| Glastonbury attracts thousands of people who attend each year and welcome plenty of newbies attending their first ever festival; an exciting experience that can also be quite daunting if you have no idea what to expect. |
| Online ticket seller, Skiddle, took to Reddit to research and gather advice from seasoned Glastonbury goers on how first-timers can navigate the festival and make the most of what’s on offer. |
| Skiddle’s spokesperson, Holly Quinn, also provides her insights and explains why the advice from Reddit can help first-time festival-goers enjoy Glastonbury to its full potential, alongside each tip. |
| Eight hacks to help first-time Glastonbury Festival goers make the most of their experience |
| 1. You must pack the sun cream |
| “Use Factor 50 suncream. The heat was brutal last year and there aren't all that many shady spots. I got burnt pretty badly on Saturday despite reapplying factor 30 regularly so I'm going to be better prepared next year.” – Routine-Tomatillo-42 |
| The British weather, as we all know, can be unpredictable. However, previous Glastonbury festivals have experienced wall-to-wall sunshine over the whole weekend. That means it can get hot very quickly, and with thousands of people basking in the sun without lots of shady spots, it's so important to pack sun cream and reapply regularly throughout the day. This will help to prevent issues such as sunburn or heat stroke, which could ruin your whole weekend. |
| 2. Footwear really matters |
| “If you’re going to get hiking boots, get them now and make good use of them to make sure they’re well broken in by the time you get to Glasto. I made the mistake my first year of bringing boots that weren’t properly broken in, and it was a disaster.” – ciaran-mc |
| Glastonbury Festival is spread over 1100 acres, so you’re inevitably going to do a lot of walking. Therefore, choose your footwear carefully and take a couple of pairs that you know you will be comfortable walking in. Pack a pair of wellington boots if rain is on the horizon over the weekend, however, a sturdy pair of boots will suffice if it’s going to be dry. Also, take a pair of flip flops to wear if you decide to head for the showers, which can get pretty muddy and messy on the ground. Always make sure you break in your footwear before wearing it to a festival, which will help to avoid blisters and other issues with your feet. |
| 3. Use Vaporub to mask the smell of the toilets |
| “If you’re a person who doesn’t deal with smell well, bring some Vaporub and put a tiny bit around the edge of your nose for those loos in the centre, helps mask a LOT of smells” – dragoninmyfridge |
| A great tip for those who don’t handle strong smells particularly well, especially in the long drops, which can start to smell pretty bad early on in the festival. The menthol of the Vaporub will help to mask any undesirable smells you may encounter throughout the weekend. |
| 4. Use what3words to meet up with your group |
| “The best way to handle big groups is by picking a meeting spot early for each stage. So long as everyone is happy to be that far in/far away from the stage, it’s no flags, no faff. Find a good spot, send the what3words to your group chat, and you’re sorted.” – duncandeeds |
| The sheer size of Glastonbury means that you’re likely to split up over the course of the day if you’re heading there with a group of people. When you all decide to meet up again, consider using the what3words app, which assigns three random words to a three-metre-square area, and provides everyone with an exact location to meet up. Just share the location from the app, agree on a time to reconvene and go enjoy the festival. |
| 5. Improvise with your shower |
| “Get yourself a large plastic watering can and a collapsible bucket. We did that for the first time this year, after many years of disappointing wet-wipe showers, and I regret not doing it sooner.” – stevelikesmoney |
| Showers are an option at Glastonbury; however, you can expect to queue for a while to get one or be provided with a time slot. If you don’t fancy queuing, improvise and create a shower at your campsite. Consider investing in a solar-powered portable power shower, which is a great alternative. |
| However, some of these can be quite bulky, so you need to be prepared to carry it to and from your transport. Another simple solution is to use a collapsible bucket and even a watering can to create a makeshift shower. Sure, it’s a far cry from a warm, power shower at home, but it’s an effective solution for those who must wash on a daily basis. |
| 6. Try not to create a regimented plan |
| “Don't try and spread yourself too thin by trying to rush between sets at stages that are far apart! Pick a few things you really want to see and go with the flow the rest of the time.” – lucy_burger |
| Always check out the itinerary and find the sets from the artists you really want to see. In between, go with the flow and see where the day takes you. Remember, Glastonbury is more than just about the music, there’s a wide range of workshops, drama performances, cinema and fitness activities that you can attend in between. It is actually possible to not see any musical acts and still have a jam packed weekend at the festival. Create a plan of your must-see acts, make time to travel in between stages, then go with the flow in between and see where the day takes you. |
| 7. Leave an outfit in the car for the journey home |
| “If you’re travelling in by car, leave your comfiest clothes in there for when you get back at the end of the festival, nothing better than amazingly comfy dry clothes if it’s a rainy one” – dragoninmyfridge |
| There’s nothing worse than travelling back home in dirty clothes, or if you’ve been caught in a downpour, wet ones. A great tip is to leave a comfy outfit that you can change into before you make your journey back home. It’s likely to be a long day of travelling, so it’s worth ensuring the clothes you’re wearing are clean, dry and comfortable. 8. Invest in a trolley to bring in all your festival essentials |
| “This year I took a sturdy trolley for the walk in – WELL WORTH IT” – Internet Bug365 |
| A reliable trolley can be a lifesaver when transporting all your festival essentials like your tent, clothing and food and drink. It saves you having to make multiple trips back to the car and prevents any accidents or breakages when transporting everything to your pitch. Just make sure you invest in a good quality trolley and avoid cheap options that may break under the strain of your festival gear. |
