Glastonbury Festival has begun, with more than 210,000 expected to descend on Worthy Farm, Somerset, over the coming days. The iconic music event is known for its star-studded line-up of headliners and acts - with this year's including the likes of Elton John, The Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey.
But besides its vast array of artists and performers, the UK's biggest music festival is also famous among its fans for its often muddy terrain, camping sites and toilets. When it comes to camping at Glastonbury travel expert Liz Ho has shared her top tips.
Having tested thousands of pieces of camping equipment over the last ten years via CampingGuidance.com, Liz has shared her thoughts on where to pitch your tent. She's also revealed what security measures fans should actually avoid and the best gadgets and equipment for a safe and fun-filled camping experience.
Below is the five things she urges goers to avoid - including why they shouldn't lock up their tents.
Don’t underestimate the walking
A trip to Glastonbury festival often means taking part in a favourite British pastime, queuing, and all that waiting around and walking to your campsite means you want to be savvy on what you take and how you carry it. But many seasoned festival goers say it might be better to take multiple trips to and from the car, if you have the energy.
Liz comments: "Whatever you decide, a sturdy trolley will do the best job at transporting your things, and keeping them off the ground too. You’ll need to ensure your trolley has strong fixings so I’d recommend looking for one sold in a garden centre or building supplies store. These are often made from metal and have wheels built to last."
Don’t pitch your tent at the bottom of a hill
Liz says: "British weather is unpredictable and Glastonbury is not short of complete wash-out years. So if the rain comes, you don’t want your tent to be at the bottom of a slope as it will soon turn into a lake or running river.
"Instead, get there as early as you can, especially if you want to camp next to friends. Choose a spot high up and position your tents in a circle to stop passers-by stumbling through.
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"Try to pitch in eye sight of a car park, toilet block or main path where there is likely to be people walking past. It will be lit up and thieves are less likely to try their luck if more people are around.
"Don’t forget to pitch away from hedges as they may provide shade but they are also likely to be used as toilets."
Don’t spend more on your outfits than your tent
Attendees shouldn't underestimate the importance of a comfortable place to sleep after even one day at Glastonbury, Liz warns. Don’t make the mistake of buying a cheap and flimsy tent, and taking five outrageous outfits instead.
She added: "The latest family sized camping tent that I’ve tested and really like is The North Face Wawona 6. I like that it’s a super roomy tent, with not just the inner tent but also the outer vestibule. And it’s great in not just hot weather but it’s also rainproof.
"As for the best quick tent to set up for festivals, I really like the Teton Sports 2 Person Quick Tent. I love that I can take the rainfly off and enjoy the stars at night.
"Not a common feature for most pop up tents. Another great pop up tent is the Quechua 2 Seconds Fresh and Black 3 Person Tent. I love that the fabric is black out, so you can totally sleep in after a long night at a festival. Highly recommended for people who like to sleep in.
"My other top tips for essentials that won’t break the bank are to pack a cotton sheet and pillowcase to help stay cool when a sleeping bag is too much, and a mini roll of Gorilla tape for those emergency repairs to clothes, bags or your tent."
Don’t blend in with the crowd
When it’s pitch black and you’ve been in a loud music tent all day, you will struggle to find your way back to your own tent to get some rest. Liz advises: "Do everything you can to help your tent stand out.
"Flags are great for this as you can personalise them, try covering your tent in bunting, using glow sticks, solar powered fairy lights or using a soft toy as a bacon to guide you back to get some sleep. If you’ve brought a backup battery for your phone, you could use an Apple Airtag or rely on apps like Google maps to drop a pin and 'whatthreewords' to save the location.
Liz added: "I really like Mpowered String Lights to create a more homely feel in the tent, which I think can be perfect for festivals. For times when you need to move around in the dark or find something in your tent at night, I love the Black Diamond Apollo Lantern for camping, it’s my go to nowadays. "
Don’t use a padlock on your tent
Although Glastonbury has a friendly vibe, there will still be the odd person who may take advantage of a situation for their own gain. Liz comments: "You may think securing your tent with a padlock would be the sensible thing to do, but instead it screams out to a potential burglar that there may be something valuable inside.
"After all, all they need to get into a tent is a sharp object. You should avoid bringing valuables to the festival, but if you do need to leave anything, make sure it’s well hidden and away from the entrance.
"If the sun is beating down you’ll want to keep your food and drink as cool as possible, as well as away from others looking for a free meal. Those emergency foil blankets are great for this as they are quite large when they unfold. Just drape them and pin down over your items to keep the sun away and your food and drink to yourself."
