Heading to Glastonbury festival? Don't make these mistakes – and follow our best hacks

Scottish Sun

3 hours ago

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How to beat the crowds in the most popular places, what to pack and the hidden gems to explore
GLASTO TIPS Heading to Glastonbury festival? Don't make these mistakes – and follow our best hacks
EVEN on a bad headliner year, Glastonbury is the best music festival in the world.
The mix of music and other activities... and general vibe of the place makes it like no other place on earth.
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The Sun's Bizarre, health and travel teams share their top tips for Glastonbury festival
But it's also very large and very busy - it covers 1,100 aces (around 500 football pitches) and has a capacity of 210,000 people - more than twice the population of nearby Bath.
It's also famously temperamental weatherwise - in my eight Glastonbury festivals, I've had everything from torrential rain and mud baths to scorching heatwaves.
So failing to come prepared has the power to make or break you weekend, which is why we've compiled a list of all our favourite Do's and Don'ts for Glastonbury... to make sure you have the best time.
Caroline McGuire, Head Of Travel - Digital (pictured bottom right, above)
Beg whoever you know who owns a camping trolley (from £20 at Decathlon) to borrow it for the weekend - the site is enormous and you'll be carrying all your belongings a long way before you set up camp.
Make sure to experience some of the unique areas that make Glastonbury so special - the theatre and circus fields, the Healing Fields, the Lost Horizon Nomadic Spa (aka secret nudist area with sauna, massage parlour and plunge pool).
Speaking of which, don't just buy your food from the nearest vendor - make sure to make a pilgrimage to Permaculture, a shaded haven near the middle of the site that serves delicious food made from produce grown in their own garden on the site.
Finding your tent can be tricky, especially when it's dark and you've had a few drinks - memorise some notable things near your pitch, like a flag or a gazebo.
It's possible they're placebo, but my friends and I swear by Happy Tuesdays - vitamins that support your body's natural recovery while they sleep. We're convinced they help us deal with the post-festival blues far easier.
Finally, stick a plastic bag or bin bag in your bumbag, so you always have something to sit on when it's a muddy and rainy weekend.
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Bizarre's Jack Harwick, Ellie Henman and Howell Davies are Glastonbury pros
Howell Davies, Associate Bizarre Editor (pictured right)
Don't over-pack your schedule. You won't be able to see half of one set and half of another - and you'll spend the whole time walking, only to get nowhere near the stage.
Don't wear uncomfortable shoes, even if they do look trendy. You should expect to walk a minimum of 25,000 steps a day and the last thing you want is blisters.
Do plan individual outfits for each day, and pack them separately so that you're organised and not scrambling for pants or matching shorts.
Do go off the beaten track to explore the activity away from the Pyramid Stage. That's where the maddest memories will be made.
Ellie Henman, Bizarre Editor (pictured centre, above)
Do scope out the best food places. You don't want to be stuck eating burger and chips every day, and there are genuinely amazing places to eat when you're there.
Don't put up your tent near a path, at the bottom of a hill, or next to the loos - you won't get a wink of sleep with the banging of the doors, let alone the stench.
Do pack an eye mask and ear plugs. You don't want to be woken up by the sun streaming in through your tent at the crack of dawn, having only just gone to sleep.
Do walk up to the Glastonbury sign at least once. As well as spectacular views, there is a bar near the top.
Jack Hardwick, Senior Showbiz Reporter (pictured left, above)
Do make sure to carry spare toilet roll with you. Getting caught short miles from a toilet is no fun.
Do take a refillable water bottle - there are loads of water points around the site These camping water pouches come with hooks so you can clip them onto your bag - fill some with water and two with booze.
Don't leave it until mid-morning to leave on Monday. Getting off the site will take hours, so either get up early, or have a long lay-in and lunch before going.
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Vanessa has been to the festival three times, and has finessed how not to lose your friends in the busy site
Vanessa Chalmers, Assistant Head of Health, The Sun
Take a flag. They are incredibly useful for finding friends in a sea of people - or for them finding you - as there is rarely phone service. Most flag poles bought online can be shortened, so you can easily carry it around with you when moving between stages.
Drop any expectation at all that you will see who you want to see, especially if you are in a large group as it's hard to find your group again once you are split up. Choose one or maybe two acts you simply must see, and stick to your guns.
Make something in the healing fields, or buy a souvenir, to take home! There is so much on offer. My friends and I have made a silver ring each year we have been. It takes about two hours.
Follow @secretglasto on X, formerly known as Twitter, and turn on notifications. If you are lucky to get service, you might just be in the right place at the right time for a surprise set. We saw Fatboy Slim at Greenpeace completely randomly one Sunday afternoon, standing right underneath him in 'the tree'.
There is no shade at Glastonbury. Well, certainly not enough for the number of people - there are so many crammed under the singular tree at Pyramid stage. So wear a hat! But if you are desperate, there is a hammock area in Park stage - near lots of camping - which is quite shaded.
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Jamie Harris has the best tech tips for the festival
Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
Definitely use Vodafone's new Glastonbury Festival app, as this will help you keep all the acts and locations organised - allow the notifications as well, as they'll let you know about surprise acts.
This year they've added a handy feature to find your friends on the map if you lose each other.
A power bank is a must but if you forget, you can buy a fully charged battery pack from the Vodafone tent.
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Sophie shares her packing tips - including bringing the kitchen sink
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
You'll save cash and time queuing by bringing your own booze. There's a no glass rule and cans take up too much space. So fill a cool bag with boxed wine (ditch the box and take just the pouch). Or decant your favourite spirits into plastic bottles with a bit of mixer.
I always pack a collapsible sink from The Range that costs a few quid.
It's the most-used item among my pals at Glasto - when a pal fell in the mud, when I got sticky ketchup in my hair, and for clean hands when removing contact lenses.
Pack a small bag, so you don;t have to venutre back to the tent for more supplies. Cram it with everything you need for the day: water, a portable charger, sunglasses, SPF, a jumper for when the sun goes down.
Food for £6. It used to be 'food for a fiver' but this is nearly as good.
Many food vendors commit to selling meal deals and dishes for £6.
The scheme ran last year and although they haven't announced anything yet for this year, keep your eyes peeled on the blog posts.
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Will reveals how to beat the crowds late-night at Shangri-La
Will Hagerty, Associate Editor at The Sun
If you intend going to Shangri-La on Friday or Saturday night, skip a headliner and head up there early, or you might not get in for hours. It's a long walk and they often close the area because it gets so crowded.
Take something to sit on if it's likely to be muddy. I take a genius umbrella which doubles as a shooting stick stool.
Go up to the Crows Nest, high above the Park Stage, for the best view of the site and the odd secret gig