What to take in your campervan to a festival
22 August 2022
There can be few more delightful activities than bundling the family into the campervan and heading off to a festival. But how do you make sure that the experience goes as smoothly as possible? Read on for our top tips on happy festival campervanning.
And remember, before you head off on your adventures, you'll always need specialist campervan insurance in the UK.
- Choose your festival carefully
- You don't need to be a music fan
- Book early
- Buy the right ticket
- Get some decent campervan insurance in the UK
- Make a packing list
- Read the festival rules before you head off
- Pack everything you need
- Bring what you need to stay clean
- Bring an awning
- Pack for all weathers
- Bring bin liners
- Prepare your own food
- Take some levelling ramps
- Have plenty of camping gas
- Bring some gaffer tape and WD40
- Decorate your camper with some fairy lights
- Pack some steps
- Paper plates are best
- Take along some hooks and hangers
- Fill up with fuel before you arrive
- Arrive ready to party
- Get there early
- Remember where you’ve parked
- Include some downtime
- Be theft-aware
- The fun doesn’t stop once the festival’s over!
1. Choose your festival carefully
Think about your particular requirements – who is coming with you? What do you all want out of a festival? How far do you want to travel, and how many nights away can you manage? Some popular festivals that welcome campervans include the Green Man Festival in the Brecon Beacons; the End of the Road festival on the border of Dorset and Wiltshire; and, of course, the legendary Glastonbury Festival. All of these are, sad to say, sold out for 2022: but we'd strongly recommend booking for their 2023 instalments as soon as possible.
2. You don't need to be a music fan to do festivals
The UK festivals calendar is huge and varied, and there will definitely be something out there for you and your fellow campervanners. For example, if you love classic cars and period costumes, you'll enjoy the Goodwood Revival. If you're a VW campervan fan – and we're guessing you probably are – then both the VW Festival(Harewood House, Leeds) and Shropshire's Camper Jamwill make great destinations for you.
3. Book early
Many of the UK's most popular festivals sell out fast. What's more, tickets for the campervan areas can be in particularly high demand. Don't risk disappointment: book up early. A year in advance may sound over-efficient, but it's often a good idea.
4. Make sure you buy the right ticket
Many festivals will require a separate campervan pass as well as the entry ticket itself. This is true, for example, of the hugely popular Leeds Festival, which takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
5. Get some decent campervan insurance in the UK
Both for the journey to the festival and the few days that you'll be spending on site, you really want to make sure that both your beloved van and all your essential possessions inside it are protected against damage or theft.
6. Make a packing list
The whole thing will go more smoothly if you sit down and write out all the things you're going to need (or want in an ideal world!) before you start packing. You may find our companion feature on what to pack for a motorhome trip useful here.
7. Read the festival rules before you head off
There may be certain items or materials – such as glass or non-biodegradable items – that you won't be allowed to bring in. Some festivals may not allow you to bring your own alcohol on site. Others may have a rule about dogs – whether they are allowed at all, and if so where they are permitted.
8. Pack everything you need
Do you remember heading off for festivals in years gone by, in your little Fiat Panda or Austin Metro? You'd have to pack very carefully – and no doubt skimp on a few luxuries – just so you could get everything in the car. Well, that's no longer a concern with a campervan. Space is not at a premium, so you can go ahead and pack all those little creature comforts that will make the experience so much more enjoyable. We're talking portable fridge, hairdryer, extra blankets… whatever will ensure you're in campervan heaven throughout your stay.
9. Bring what you need to stay clean
In the event that showers are unavailable on site (or the queues are too long), some dry shampoo will be useful. This miracle stuff will clean your hair without the need for water. Wet wipes will also help to keep you clean. And bring your own toilet rolls.
10. Bring an awning
This great piece of equipment can perform several useful functions. It can be a great place to find some shade in the heat; during wetter weather, it's the perfect spot to leave your muddy shoes and boots.
11. Pack clothes for all weathers
It may be warm during the day – but temperatures can drop quickly after the sun goes down. Bring blankets and fleeces as well as shorts and t-shirts!
12. Bring bin liners
These will prove useful in all sorts of ways. You can store muddy boots or dirty laundry in them; they can even act as an extra waterproof layer if your own coat isn't quite doing the job.
13. Prepare your own food
You may find a cornucopia of global street foods at reasonable prices. On the other hand, your choices may be limited to slices of flabby pizza at £10 a pop. So why not bring along one or two meals – a chilli or pasta bake, for example? Festivals can be tiring and you and your fellow travellers will be glad of a few square meals. Even beans on toast makes a great, simple festival bite.
14. Take some levelling ramp
If your van is on the level, cooking will be easier, sleeping more comfortable, and moving around the van a more pleasant experience. Bring a strong set of levelling ramps to help keep you on balance.
