Download Festival - Anyone going, anyone been?

[WickedWax]

Is anyone going to Download this year? This'll be our first time.

We did Glastonbury last year (in our motorhome, we are total softies when it comes to camping) but could only get camping tickets for Download. I'm not going to lie, 3 nights in a tent without EHU has me worried , we're not exactly minimalist campers.

I think we will need to do a few trips from our car to the camping field. We're taking our Vango Asante 500 so DH won't be able to carry much more than that if we do one trip, it'll be up to me and DS to carry the rest of our stuff. My main worry is I have to be warm at night, in bed. We'd normally have a fan heater. And the toilet situation - I really don't fancy trekking across a tightly packed field in the middle of the night to use the loo.

Does anyone know if the car parks are miles away from the quiet camping field?

Can anyone recommend a trolley to carry our stuff from the car to the field?

Any recommendations for warm sleeping? We have some SIM's but I think we are due some new ones - and maybe some kind of lightweight off the ground beds and kick ass toasty sleeping bags?

We can't take gas cannisters on site, has anyone tried one of those cheap solid fuel stove things for boiling a kettle, heating up hot dogs, etc? They are very cheap, under a fiver, so I'm thinking they're probably crap?

All advice gratefully received, thanks!

We went in 2012. The carpark is MILES from the family camping field. You have to catch a bus.We ended up leaving half the stuf in the car. I had to pull a shopping trolley through the mudbath that is the villiage. DH had to make a second trip for essentials.

It was miserable in the rain and freezing cold. Food there is mega expensive. Fish and chips for two cost 14 Quid.We had a solid fuel stove and used all the fuel trying to make one pasta meal in the wind and rain.

The arena is another trek through the villiage that takes about 45 minutes.

We gave up and packed down the second day. Everything was covered in mud. We had to abandon our air mattress and camping seats and it took us 2 hours to walk back to the car because the bus service is suspended for the duration of the festival.

We won't be going again.

Have been loads of times

There is a bit of a walk from the car park to the camping. The car parks can move year on year so it's difficult to say exactly, but be prepared for walking over a bumpy field/gravel road. I've never used them but I'm pretty certain you can hire trolleys in the car park - have a look on the website or download forums to confirm this

I can't remember which year but one year the arena and camping were in a different place which made the walk to the arena much longer than normal. Normally it's 15/20 mins

There are vip showers and loos that you can pay for a wristband to have access to. I'd recommend some wee bags like these for the middle of the night - http://www.amazon.co.uk/TravelJohn-Disposable-Urinal-Bag-urinals/dp/B003U2T6AU

The solid fuel stoves work surprisingly well provided you're out of the wind. They're not ideal for cooking on as they make everything taste/smell of chemicals but work great for heating water. I've always found there's a good variety of food at download at reasonable prices. There's shops in the campsites that sell basics (Loo roll, drinks, bread, stove fuel etc)

In terms of camping - I think layers and luxuries are two things to aim for. So wear a lot more to bed than you think you should (leggings under pjs etc). And take little things such as slippers, hot water bottle, a proper pillow, which can make all the difference.

Baileys to add into coffee is another great tip.

The crowd at download are fantastic - the friendliest festival around. You'll love it!

downloadfestival.co.uk/news/heavy-bags-we-re-here-help

Hexi burners are not exactly eco but they do work well, the army use them!