A first-timer’s guide to Glastonbury

Writer and Glastonbury first-timer Richard Jones reveals what the world's best music festival is really like, and answers your burning questions ahead of the five-day party.

For years, I have watched the world’s greatest music festival on TV from the comfort of my sofa, insisting that I’ll join some of the 210,000 music fans in a Somerset field the following year. Sadly, something always gets in the way.

Nevertheless, 2024 was the year I finally managed to overcome my Glastonbury procrastination and tick the festival off my bucket list.

Although many of my friends have been before, and weren’t shy with advice, I was still slightly daunted, and didn’t know how to prepare and what to expect. 

It soon became clear that it wasn’t going to be a case of just pitching my tent, slapping on the suncream and sitting on the grass, listening to the bands. There is a lot to think about. 

If this year’s festival has inspired to break your own Glastonbury duck, here are a few pointers for Worthy Farm first-timers.

What and where is it?

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was originally called the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival when it was established by dairy farmer Michael Eavis in 1970. It takes place in a stunning location – 1,100 acres in the Vale of Avalon, an area steeped in symbolism and mythology dating back many hundreds of years. Worthy Farm is actually closer to the town of Shepton Mallet than Glastonbury itself. With a perimeter of about 8.5 miles, the site is enormous, and has a number of slightly different postcodes (take note for sat nav purposes). 

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How to get there

No matter where you're coming from, you’ll have a long journey and can expect serious traffic as Worthy Farm is located on small roads in the middle of the countryside. The roads tend to be quieter on Wednesday morning and get busier as time goes on, while the local train station becomes very congested during the first few days. To make life easier, you could always make your way to Somerset on the Tuesday and book a nearby B&B or pub to stay the night. There is also a bus/coach service from many major towns and cities – if you’re using this, use the time wisely to catch up on some shut-eye. 

How to get tickets

Getting tickets for Glastonbury is essentially a lottery. You need to get into the process about a year before the festival and provide your details and a picture. When the first round of tickets goes on sale you will be notified to apply online, but they sell out in less than an hour, so you need to be extremely well organised. The coach and festival packages go on sale first and can be easier to get hold of. You should expect some disappointment, it’s been known for large groups of people trying to get tickets to all fail. If you are unable to purchase tickets in the first round there is a lifeline in the form of a re-sale around April time.

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What to pack

Be aware that everything you take, you have to carry. Therefore, pack as lightly as possible and avoid taking items you don’t need. And remember – what you bring, you have to take back with you. While adrenaline and enthusiasm carries you and your heavy luggage through the gates on Wednesday, when you're exhausted on Monday morning, you’ll be craving a smooth and easy exit. Limit your belongings to one backpack and one day sack and leave your hands free to share the weight of the tent and chairs with your camping gang. Among the (non-clothing) essentials you’ll need are ID, money/cards, medication, plasters, toiletries including towel/soap, toilet roll, sun lotion, a reusable water bottle, a portable phone charger pack, torch/batteries/bulbs and bin bags. There is a comprehensive list of what to take – and what not to – on the festival’s website. 

What to wear

The weather at Glastonbury can be unpredictable, to put it mildly, so you need to prepare for all eventualities. Pack plenty of light and warm layers that can be added to or removed when the conditions change. If the sun does make an appearance, keep layers tied around your waist ready for the cooler evenings, and always take a waterproof jacket and trousers, walking boots and/or trainers, and a pair of wellington boots. Note: if you're pairing wellies with shorts, wear knee-length socks as calf burn can be a killer. Top tip: leave some clean clothes and trainers in your car. If it is a wet Glastonbury there is, apparently, nothing worse than driving all the way home in wet gear.

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Where you’ll be sleeping

Plan where you’re going to camp before arriving, but before you commit to hammering in the pegs, be tactical. Pennard Hill Ground and Oxivers are the 'lively' campsites, and Lime Kiln and Hitchen Hill are generally on the quieter side. Also, pick your car park based on where you want to camp, otherwise you will be in for a very long walk. The No 1 tip is to aim for an uphill spot to avoid any possible flooding, and if you camp near a pathway, you'll hear people walking and talking which might keep you awake at night. If you camp near the infamous toilets, you'll have to face the stench but pre-emptively get ahead of the queues at peak times.

Once you have set up camp, have a look around for landmarks, or pin your tent location on the What3words app. There is also private camping available at an extra cost, like at Worthy View, if you don't want to ‘rough it’. They offer a pick up/drop off service from the bus terminal and have their own toilets and (hot) showers.

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Who’s playing?

Such is its popularity, Glastonbury is one of the only festivals that sells out long before the line-up is revealed. But that doesn’t stop the rumour mill going into overdrive as soon as the previous year’s event ends. It’s virtually impossible to see everyone and everything you want to over the five days, so pick out one or two must-see bands, and then let your days revolve around them. There are so many amazing lesser-known artists performing, so walk around and you might just see the next huge international artist, or at the very least, some amazing live music. Also, look out for secret sets and follow Secret Glasto on X (formerly Twitter) for details.

Which venues are best?

The iconic Pyramid Stage is where the biggest acts can be found. The ground is sloped up away from the stage meaning you can sit some distance away and still get a relatively clear view of the stage. The speakers ensure you will be able to hear it no matter where you are. Slightly smaller than Pyramid, the Other Stage is in a flat field surrounded by refreshments stalls and plenty of big acts also play here. The Park Stage has a few big acts and there is lots to do there, while the Silver Hayes area is where the old dance tents used to be. Arcadia, Block 9 and Shangri La are open until all hours for late-night revellers. And finally, there is the Interstage ‘hospitality’ area (at an extra cost), where you could bump into a few band members, TV presenters and celebs.

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What to eat and drink

Not only can you take all your own food and alcohol into the festival campsite, but also to the stages. So, bring as much as you want, or can carry, as it will save you a lot of money and mean you can drink exactly what you want without waiting in line at a bar. However, if you’re tired of drinking warm beer or cider from cans, you may not be able to resist the temptation of the odd cold one. Food-wise, there are hundreds of stalls selling everything from the standard burgers and chips to katsu curry and sushi. Prices are very expensive though, and queues can be very long.

What else is there to do?

Glastonbury is so much more than just a music festival, so use Wednesday and Thursday to explore the site and discover areas that you don’t see on TV. Give jewellery making a go, have a massage, do yoga, head to the circus, listen to some spoken word poetry, meditate, watch a wedding ceremony or sample a new food. There are loads of hidden venues in Block 9, Shangri La, the Unfairground, while the Healing Fields are great for a gentle start to the day, if you’ve danced until 6am. If you’re feeling energetic, stay up all night at the Stone Circle to watch the sunrise over the Vale of Avalon. Expect a few naked people playing drums and dancing around campfires.

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Getting home

It’s going to take a lot longer to leave the festival than it did to arrive, so be patient. Tune into Worthy FM on the way home to listen to the traffic situation and stories from the festival. And finally, take everything home with you, leaving no trace you were there. Remember, Worthy Farm is a working farm, so please make sure that the world’s greatest festival has a healthy future, whether you plan to join in the fun in 2025, or at some point in years to come. 

For more information on the Glastonbury Festival, go to glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

Lead image: Joe Maher/Getty Images