26th June 2024

On Wednesday, I set off to the Glastonbury Festival 2024, I was taking Selina and Phil to the festival. The first time for Phil, the third time for Selina (98, 99, 24) and the fourteenth time for me (98, 99, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24). The only gap for me was between 1999 and 2009. The other gaps in the years were when Glastonbury had a fallow year or Covid circulated. We were going to be staying at a glamping site called Love Fields.

We set of at 10.30, stopping at Starbucks near Frome, intention of charging the car with some free BP electricity. Alas all chargers were in use. Arrived at The Love Fields just before 2. A note to myself, ignore Google Maps, it will see the holdups on the main roads around Glastonbury, and attempt to find a quicker route, this inevitably will take you down small single-track roads, and roads that are closed to non-residents during the festival.

I had booked a large Ash Yurt at The Love Fields for the three of us. This is in the VIP area, where there is a selection of accommodation at different costs. There are several bars in the VIP area, and other bars outside the VIP area, but still in Love Fields. There are a couple of stages are in the area, with some bands playing both here and in the main Glastonbury festival. I have always wondered if you could come to The Love Fields and not attend Glastonbury Festival.

The yurt came with electricity and double bed for Selina and Phil, and a single for me. Checking in was quick and easy, driving down to the yurt to unload, and then taking the car back the car park. Slight irritation was by the Friday, the parking was full, and some vehicles were parked in the driveways. We picked up our wrist bands and guides from reception. The glamping site is very convenient to the festival. Straight out of Love Fields and you are at Pedestrian Gate C to the festival. It is also not far to walk to the Pyramid stage. Many staying at the festival site would have a longer walk than us.

Not many bands are playing on the Wednesday, it’s an arrival day. We did go for a walk around the site so Phil and Selina could get their bearings. Met up with Ed for a pint at the Stonebridge bar and headed back to Love Fields to watch the fireworks. Missed Mary, she was initially coming to work, but unfortunately her brother had an accident a few days before, so she stayed behind to look after him.

There is an excellent view of the fireworks from Love Fields. We also got to see the drone display, a first for Glastonbury. To see this, we had to be in the upstairs bar in the “Barn”. I had a Negroni here, but timeline is hazy.

Afterward the fireworks I went for a walk around the site, visiting the Avalon bar, the Ribbon Tower, and then I headed over to Woodsies stage to see the new Tree Stage. Then it was back through the Wood, walking through the trees on a platform. Final walk back to Carhenge to see Fulu Miziki. A Congolese band that makes music from rubbish. Somehow missed them, but they are on again. Good to see Car Henge in the dark. Fabulous use of old American gas guzzling icons set up in the formation of Stone Henge. A nod to the origins of the new age travellers influence on Glastonbury. They had been cast out from Stone Henge in the Battle of Beanfield in 1985 .

This Wednesday, the weather was kind. It was sunny and warm. There had been several days break in the wet weather (we had been soaked at Download), and we were not going to receive any rain this weekend. There had been quite a lot of rain in the preceding weeks, but thankfully it had stopped, and the land had dried out to a considerable extent. Unfortunately, in preparation for continued rain, all the main stages had wood chippings laid out. This meant there was no lovely grass to sit down on at the West Holts stage.

It had been a lovely start to Glastonbury Festival 2024

Video from The Love Fields of the Glastonbury 2024 drone display.