All you need to know about camping at the ABR Festival

The ABR Festival is nearly here and we can’t wait to welcome you to Ragley Hall.

We’ve been working all year to make this the best festival yet, and we want your experience to be as smooth and unforgettable as possible. To help with that, we’ve pulled together everything you need to know about one of the most important parts of the weekend – camping.

Firstly, with the release of the ABR Festival site map, you’ve likely been firming up plans for the weekend with your mates, and the question of where to camp was probably one of your first points of order.

Camping together

The two most frequently asked questions we’ve had have been: “I’m on a bike, my friend is in a campervan, can we set up camp next to each other?” or “I’m coming on Super Thursday and my friend is coming on Friday, can I save them a pitch next to me?”

The answer to both of those questions is the same. It is not possible to reserve or save pitches at the ABR Festival. So, for your best chance of camping together, you’ll need to pre-plan where you want to camp and try to arrive at the same time. Use the site map and pre-agree on a meeting point for you and your friends, and then make sure you’re there at the same time (don’t rely on phone signal to arrange a meetup when you’re there). You’ll have a better chance of pitching up next to each other if you head for the outerlying sections of the campsites, as the pitches closer to the arenas will tend to fill up first.

Remember, there are two separate check-ins: the bike-only check-in and the other vehicles check-in. These are about a mile apart, and depending on the number of arrivals, one might be quicker than the other. With this in mind, you might find that you and your bike get to Ragley quicker than your mate in a van.

Campervans

If you’re bringing a campervan to the ABR Festival, the first thing to know is that there is a dedicated campervan/motorhome area in Paynes Close (the field at the bottom of the map). This field will be marked out with driving/parking lanes, allowing you to manoeuvre easily – in any of the other camping areas, you’re likely to find yourself boxed in by motorcycles. Paynes Close is also nice and flat, so we’ll be able to tow you out if you run into any problems.

If you want to camp with your friends who are staying in tents, do this in the general camping areas rather than Paynes Close, but bear the above in mind. To get to Paynes Close, simply follow the signs for campervans.

Caravans

If you’re planning to bring a caravan, it’s important to note that you must set up your caravan in Paynes Close. On the map, this is marked as campervan and caravan camping. This will be signposted and you will be directed there on arrival. Caravans parked elsewhere will be required to move.

Keeping fire lanes clear

Across the camping grounds, you’ll notice that we’ve marked out fire lanes. These are vitally important to allow emergency vehicles to access all areas of the campsites and must be kept clear at all times. If you are parked or camped in a fire lane, you will be asked to move.

Fires and BBQs

The Ragley Hall estate does not permit BBQs and fire pits. If you want to cook while at the festival, you can use a gas camping stove, but it must be kept off the ground. Keep in mind that there are over 60 different food vendors at the ABR Festival serving up a wide selection of delicious food from breakfast to dinner and beyond.

Helmets

Lastly, please always wear your helmet when riding your bike, even if you’re just popping to the loo. The roads in Ragley Hall, including those in the campsites, are public highways, and the law still applies. We will be enforcing this throughout the weekend, so please help us help you – wear your lid!