Ok, Ill be honest I do not travel light when I come to festivals. I respect people who come to festivals with one bag but that's just not me. I bring everything and I like bringing everything. I like making a festival home that my friends and I can all start off from and end up back at. There are a few important requirements when making my festival home: trolley, big tent, gazebo, fire and dressing up bag. Firstly, the trolley, or ideally a wheel barrow, is important as you have to get ALL the stuff from the car to your chosen camping area. The trolley has to have big strong tyres, grannys shopping trolleys will loose wheels/ fall apart. My advice is to think industrial strength.
Secondly, the tent. I like a big tent with a communal area where people can hang out, get dressed in while standing up (its really awkward to get dressed sitting down) and store stuff so your not sleeping wrapped around your rucksack! So, I recomend a tent with a main communal area and small pods off it.
Thirdly, the focal point of this festival home has to be a fire. We bring one of those pot belly ones or a bucket BBQ. Then all you need is lots of charcoal and you can have a nice warming fire first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
Fourthly, a gazebo. The fire goes in the middle, everyone's tents go around it and you have a lovely central, covered area where you can hang out! Cheap ones can be purchased for £10 but just beware that a gust of wind can send them hurtling across the camping area!
Lastly, a dressing up bag. I realise that this is not strictly part of the structure of a festival home but for me its the heart! Its contents, which must contain many tyes of head wear, are a constant joy not only to the owner but to all those friends who 'forgot' to bring or 'don't do' dressing up. The fact that it can be topped up from stalls at the festival is even better.
For me festivals are about fun and friends and our festival home has always provided the foundations to both.
PS: duct tape is really handy to have with you. It can be used to mend tents, mark your area, tape toilet doors shut (tape them closed while your in there and then pull it off when your done) etc.

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Consistently excellent Nepalese restaurant. In an unfashionable part of Manchester, but better than the majority of those in the famous 'Curry Mile' in Rusholme and those in nearby Didsbury.
Good vegetarian selection.

45 Palatine Road, Northenden, Manchester, M22 4FY

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Lovely little cafe next to the Mersey Valley visitor centre. Great quiches, pizzas and sandwiches. Home made breads and cakes. Great veggie breakfast (served all day) - yum. Small and friendly and will go that extra yard to suit your wishes.
Walk or bike from Chorlton and cross the meadows.
Scrumptious.
Super for lunch.

Sale Water Park, M33 2LX. Just off the M60.
tel: 01619696775

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A fantastic venue for a wonderful lunch. I highly recommend this award-winning cafe, run by 'The Modern Caterer'. The menu is packed with a number of mouth-watering choices, all of which are home made. A main course plus a drink will cost around £5-£6 so not expensive for good food. Great to call in just for a coffee to take in the pleasent atmosphere. Also during fine weather outside tables are available to enjoy your meal alfresco.

Located inside the Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6ER and opposite the MRI Hospital

Opening times:
Mon to Sat 10am till 4.30pm
Sun 12noon till 3.30pm

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