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Getting to and from Glastonbury -
What accommodations are fun and affordable?
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I’m worried I’m not strong enough to keep up. How strenuous is it?
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Will you give background information on the places we see and visit?
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Entrance tickets and other costs
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Driving on the left? AGH!
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Google Map, Directions
Getting There
If you are planning to fly in, the sooner you book, the cheaper. The closest airport to Glastonbury is Bristol, although there tend to be more bargain deals to London’s main airports (Luton, Gatwick, Heathrow and Southend). When you are registered, you will be invited to a Google Doc. to fill out details. At the same place, you can see who else is flying in where, with the possibility of sharing rides or car rentals.
By public transport, it’s important to order coach and/or train tickets in advance. This can make a dramatic difference in cost. Castle Carey is the nearest train station to Glastonbury. From there it is possible to travel by bus (line 667) to Glastonbury.
The cheapest and easiest way to travel from London to Glastonbury is by bus (20BP)
If you fly to London there is also a very cheap coach (bus+toilets) to the centre of Glastonbury once a day.
For all the Dutch folks, the Eurostar costs 59 Euros to London from every train station in the Netherlands. We heard it costs the same as if you travel by plane and it’s about the same time to travel from door to door.
Travel to London from main airports: from Heathrow airport you can take the underground to the city centre, but if you fly to Luton. Stanstead and Gatwick – you can take the easybus.com coach service which is the cheapest option. For those of who travel to Southend airport – (in Essex), the only means to travel on is by train.
Keep in touch so we can make travel as easy as possible for everyone!
Places to Stay
The best by far is to take the residential option and stay in at Abbey House, where we have most of our group meetings. As this includes three meals a day and refreshments, it works out far cheaper than going solo. However, private rooms are limited in number, and are given on a first come, first served basis. So speed is of the essence here!
Elsewhere, camping is the cheapest option – with UK campsites these days boasting good facilities are Wifi. (It’s also a way to sink deep into nature!) There is the Isle of Avalon Campsite, and the Paddington Farm organic camp site (which can cost as little as 7BP a head). At Paddington Farm, a group could rent a whole Yurt together. There are also animals and activities for children (I-Exist kids) there.
If you’re looking for the more relaxed and traditional B&B, check prices first at AIRBNB, where there are many delightful options, (including self-catering).
Some of our guests are already booked at St Annes B&B, so it’s full already. But the delightful chef and host Mathura has another B&B across the road, which is vegetarian and worthwhile. Contact St Annes, for more information about it!
Last we heard, there are still rooms available within the guest houses of the Chalice Well Gardens. As this is our venue for the last two days, it could be lovely to stay there (beyond the astounding beauty of the gardens and magic of the wells).
In general, try to be within Glastonbury itself, as this is more fun and more practical in terms of meetup times for venues and excursions.
Physical Health
There are many participants who are older and have physical limitations, so we make every effort to provide enjoyable, fulfilling lighter options to the tougher walks. We will divide the group when needed for easier routes etc. As long as we are aware of the limits of each participant, we truly believe we can make this fun for everyone. So communication is the most important factor in planning!
The most strenuous of the activities are:
•Climbing Glastonbury Tor (it’s a short steep climb but is really worthwhile – the perspective is amazing – and can be taken slowly)
•The processional walk through the rocks of Avebury (it’s a longish walk but on relatively flat ground)
•The Wookey Hole hike (This is on Saturday afternoon. It has its challenging moments but we are happy to make an alternative route for part of the group. We all meet up at the pub at the end. The intention is to absorb the energy of the land there, more than to exhaust the body! 🙂 )
History and Information
Much of the program is attuned to the places we visit in terms of spiritual/energetic content. Over time, the standard history of the places we visits expands, including more esoteric insights we have learned from local residents. It also gets updated according to archeological discovery, which continues to this day!
In general, we really enjoy this expanding pool of knowledge and warmly invite participants to dive in and share from their own learning, discoveries and open questions. This is part of the richness of I-Exist!
Entrance tickets and other costs
All costs of entrance tickets, where applicable, are included in the price of the retreat, according to the program. Costs for transport to sites at a distance such as Wells and Stonehenge are also covered by us. If planning means that we ask you to take passengers in your rented car, you will be reimbursed the price of petrol, per head for the journey (and warmly thanked for driving).
Driving on the Left is freaking me out. What can I expect?
To rent a car, you will need a credit card to guarantee it, and an international drivers licence. Car companies love to upgrade you, so be strong and stick to your choices!
Driving on the left is much easier than we might expect. This is partly because the whole dimension of driving in the UK is on the left, so it’s intuitive to go with the flow. For a while, you might be opening the window instead of changing gear (the drivers seat is also the opposite and is on the right), but the adjustment can happen very easily. Take it slow at first. British drivers are relatively considerate (it’s the only country where we’ve seen a large sign asking motorists to queue in the fast lane!).
The points of vulnerability are roundabouts (circles), where it’s important to look to the right for traffic, not left; and empty roads with T-junctions where there is a risk of forgetting which side of the road to get on.
Driving in the UK is fun. Parking tickets much less. Consult with us about safe places to park in Glastonbury to avoid the traffic wardens!
