Camping magazine is proudly sponsoring Wychwood Festival. As the only magazine in the UK dedicated to life under canvas, we bring you some of our top tips to surviving the festival season…
A Camping guide to surviving festivals. Written by Nick Harding – regular Wychwood festival go-er.
Five pieces of advice:
- Don’t camp too near the toilets (or even downwind, although judging that may be a bit trickier). Things are probably going to get pretty mucky…
- Get your bearings. You’ll be amazed at how any festival seems to just keep growing, expanding into something akin to a small township. It helps that you know how to get around.
- Let your kids run free. One good idea I picked up was to write your mobile phone number on the inside of their wristbands, as used at most events, just in case they do go missing. Make sure you have reception on your phone, though.
- Don’t assume you’ll have your car nearby. Chances are, you’ll be asked to park elsewhere and bring all your kit into the camping area. Be warned.
- Choose the right time to go. Not just a metaphor for life, but feel free to slip away a little earlier if you want to avoid any congestion.
Five camping essentials:
WHAT YOU SIMPLY MUST TAKE (as well as your tent and sleeping bag and mat – yes, I definitely recommend a mat). It’s just so tempting to say anything branded ‘Festival’ is a sure sign it’s not necessary at all. However, start with some kind of daysack, and work your way from here.
I’ve steered clear of any ideas about cooking, too. I’ll leave that one up to you, but chances are all your plans of preparing meals will go out the window as you fall for the many temptations of festival delights. Organisers are pretty wise to this
– providing stalls representing the foods of the world.
Anyway, here’s my list. It carefully steers clear of any brand names because all of the products here are available from a wide number of suppliers.
- WATERPROOFS OK, I know we’re due the most glorious summer this year (we’ve all convinced ourselves, haven’t we?). But, if it’s going to rain you can guess which weekend that will be. Consider your coat a rug to sit on during the daytime as well as something to wear as the evenings get cooler.
- SUN PROTECTION Likewise, perhaps you should take an umbrella on the basis that if you do it’s a sure-fire guarantee it won’t rain. I jest. But, they do make good sunscreens and hats can come in handy. Lotions etc if you must.
- WATER CONTAINER Again, most organisers seem pretty good at laying on fresh water supplies these days.
- TORCH At some point you’re going to need to fumble your way back to, or in, your tent. It took some convincing, but I’m a big fan of head torches now, as they leave both hands free. An LED version, of course.
- BIN BAGS AND A TOILET ROLL I’ve cheated by squeezing the last two into one, but you’ll probably be handed rubbish and/or recycling bags of some sort when you first enter the festival. The toilet roll will most likely become your best friend, believe me. Well, we are talking essentials.
Five things to consider:
- Coolbox – should just about last you the weekend, but often useful as an extra seat in or outside your tent. Again, just be wary you may need to lug it some distance.
- Money. You’re going to need cash. And you’ll probably end up spending more than you expected (but hey, you’re having a great time). A lot of organisers are savvy to this, and even provide temporary cashpoints (expect queues). How thoughtful…
- At least one extra set of clothes – even if it’s something to change into for the journey home and back to reality (I kid you not).
- Binoculars. I’m not convinced, but others swear by them.
- Something to read. Now, this might just be me, but I get a lot of pleasure from sitting outdoors and reading, especially if there’s some live music going on in the background.
Five things to leave:
- Chocolate. Sooner all later it’ll succumb to the heat. There’s probably a First Law of Chocolate out there that says, when it melts, it will be at the time designed to cause most inconvenience.
- Anything that runs off mains electricity. TV, iron, computer, curling tongs – all best left at home. What are you doing, contemplating taking a TV camping, anyway?
- Your best clothes. Dress for the occasion. People laugh at my zip-off trousers, but I find them ideal for events like these – shorts one moment, full-length trousers the next.
- Glass. Most organisers attempt to ban glass bottles etc, for sensible reasons – the breakages just cause too much trouble.
- Your football. This one’s aimed specifically at my son who, nevertheless, managed to get involved with the regular football matches taking place stage left at last year’s Green Man.
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