com/g2008 although registration does not guarantee a ticket.

WHY HAVEN’T I HAD MY TICKETS YET?

It is expected that you will receive your tickets at least 14 days before the Festival starts. Tickets will be sent out by recorded delivery to the addresses specified when making the sale. A signature will be required at the point of the delivery. If there is a problem with the ticket transaction or delivery please contact See tickets by telephone 0844 412 4626 or by email to glastonbury@seetickets.com

UM, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT TICKETS...

More FAQs about tickets and registration here..

OK. I’VE GOT MY TICKET. WHERE AM I GOING?

The Glastonbury Festival takes place at Worthy Farm, Pilton, in Somerset on 27,28 and 29 June 2008.

HOW DO I GET TO GLASTONBURY? CAN I DRIVE?

You’ll need a car parking ticket to bring your car to the festival – ticket holders can buy car parking tickets online or by telephoning 0870 165 2007. Tickets cost £10 for the weekend.
The best ways to approach the festival site are...

- From London: take the M3 then A303 and A37.
- From the North East: take the A1 or M1, M25 to M3 (Junction 12), then A303 and A37.
- From the Midlands: take the M40 and A34 to A303 and A37.
- From the North West: take the M6, M5 to A39 (Junction 23) then A361.
- From Wales: take the M4, M5 to A39 (Junction 23) then A361
- From the West Country: take the A37 or A361

ER, YOU COULDN’T GIVE ME A LIFT, COULD YOU?

Car sharing is an effective way to reduce traffic around the festival and better for the environment, too. A lift-share scheme is being run by Glastonbury Festival and they have some helpful tips on safety on this site too...

CAN I GET A COACH?

You certainly can – National Express are running a special service from Wednesday to Monday.

CAN I GET A TRAIN?

The nearest railway station to the Glastonbury Festival site is Castle Cary, which is served by First Great Western trains. Early booking is advisable, as the trains quickly fill up – see www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk for full timetables and booking information, or call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950. Shuttle buses will run from Castle Cary station to the festival site, but you will need a festival ticket to use the service.

WHERE DO I CAMP?

There are camping areas in the vicinity of most of the stages, but choose wisely – don’t pitch your tent near to the Glade if you fancy a quiet night’s sleep. The biggest area is probably Pennard Hill.

Home Ground, Row Mead and Big Ground tend to get full very quickly as they overlook the Pyramid Stage – ideal for people who want to watch The Killers from the comfort of their own sleeping bag. For people with children, there is a "Family Camping" area in the North East of the festival site, with easy access to the Kidz Field.

Your best bet is to speak to a steward as you enter the site and find out which sites are already full and which areas are still fairly empty.

I HATE CAMPING. ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO DO GLASTONBURY IN 5 STAR LUXURY?

Well, yes, but you need to book early to avoid disappointment. Try Camp Kerala, a private tented village nearby the festival site…

WILL I NEED TO TAKE LOADS OF MONEY?

It’s been known for individuals to blow all their cash on felt hats, henna tattoos and bungee jumping, before they realise that they need to buy some dinner. Luckily, here is a mini-branch of the Nat West open from Thursday to Monday and cash machines open 24 hours a day, but be prepared to wait.

Better to take the money you think you’ll need and keep it on your person at all times. Another tip: don’t keep all your money in one place, just in case your wallet falls out of your pocket and into the "long drop"...

WILL I GET MY TENT NICKED?

Luckily, the days of hundreds of scallies gatecrashing the festival site and looting tents is behind us, thanks to the introduction of the SuperFence. Crime at Glastonbury is now at an all-time low. However, there are still a few opportunists out there and stuff can get nicked from tents while you’re off grooving to Kings of Leon, so only bring what you can afford to lose. You don’t really need an iPod after all...

And it’s advised not to try and secure your tent – a bloody great padlock on your zip is an open invitation to a burglar. If you have something valuable, leave it at one of the many property lock-ups on the site.

ARE THE TOILETS REALLY THAT BAD?

With 137,000 people attending the festival and all in need of relieving themselves at some point, you’re not going to get five-star luxury bathrooms in the middle of a field in Somerset. Having said that, the Glastonbury toilet is a long way from the “bench over a hole-in-the-ground” days of 1970. The toilets are cleaned more frequently than ever and there are several options open to you...

The portaloos are the most common, but can get a bit “fragrant” in the hot weather and even though they are flushable, the chemicals can run out, so you should hang on until they’ve just been cleaned. And bear in mind that portaloos by the main stages are likely to be busier and therefore nastier than ones in less populated areas. Don’t make the same mistake as related in one possibly apocryphal tale, in which a slightly worse for wear festival-goer managed to topple an entire portaloo on top of himself, with predictably stomach-churning results.

The “long drop” toilets dotted around the site may offer a glimpse into hell (especially if you look down through the hole into the pit of sewage below), but in truth they’re probably more hygienic than the portaloos in that they are open air. They don’t have locks on the doors, so obey festival etiquette and check for feet before you open the door.

A few flushing toilets are available near the farm house, but inevitably the queue is bigger than the one for Harrods’ January sale.

There are also the “pit latrines” supplied by Water Aid near the Sacred Space, which is akin to going to the toilet in France, but are preferred by some people. As with all the toilet options, you should leave the facility as you would expect to find it – if everyone did this, then there wouldn’t be an issue. And remember to take some toilet roll with you – potential disaster could be hiding around the corner...

Finally, why the boys have many urinal options, recent years have seen the introduction of the “she-pees” – female urinals which come complete with a disposable funnel for you to… well, you know. Having a wee in a nearby bush is not acceptable at Glastonbury, as pollution can cause a major problem, not least over possible fines from the local authority.

CAN I GET OFF MY FACE?

If you’re planning on getting tanked up on scrumpy or wine, then yes (as long as you don’t act the goat and do yourself a mischief – drink responsibly, guys). As for drugs, Glastonbury may seem like another world, but you are still in England and need to abide by its laws, so possession of naughty substances still carries the same penalties it would anywhere else.

And remember, if you’re driving home, getting trashed on the Sunday night is a stupid idea and potentially lethal. See www.drugdrive.com for some sobering messages on this.

CAN I TAKE A PHONE?

Yes, coverage at the festival site gets better every year, thanks to the involvement of Orange as a sponsor – plus, they run a stand where you can charge your phone and top up, providing you’re an Orange customer. However, this gets very busy and we recommend these… to keep your phone going, if you’re thinking of doing a lot of texting.

Also, while coverage is good, there are always instances of the “traffic” overwhelming the system – usually during junctions between acts on the bigger stages (e.g., “I’M BY THE CIDER BUS. IS JEZ WITH YOU?” etc, etc), so keep trying if you can’t get through.

For the most complete up to date information about the festival always check the official Glastonbury Festival site here.