My Glastonbury 2023: Part 1, Return To Avalon.

Our recycling team.

It was Sunday morning, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was time once again to set off for Glastonbury Festival. My first Glasto was 1979 and even after 44 years of going to the worlds best festival I still get excited, barely able to sleep the night before. Kate messaged me at 1.00 and said they would meet me at Morrison’s car park in Westbury in 10 minutes. I really fell on my feet when I met Kate & Donna. I used to have to catch the train to Castle Cary, then the shuttle bus, then a long walk across the vast site carrying my heavy rucksack and tent, but now thanks to them I get driven all the way there, through the entrance onto Worthy Farm and all the way to the Recyclers crew campsite at Tom’s Field. I am extremely grateful.

Donna & Kate.

Donna is a great driver, and it only took about 40 minutes to get from Westbury to the site at Pilton. The gates don’t open to the public until Wednesday, but there are about 30,000 workers at Glastonbury including 2,500 on the recycling team. Even so we were surprised at how busy Tom’s Field was already on Sunday. I had treated myself to a brand-new tent this year from Lidl (£69) and was a bit concerned that I wouldn’t know how to put it up, but with a bit of advice from Kate I soon had it sussed out, threw in my rucksack and sleeping bag and was relaxing with a can of cider by 5.00. Brilliant, job done!. 

Kellie.

Then I went to the office to register for work and collect meal tickets, gloves and my new recyclers veteran’s t-shirt. The following day our little encampment was joined by Kellie, originally from Essex but now living in Frome. It was her first Glastonbury, but she took to it like a duck to water. She is a great character, and we all became great friends over the next week or so. On Tuesday our group was complete when my friend Odele arrived. I met Odele ten years ago, the Rolling Stones year and we have met up at every Glasto since then.

Odele.

Most of the big public bars weren’t open yet, but there are crew bars dotted all over the site behind the main stages, so on Sunday evening me, Kate, Donna and Kate’s friend John went for a long walk to the crew bar at Arcadia. It was great in there. The part we went to had little alcoves where you could sit. You could almost think you were in a traditional English pub and not in a field on a farm in Somerset. It was very pleasant but after about three pints I got restless and thought I’d go for a wander on my own. In the market area I was surprised to see that the Bread & Roses Saloon was already open. It is a great spot for sitting outside and people watching. I sat there for about an hour talking to complete strangers and watching the world go by. Finally, I thought I’d have a wander to my favourite crew bar at the Acoustic Stage because I thought I might bump into some old friends, you never know who might be hanging about. I can vaguely remember talking to people, but I don’t know what about. In the end I decided I had drunk enough for one day and walked slowly back up Muddy Lane to Tom’s field, crawled into my sleeping bag and was fast asleep by 1.00.

Nearly ready.

On Monday morning I was awoken at 5.30 by the sound of cows mooing from a big barn nearby. It’s wonderful and reminds you that we are actually on a working dairy farm. Most of the cows go on holiday for the duration of the festival and sometime afterwards to surrounding farms. Some stay though and are kept in a huge barn known as the Pilton Mootel. I was starving hungry because I’d only had a bag of chips at Arcadia the night before. I made my way to the workers marquee and ate a hearty breakfast, vegetarian of course. Then packed my little backpack with all I might need for a day’s walking and set off for a lazy long walk all over the huge site. As in previous years my first stop was at the Tiny Tea Tent which has been in the same spot since 1992. It’s always nice to sit here and watch all the comings and goings. The Greenpeace Field opposite was a hive of activity with workers feverishly putting final touches to the various structures. It got a bit dusty with all the vehicles driving by that corner, so I made my way to the more bucolic peaceful surroundings of King’s Meadow, the Stone Circle and the Peace Garden, perfect for a spot of mindfulness and meditation. 

At the Stone Circle.

It was getting hot. To the left of the Stone Circle is my favourite oak tree which I enjoyed sitting in the shade of for an hour or so. I got chatting with this Irish man from County Sligo and asked him what he was doing at Glastonbury. He said he was setting up the secret Piano Bar. I told him that I had heard about the Piano Bar, but had never been in it, and asked where it was. He said, “You see that metal fence over there by the hedge, well, go through that gap in the fence, and you’ll find it”. I meant to check it out later, but never did. Maybe next year. I was out walking until late afternoon until I got hungry again. 

Dog made from cars.

Back in Tom’s Field the bar was open, so I had a couple of cold ciders and dinner at 6.00. That evening a gang of us went to the Acoustic crew bar. Kate bought me a drink which some woman immediately knocked over and didn’t buy me another one, but I didn’t get angry because this is Glastonbury. There was some quite heavy rain on Monday night. It didn’t bother me though. I like the sound of rain on my tent, it lulls you to sleep, as long as it doesn’t come into your tent. My new tent did its job perfectly and didn’t leak. Tuesday was another glorious sunny day which passed in much the same fashion as Monday. Tuesday evening was the annual recyclers Quiz run by Bronwyn from the office. Our team as in previous years were The Glastafarians. Team members were me, Odele, Peter, Paul, Berna, Orla, & Robin, We were previous winners, and have always come first or second, but for some reason this year was a disaster. We only got 14 points and came nowhere. I was disgusted with our performance and resolved to do lots of revision before next year to restore our reputation. 

Working above the tipi field.

I went to bed early Tuesday night because my first shift at work was on Wednesday morning at 10.00. I’ll tell you more about the work in a future instalment. Sufficient to say that the first shift went really well. It was easy because the gates were only opened to the public on Wednesday morning, so there wasn’t much litter to pick up. Basically, it was just a long walk. A packed lunch was sent out to us in the fields. Work ended at 4.00, we were given more meal tickets and told to meet at the Greenpeace Field on Friday at 6.00 in the morning. As I curled up in my sleeping bag on Wednesday night and drifted off into peaceful slumbers little did I realise was a fabulous day Thursday would turn out to be. The magic of Glastonbury was about to begin!

Mexicans at Glastonbury.

To Be Continued……………..