15. Have plenty of camping gas
If you'll be cooking or heating water for drinks while you're at the festival, make sure you have a spare gas bottle – and a decent gas bottle spanner. You don't want to find yourself out of gas, late at night, and unable to undo the connector on your bottle.
16. Bring some gaffer tape and WD40
These are two essential additions to any successful camping trip. Gaffer tape is your friend when it comes to a whole host of cracks, tears, breakages and other problems that can cause serious difficulties while campervanning.
Broken seals on windows, tears in awning fabric or waterproof coats, a crack in your flagpole or the soles of your kids' wellies: there's not a lot that this all-purpose tape can't help with.
Meanwhile, any fixings that aren’t turning as they should – on a gas canister or awning mechanism, for example – should come alive after a quick spritz of WD40.
17. Decorate your camper with some fairy lights
A nice set of twinkly lights does a great job of making your van look homely and welcoming – a real oasis of comfort after a hard day's festival-going. Last but not least, they'll be a good deterrent against thieves, by making your van look occupied at all times.
This is one of the precautions, alongside some good campervan insurance in the UK, which we'd urge all vanners to take before setting out on their adventures.
18. Pack some steps
A portable flight of steps, high enough to allow everyone (including children) to get easily in and out of the van. Top tip: some portable stairs can also help shorter members of the family to get a good view during the gigs themselves.
19. Bring some paper plates
You don't want a lot of washing up while you are away. Firstly, hot water may be at a premium; secondly, your campervan may not be blessed with oodles of drying space; thirdly, you've got better things to do.
So save yourself the bother with a large pack of paper plates Handy and easy to recycle.
20. Take along some hooks and hangers
These are just incredibly useful for keeping stuff neatly stored, and not hanging around on the floor or on seats. You can keep everything nicely organised – and even hang wet gear to dry on the awning.
21. Fill up with fuel before you arrive
Hang on – don't you mean before you leave?
As long as you have enough fuel to get to the festival, isn't that job done? Well, not quite.
When it's time to head home, you really don't want to be delaying yourself by looking for a petrol station in what may be an unfamiliar part of the country.
Far better to get well clear of the festival area – or, preferably, all the way home – before you need to refuel. For one thing, you won't want to be driving around looking for a service station when you're tired and possibly hungover.
What's more, the roads will be very busy on departure days, and lots of (less well-prepared) festival goers will be queuing at all the neighbouring petrol stations.
22. Arrive ready to party
You don't want to spend an hour getting set up on a hot afternoon, after a long drive, with your favourite band about to start their set a couple of fields away.
Instead, you can do some of the all-important setting up work before you even leave home – filling up your fresh water tank and any other water containers, for example. Also make sure that your campervan battery is fully charged.
And, as you'll be hungry and not in the mood to cook on arrival, prepare something at home that you can whip out of the fridge and quickly heat up on your camping stove or cooker.
23. Get there early
Give yourself plenty of time to arrive and set up, then a bit of extra time to explore or just relax after the drive and setup. You really don't want to arrive after a long drive and have to get straight on with setting up before it gets dark.
Bear in mind, too, that there may be long queues to get into the festival parking or camping areas.
24. Remember where you've parked
Forgetting the whereabouts of your tent or campervan is a long-standing campers' joke – but with good reason. It's easy to do, especially on a large site with several fields given over to camping and parking. Make a mental map of where you are (or, better still, mark your location on an actual map).
Maybe take a photo of your van in its surroundings, plus any notable landmarks nearby. Remember to bring a tow rope, too, in case of muddy emergencies!
25. Include some downtime
Festivals are very exciting.
They can also be quite draining, especially for younger members of the party!
Make sure to include some quiet moments in your schedule – maybe an hour back at the campervan, with a good book, between performances.
26. Be theft-aware
Remember to lock the van whenever you leave it to go and see a performance. And make sure you have some up-to-date campervan insurance in the UK.
27. The fun doesn’t stop once the festival's over!
So, you've had a great time at the festival. But you don't need to call time on your campervan wanderings when the last band plays their final tune.
Why not continue your travels?
After all, many of the UK festivals take place in stunning locations, so it makes sense to stay on the road for a while, if your schedule allows. Why not read our feature on some amazing places to visit in your campervan and see where the road takes you?
Campervan insurance in the UK: for all your van adventures
Wherever you're heading in your van, make sure you're properly protected with some specialist campervan insurance in the UK. Our policies include:
- Gas bottle and awning cover
- Windscreen cover
- 24-hour claims helpline
- Personal effects up to £6,000
Contact us today for a quote for campervan insurance in the UK.