Driver's Guide to Festivals

This won’t be news to you, but the thing about music festivals is that they tend to be in the middle of nowhere – which means somebody is going to have to drive there. If that somebody is you, then here are our top tips for driving to festivals!

1. The Playlist!

You’ve got your tickets, the line-up has been released, you’re buzzing with the headliners� now you need that playlist! Once you’ve got that sorted, how are you going to play it on the journey? Does your car have Bluetooth or USB connectivity?

You also need to make sure everyone knows that if YOU have to drive, then YOU’RE in charge of the tunes! Remind fellow travellers at regular intervals that failure to comply with this rule will result in drastic consequences.

2. Plan Your Route!

Before you even set off, you should check that everything is in good order for the journey – oil levels, tyre pressure, coolant, lights and screenwash. Remember to allow plenty of time. Chances are, as soon as you get anywhere near the venue, there’s going to be a lot of traffic! If it’s a long drive, you’ll need to stop for rest breaks so don’t forget to plan for those too. It’s worth bearing in mind that if your friends are taking advantage of the fact that you’re the designated driver, and are having a few beers, they’ll probably need to use a loo fairly frequently!

Also – please don’t pack your festival tickets and parking pass in the boot with your socks and undies. Maybe I’m speaking from experience� maybe I’m not. I'm not telling.

3. Your Survival Kit!

Apart from your tent, sleeping bag and clothes, you’re going to need a few things!

Wellies, hats, suncream, a solar charger (no way I’m paying £30 to charge my phone when the SUN can do it for free), many wipes, antibacterial hand gel, loo roll, tissues, lots of socks, a poncho, a water bottle with a closable lid, food, she / he-wees (those little funnel things that you can wee in - unless you fancy the peril-filled journey to the loos at 4am, when you’ll be tripping over so many tents and ropes that you won’t know up from down), drink (most festivals allow you to take drink on-site, but not in the main festival stage areas), shades – if it’s sunny you’ll probably be needing these for the drive too! Eye mask – if you’re partying until the wee hours, and the sun comes up at 5.30am, one thing you’ll soon learn is that tents are quite thin. The sun will shine through, and it will wake you. Early.

4. The Journey Home: Drink & Drugs

If you’re driving back from a festival, make absolutely certain you have your last drink well before you set off. Generally, the body can break down one unit of alcohol per hour, but this varies from person to person so please only use this as a very rough guide and allow plenty of time. Drugs can show up in your system on a roadside swab test for weeks afterwards, so don’t do it folks. It’s just not worth the driving ban, criminal record or risk to human life.

Now that you’re armed with our tried and tested tips for driving to a music festival, you’re ready to have an amazing time - safely!

If you are looking to get your car serviced before the trip, get booked in today!

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