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Although the British summer can be pretty chilly, you should always take skirts and dresses to the festivals. After all, it's a given that things are going to get muddy, and legs are much easier to clean than a pair of rock-hard jeans! They'll also take up much less room in your bag - just make sure you take plenty of tights too ... you don't want to end up with corned beef legs!
Any festival
Although the mud was bad last year, the line up is always great. Get the train to Portsmouth, then the car ferry and then a cab to the festival. Sounds mad, but it takes out all the waiting for buses.
Take toilet roll in a tupperware box. It may sound like a boring tip, but believe me, you'll thank me for it when festival time rolls round!
This is a must-have on any festival trip.
Not only can you use this stuff to clean your hands when you have been rolling around in the mud all day but you can splash it on your face to give you that fully refreshed (not quite so hungover) look.
It can also save you a disturbing morning queue, surrounded by the unclean.
Save yourself from the festival flu!
Most pharmacies
One thing that can send you mad (especially at the more corporate festivals like V)is the way security will refuse to let you take bottles over a certain size into the arena, and will remove the lids of any smaller bottles. This effectively means you have to buy new bottles of water during the day.
The easiest thing to do to avoid this is to take a few spare bottle lids with you in your bag. Once security have removed your bottle's cap, you'll have a handy one to replace it. Now you can refill your bottles at leisure. No dodgy V-Water for you.
The biggest live free African music festival in the UK, also including reggae and Latin music. Why not camp at Formby point which is on Merseyrail and you can take a direct train to St. Michaels to watch the festival both days
www.africaoye.com
Sefton Park, near St. Michaels train station, or numerous buses from the city centre
ATP is a fabulous music festival held at the Butlins in Minehead. Walk on the beach at least once - if only because it looks pretty funny in the middle of December when it's freezing and there are lots of ATP stragglers taking photos!
Also, for coffee lovers, there is a Starbucks on the site, not in the main building but past the cabins - there are also sofas to sit in there and a restaurant. Bring your own frying pan - the ones provided are OK but too easy to break.
Anybody considering taking young children to a festival this year may want to consider buying a plain children’s tee-shirt and writing on it in permanent marker – “If I’m lost please call my folks on...” followed by your mobile number. A friend of ours dresses her little ones in them at every festival she attends, and while she has always managed to keep them together, they do have, as she tells me, “a habit of wondering away to look at all the glittery things like little magpies.”
Very useful for navigating yourself among the maze of tents, particularly when you need to go to the loo in the middle of the night! Cheap, tiny and hardly weighs anything- no excuse not to take one.
Any outdoor gear shop like Blacks, Millets, etc
Bring a wheelbarrow for carting all your stuff from your car to the tent. No more annoying trips back and forth to the car to keep stocking up!
Two years ago at the Latitude festival in Suffolk, one of my friends (who is a big Strokes fan) decided it would be a good idea to jump the fence in the Uncut Arena to get a high-five from Albert Hammond Jnr.
He made it to the top of the stage and stood there with his hand reaching up, waiting for his idol to high-five him, but Albert just turned away and carried on playing, leaving my friend looking a bit lost at the front of the stage.
For me, it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen, but for my friend it was disappointing and embarrassing - even more so because I have photographic evidence.
So, if you're going to a festival this year, remember - rock stars don't appreciate drunk English men trying to gatecrash their set.
A slightly stretched hairpin over your nose stops you breathing in the bad smells and makes going to the toilet sooo much nicer. Try it!
2007, rain, three kids. Wish we'd had a toilet tent with a little porta-toilet. It would have saved many muddy trips first and last thing with my girls just for a wee two fields away.
millets
Littlehampton is a pretty little town just a two-hour drive away from London. This is the perfect destination for a family outing. It’s got tradition, entertainment and beautiful scenery for the loveliest getaway break. It has been a port since Roman times portraying the historic side of this resort. It doesn’t just have this traditional side because it holds a very modern nightlife. Although it may not be the liveliest it’s definitely worth checking out. The gorgeous beach spreads out to be a wondrous aspect of the town and during popular holidays it can be hard to find a spot. There are always beach chalets to rent which are lined across some of the beach. The harbour is another must see part of Littlehampton and its limits stretch to six miles. I love to walk down this harbour because of the amazing scenery and the interesting sites along the way down. For more fun you can go to the oyster pond. It acquired its name because the fishermen used to store large amounts of oysters in the pond. It was converted into a boating pond in the late 1870s which will entertain the kids. If your feeling peckish there is no need to look elsewhere as it holds many popular fish and chip shops reaching up to five stars. In my opinion is the best way to end a summer’s afternoon in the happy town of Littlehampton.
Address:
Littlehampton Town Council,
Manor House,
Church Street,
Littlehampton,
West Sussex,
BN17 5EW
Telephone: 01903 732063
Email: ltc@littlehampton-tc.gov.uk
It's a lovely place to just chill out with your friends and family. It's big, relaxing and beautiful. As you step onto the deep, warm sand you feel as though you are in heaven because of the elegant sinkable sand. I have been to lots of local shops, amusement stores and some amazing restaurants. There's something for everyone. It's the no.1 place to be during the holidays so why not give it a try!
Address: Camber Sands Holiday Park
Address 2: New Lydd Road
Town: Camber, Near Rye
County: East Sussex
Postcode: TN31 7RT
Country: United Kingdom
Website: www.gocaravanning.com/parkresorts
My top two tips for festivals are:
1. You've been dancing all night, and now it's time to sleep, but great, here comes the sun to turn your plastic tent into a sweat box. No more. Buy a large, double or king size sheet from a charity shop, stitch on a good sized loop of elastic to each corner. Once your tent is up, stretch the sheet out over your tent and peg taught in each corner (remember to bring four spare pegs). The sheet acts as an extra layer of shade which is well ventilated bringing the temperature inside your tent down several degrees! Time to doze.
2. Ice, your own supply all weekend! A standard 20litre icebox will keep ice just about all weekend but you have to pack it with ice ONLY. I can usually get four or five bags of shop bought ice in mine. This is enough to keep you in icy cider or G&Ts all weekend. I usually have enough ice left for a pint of ice cold orange juice on Monday morning.
Enjoy your much improved festival experience!
Spray on shampoo which washes your hair without water and without ruining your hair. Small light bottle which beats talcum powder (if you use that). Doesn't leave your hair white and makes it smell nice and gets rid of grease!
At most Boots or Superdrug or whatever. 2 quid a bottle and lasts you all summer.
Socks, being the most vital part of your festival attire (apart from your undies... and maybe your wellies), take up loads of room, but are actually brilliant for protecting bottles in luggage and make up and toiletries, so ditch make up bags and use your socks!
In your drawer at home
Keep it dry in a sealed plastic bag - when everything else gets soaked at least you have something to dry yourself with and can be used as a blanket.
(Acknowledgement to Hitch Hikers Guide)
In the airing cupboard maybe?
I know its obvious but wet wipes and wellies were invaluable, and a load of bananas came in handy to give to the kids, but the best tip I've heard is... be careful what you get up to in your tent with the torch on!
Lulworth Castle
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