After 3 successive years of predominantly fine weather I guess we were due another mudbath. Conditions were nowhere near as miserable and horrendous as those we suffered in 2007 but nevertheless a lot of rainfall during the days leading up to the festival and also during the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday meant that getting about the site became very tiresome. But the sun did make an appearance for the last 2 days and by Sunday we were able to sit on the ground and the walkabout performers in the Theatre and Circus Fields came out in force, so it wasn’t a complete washout by any means.

As always, new venues appeared while others moved or changed their name. The Queens Head disappeared and was amalgamated with the old West Dance Tent to become “Oxlyers in West”. The Glade was simply renamed the “G Stage” and went back to its more dancey roots. A new “Spirit of ’71” Stage appeared in Holts. And Arcadia and the Common swapped fields with varying degrees of success. I understand the reasons from crowd control perspectives but Arcadia lost some of its previous magic whereas the new “Campo Pequeno” bullring and other attractions in the Common made this area much more charismatic.

We took our campervan this year and, for the first time other than the one year I worked, we were able to arrive on the Tuesday. I did actually stay onsite in my tent for the 5 nights of the festival while my partner Lisa trudged back to the van every night. In retrospect I probably think she took the better option and, bearing in mind I’ll be knocking on 50 when we return in 2 years time, I may well opt for comfort over convenience.

Once again I’ve split my Glastonbury photos down into the customary 3 sub-galleries. I hope they give you the opportunity to reminisce until we can return to Worthy Farm in 2013.