Entrance to Wilderness by foot.

Sat 5 Aug 2023, 21:42

See other thread - Park St now closed temp...

Sat 5 Aug 2023, 20:23

Still challenging four hours later with cars parked nose to tail from Old Grammar School to Wellington Cottages. This clearly calls for proper enforceable parking restrictions, not just a few cones which can be moved around. Situation not helped by a double deck bus, hired privately by Mr Howden apparently, running a shuttle service between Charlbury and Mr Howden's residence in the 'big house' and using Park Street in both directions to and from his pick up point, wherever that was in Charlbury.  The driver was aggressive with his driving and attitude, refusing when asked by the traffic marshal to turn right and follow the traffic signs. When challenged he replied with 'I've been doing this all day'. Interesting to observe the calm nature of the 18.13 hrs S3 driver, when unable to get through and confronted  by the other bus and the chaos of queues in both directions.  I hope the arrogance displayed and the disregard for anyone else is not a reflection of anything shown by the person who hired him. 

Sat 5 Aug 2023, 14:37

Yes, Park Street was challenging this am if travelling from Church Street towards Fiveways. Not sure what would have done if met a large vehicle ie van or bigger on stretch towards main driveway to Cornbury.  There had been some attempt to manage with cones but:

1 An insufficient length of road was designated No parking using cones, and 

2 Cones had been ignored - cars parked with cones between.

Presumably festival goers saving on car park cost. 

Sat 5 Aug 2023, 14:36

I’ve been told that parking for festival goers is £26 per car.

Sat 5 Aug 2023, 13:52

There are loads of extra cars parked in the town including along Park St making it single carriageway, and no passing places - isn't there parking at the event itself? 

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 19:29

Thanks for response Emma. 

This is very useful for locals attending, but there may be others who won't access this info e.g. if travelling to Charlbury in other ways - I believe some trains still running. 

There does need to be clear signage at the entrance of the driveway to North Lodge and well briefed staff. And perhaps, as a fallback,, staff at Fiveways could also check any people walking past - they might appreciate an additional task. 

The road is not particularly wide, and the OCC policy of not cutting verges has resulted in it appearing slightly narrower to motorists. And the volume of traffic is, I said previously, significantly increased. The other impact of verges not cut is that safe walking on verges is not possible.

I have been to Witney this afternoon and have seen walkers on both occasions and was concerned for their safety. Particularly as on the 2nd occasion they appeared to be uncertain whether to use left or right hand side ie which side would be safer. And were trying to cross road in busy traffic. 

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 18:20 (last edited on Thu 3 Aug 2023, 18:21)

Evening all, 

We've seen your messages about accessing the festival by foot and apologise for any confusion that may have been caused. As mentioned in the below, the best way for you to access the festival on foot is via the North Lodge (Yellow Gate) entrance, this takes you up…

Long post - click to read full text

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 16:59

The Wilderness App Arrival instructions "By Foot" are as follows:

"you can enter via any gate, but from Charlbury, Yellow Gate/North Lodge is the easiest for accessing the festival via the Pedestrian Box Office."

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 16:43

This wouldn't be the first year there has been confusion about where pedestrian arrivals need to collect their tickets - and consequent extreme inconvenience (and danger) for those local customers who don't arrive by car. In spite of Wilderness's endless vacuous greenwashing.  

It sounds a great deal worse than poor briefing. Since there are no ticket holders arriving by train this year, it rather sounds as if someone at MAMA (the holding company) has idiotically decided there's no need to make special arrangements for pedestrians.

This, if true, would be potty. It's absolutely essential that Wilderness organisers allow pedestrians to get their tickets near North Lodge, without all this palaver and publicly promise to guarantee it won't happen again. Otherwise, perhaps our councillors on WODC should move that permission for future Wildernesses be witheld.

MAMA makes a significant part of its revenue from car parking fees. That doesn't mean no customers arrive on foot.

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 16:13

I agree. I saw some people walking along the road towards Finstock which is not safe, particularly with increase in volume of traffic created by Wilderness. Not only is it not safe, it’s not necessary if staff are properly briefed and there is appropriate signage and advance info. 

Thu 3 Aug 2023, 15:57

Check where you need to go to collect your wristband before you walk in too far and have to return. Last year it was a small kiosk on the left just inside the gates at North Lodge which was not signposted or labelled. Most staff are unaware of local tickets and had no idea where it was. Also, already today some pedestrians were informed by the staff who have been sitting all week at Fiveways that the only way in, even for pedestrians, is via the main entrance on the Finstock/Witney road, and told them they had to walk along the road. They really need to be informed of the correct information before an accident happens.

Wed 2 Aug 2023, 22:23

Great; thanks chaps. 

Wed 2 Aug 2023, 22:06

Mike is basically right.  Walk to North Lodge and go straight up towards the house before turning left past all the boutique camping.

Wed 2 Aug 2023, 19:58

My experience has been to go up towards Cornbury House from Park St as if you were going to walk across Cornbury to Finstock, only staying on the drive towards the big house after the two gatehouses.

About 500 yards further on, there used to be signs for most visitors to turn left. Now the precise details of all this have changed every couple of years since the festival started, so just keep on asking. There are - literally - thousands of temporary helpers anxious to help you out, and you're bound to meet a neighbour en route

Unless someone more authoritative comes onto this site with a more definitive answer.

Enjoy the weekend.

Wed 2 Aug 2023, 17:01

I have been gifted tix for Wilderness. I am intending to go in on a daily basis. Does anyone know where to enter the festival by foot? Thanks