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Guide Arwa Haider Additional Reporting Chris Salmon
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Glastonbury Festival
Ageing rock god David Bowie shows all you pretty things a bit of modern loving at the world's most famous festival.
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V2000
The fifth year of this crossover festival includes soul amazon Macy Gray.
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Reading and Leeds
A festival with rawk at its heart, Reading presents the Welsh Wonders Stereophonics on the Carling Stage.
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Essential Festival
Brighton's Best returns to the site where it was conceived with themed days and a performance by Angie Stone.
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| Fancy heightening your festival experience with a little camping? Derek Adams has some tips... |
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TENT
Avoid borrowing your mate's 15 year-old canvas tent: you can bet half the bits will be missing, it won't have a groundsheet and the roof will leak as soon as you touch it. Modern tents from Wild Country, Vango and Coleman are easy to pitch, come with internal groundsheets and, most importantly, stay dry whatever the weather.
SLEEPING
You don't need to spend a fortune on a sleeping bag; a cheap cotton-based bag is fine for a three-day summer stint. If you can manage the extra weight and have a decent set of lungs, then an inflatable airbed (or sleep-specific lilo) will give you a much better night's sleep - if you're planning on sleeping, that is!
COOKING
You've gotta eat, but there are only so many hot dogs one can endure over a three-day period. Camping Gaz are tops for micro-sized, foldable butane gas cookers. They're quite sturdy when used with small, lightweight saucepans and probably more efficient at heating than your cooker hob at home. Do not cook inside the tent unless absolutely necessary. Oh, and don't forget a couple of extra gas canisters.
LIGHT
It's no good stumbling round in the dark and stepping on your partner's face. A battery-powered torch should prevent this. If you're going to use a gas lamp, make sure they take the same size canisters as your cooker and only use them outside or in the tent's porch area.
HANDY FIX-ITS
Where would we be without the Swiss Army knife and Leatherman tool? Peel oranges, open cans, carve a guitar...
WATER
If you know there are water taps in the vicinity, then a plastic water container is an absolute must-have. A collapsible square-shaped clear plastic number (with tap) costs no more than a couple of quid and will hold a gallon of the clear stuff - essential for certain recreations as well as general survival usage.
MEDICAL
You're out in the open, the insects are stinging and Death Skull are giving you a bloody headache. Time to reach for the insect spray, plasters and extra-strength Nurofen.
RAIN
It'll probably rain, so take along an anorak or several black bin-liners to cut arm holes in. A pair of decent ankle-length boots or Wellingtons would be a good thing too.
PAPER AND TOWELS
Let's face it, wiping your arse with your hand is a pretty anti-social thing to do. Take a loo roll, because you don't want to discover the lack of one after the event, now do you? A box of wet wipes and a couple of tea towels are also handy for general cleaning purposes.
TEN CASES OF POT NOODLE
Seriously, though, this is a good edible quick-fix filler... filler being the operative word. After all, anything's better than another dodgy festival burger.
GOOD CAMPING SHOPS
YHA Shop: This well known outdoor pursuits shop has a huge selection of camping and outdoor gear. YHA Shop, 14 Southampton St, WC2 (020 7836 8541) Covent Garden tube. Open Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thur-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 9am-6.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm.
Black's Outdoor Leisure: Well respected chain of outdoor lesure shops stocking pretty much everything from camping stoves to walking boots and, of course, tents. Call 0191 518 2002 for branches.
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