how do i find room to pitch a 5m bell tent at a festival?

[victoriasmith]

I am used to going to festivals with my tiny 2man tent and squeezing into any little space thats left. However, we have just bought a 5m bell tent from the lovely people at soulpad now we have a little one and i am a bit worried about finding room for it at festival campsites.

does anyone else have experience of pitching large tents at festivals and do you always find space?

We're taking our 5m Soulpad to the Big Chill. DH is going early on Thursday morning. Having said that, our nylon family tent is a similar size and we've never had a problem yet.

We took our 5m bell to Latitude 2 weeks ago and we arrived early to make sure we'd get a space. There were some largeish spaces left after the second day, but they tended to be the ones next to the rowdy little Ruperts whose parents had buggered off to the far end of Family Camping to let their little 14 yr old darlings run riot with the voddy...

I think it depends on the festival (only ever camped at Glasto and Latitude as V is a 20 min drive from us), but bear in mind that you'll probably end up with other tents pitched across your guys anyway.

Do take a windbreak to guard your exit/entrance to the tent, otherwise you will find someone will have pitched across your doorway in the night...

At the last fesitval we went to we had to walk around for a while to find space big enough our five man tent. They opened the campsites up bit by bit so I'm sure that the stewards will find you a space but try to get there asap so you don't end up next to the toliets where there will be spaces!!!

...Or go to a really obscure little festival that won't be crowded out? We're off to a minor folk fest in a few weeks and I'm really hoping that the family camping area will be chilled and not too crowded...

so it seems to be arrive early then? hmmmm...will try and get boyfriend to get the full day off work so we can get there early then. The festival is quite small, Forest of Galtres festival north of York, but then this might mean the campsite is smaller also. Unfortunately the family camping was full when we were buying tickets so we are in the main campsite just hoping this wont be a problem.

Lovecat that sounds lots of fun with the 14yr olds and the vodka!!!!!!