Tips & Advice for Camp Bestival Newbies!

Camp Bestival is a multi-award winning festival that combines an all-encompassing family festival experience with an action packed camping holiday; something that we like to call a Festi-Holiday!

Set in the majestic grounds of Lulworth Castle, on Dorset’s dramatic Jurassic coastline, Camp Bestival is jam-packed with entertainment, from stellar musical morsels and cultural delights to stunning sideshow attractions and lashings of family fun. – Camp Bestival

I’m very excited to announce that I’m an Official Camp Bestival Blogger!

I’m going to be telling all in a series of posts in the next few days, as you know, I tend to ramble on, and posts can get very long! But, I wanted to kick off with some tips for Camp Bestival newbies – as that is exactly what me and my family are! We’ve never been to a festival, and never been camping (well, I did once with the Girl Guides when I was about 12!), so we need all the tips and advice we can get!

I’ve asked some of my fellow bloggers for their top tips for festivals and camping, which have been a great help for us, and I hope will be a great help for you too!

Take a waterproof coat or poncho! After being out in the rain with soggy everything for three days at V one year I never went again with no waterproofs!
– Tami, Mummy of Two

Even if it’s going to be sunny take lots of warm clothes, it’s always really chilly in the evening and there’s nowhere to really go to get warm! (although I really feel the cold so that might be just for people like me!!)
– Nichola, Global Mouse Travels

You’re not allowed to take glass bottles in but it’s worth taking your own beer / wine as can be pricey. We swear by our garden trolley for carting camping stuff to the site and then use it to pull the kids around when we are there. They have hot working showers and the loos are mostly ok but take your own loo rolls and hand sanitiser.

Get there early doors Thursday to get a good camping spot unless you are going camping plus – the food is amazing, we took our own but didn’t end up using it as there was so much on offer. My best advise is to make a note of what you want to see and when and then just go with the flow the rest of the time.
– Kara, Chelsea Mamma

The thing to remember about Camp Bestival is that it is full of families. Yes there will be gangs of teens there wandering around but they are there with larger family groups. We are all parents, and so we are all sort of ‘looking out for each other’. If a child wanders off and gets lost (yes- it does happen), then at least they are in a field of parents who know that heart stopping dread and who will take action to get the child to a Marshall for assistance.

My biggest tip if you’re a newbie is either take or hire a festival wagon to transport your stuff from car to camping pitch as it can be a slog!!! You can hire on the spot at Camp Bestival! You’ll need a deposit and then it’s an hourly rental so if you’ve young kids and want it for the weekend it may be worth buying your own.
– Nadine, Juggle Mum

Radio flyers or you can get similar and cheaper (if not so pretty) from loads of places. Carry your blankets, water, booze etc and keeps your stuff off the floor if it’s wet. I’m stunned no-one has mentioned baby wipes – take loads! You best friend in mud, at mealtimes, and when you wake up with a stinging hangover and the hot sweats. Take empty plastic bags for storage if it belts it down, dirty laundry, rubbish etc. Bread is really hard to keep nice with a tent and a festival, so take crackers and spread that doesn’t need refrigerating instead.
– Jenny, The Brick Castle

We went last year was amazing. Pack some snacks, pot noodles, porridge pot type things to keep in the tent so you don’t have to always be eating festival food though saying that the feast collective tent is delicious! Don’t forget cash on Thursday as the festival cash machines didn’t open till midday on Friday (hence pot noodles were very handy!). Have fun!
– Louise, My Gorgeous Boys

Get an air bed. We camp quite a bit and it’s the best investment you’ll make. Don’t let your four year old son jump on it though or he’ll have a lovely comfy sleep on his air bed while you sleep on the bleeping floor…
– Kate, Crafts on Sea

Take wet wipes, sun cream, flip flops, wellies, a hat and a raincoat. Then you are covered for most eventualities!
– Mellissa, The Diary of a Jewellery Lover

Don’t forget loo roll! Carry one in your bag round the festival. Also airbeds are a lifesaver, are warmer than sleeping on the ground and make for a better nights sleep on wonky ground!  Also have water bottles with you as there are water taps to fill them up for free all over the festival!
– Zoe, A Very Busy Mother

We checked the weather forecast before we left so we knew to expect some rain on at least one of the days that we would be away so our packing went a little like this:  Rain macs/ rain capes,  A light body warmer, wellies, a warm fleece or knitted poncho (evenings even after a scorching day get pretty chilly), Leggings/tights that you can pop on under your shorts or skirt during chilly moments, comfy shoes (so important because you walk a lot. I wore my fitbug every day and clocked up 17,000 steps each day), a warm onesie or PJ’s, a Sun hat (I forgot mine and got quite badly burnt).
– Emma, The Syders

Here is a great festival packing list, so you don’t forget anything!
– Elaine, Canvas Pretty

Here is a top 10 extras list of things to bring to Camp Bestival.
– Viv, 76 Sunflowers

Thanks to all these lovely bloggers for their tips and advice!

Check out all of my Camp Bestival posts.

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