Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve
1. Getting Here
ADDRESS: Candleston Wood Campsite, Merthyr Mawr, Rd, Bridgend, South Wales, CF32 0LS.
Follow the signs to the festival, go through Merthyr Mawr village, keep going until you see signs for General Car Park (Gate A). This is on your right hand side. You will be meet by a steward and directed to a parking place (see car parking later).
Transport to Between The Trees: There are regular buses and trains to Bridgend, from the station take a short taxi ride to the festival site. Please note, due to the lack of mobile phone reception on site, remember to pre-book your return taxi journey to Bridgend.
2. Tickets & Timings
We use an E-ticketing system and you will NOT receive a paper ticket.
A confirmation purchase email will be sent to you when you purchase your ticket/s on Log in to the Account section on the website to see your tickets and car passes. Print this our and on arrival, please exchange your E-ticket for a wrist band at the box office.
ARRIVAL Times:
The Festival site does not open to the public until 13:00 Friday. *However, new for 2024 we introduced a limited number of “KinFolk” tickets which allow early entry into the festival site from 13:00 on Thursday. KinFolk tickets apply to all the camping areas and live-in vehicles. Children are free on Thursday, if the accompanying adult has purchased a KinFolk ticket.
Please observe the staggered arrival times to make arrival and check-in easier to manage. Please try to arrive by the suggested times if possible;
- Live-In Vehicles from 13:00 Thursday (there is not entry into the festival site unless you purchase a “KinFolk” ticket)
- Field Camping from 12:00 Friday
- Forest Camping from 13:00 Friday
- Family Camping from 12:00 Friday
- Glamping from 12:00 Friday
- Day Visitors from 13:00 Friday and from 10:00 Saturday and Sunday.
Festival times:
- *Thursday (KinFolk): 13:00 to 24:00 midnight
- Friday: 13:00pm to 24:00 midnight
- Saturday: 10:00am to 24:00 midnight
- Sunday: 10:00am to 24:00 midnight
DEPARTURE Time:
You MUST vacate the site by 11:00am on Monday.
3. CAMPING & LIVE-IN VEHICLES
“QUIET AT NIGHT”. This might seem a bit unusual, but we have a “Quiet at night” policy, which means no amplified music or excessive noise after midnight in the camping areas. This allows festival goers and the forest time to relax and restore.
A) Live-in vehicles & Caravans
- There is a designated Live-in Vehicle field beyond the General Car Park (Gate A), with a pleasant 600m woodland walk to the main festival site.
- There are NO power hook-ups. There is a short walk to the water tap, so please bring a water carrier.
- There are several nearby porta-loos, showers and a waste disposal point. NB The main toilet block and showers located in the central festival site.
- Please try to arrive early from 10:00 am Thursday .
- We only allow small caravans (no more than 2.2m wide x 6m long). You don’t have to pay for additional parking for your car.
- The access road to the festival is narrow with passing places. If you think your campervan/caravan is on the large side or close to the limit, then please email [email protected] for advice.
- We do not allow tents to be pitched in the Live-In Vehicle field due to safety reasons e.g. a reversing campervan may not see a small tent.
B) Camping
Please bring a tent that is of a suitable size for your party. The maximum camping pitch for a family tent (4 person) is about 5m x 5m (25sqm) (including guy ropes). If your tent’s footprint is bigger than 25sqm, please pay the extra-large tent surcharge when you book your ticket.
Camping is divided into 4 zones.
- Field Camping is outside the woodland in a field adjacent to the general car park (Gate A).
- Forest Camping is inside the woodland in a defined area marked by posts. This is limited to 100 pitches and there is a 600m walk from the general car park to your pitch. Wheelbarrows will be available to help transfer your camping-gear or alternatively bring your own trolley.
- Family Camping: Families can camp in any of the camping areas, however there is dedicated family camping area with limited availability for families with young children. There is a dedicated car park for this area, with a short walk to your camping pitch. Access through Gate B.
- Glamping: Glamping is near to the Field camping and you will use the General Car Park (Gate A).
NB. No vehicles are allowed in any of the camping areas at any time.
C) TOILETS AND WASHING FACILITIES
- In the main central barn structure there are flushing toilets and washrooms. There will also be numerous porta-loos and drinking water standpipes situated throughout the site.
- There are free hot showers and some porta-shower units. Please be considerate and spend no longer than 3 mins showering
- IMPORTANT INFORMATION regarding water supply. We are in a forest and water is stored in refillable water tanks. During high peak usage these tanks can run low, so please use the water conservatively and switch taps off after use.
- There is a dish washing area near the main barn area.
- Please bring your own toilet paper supply as this runs out very quickly.
4. Food & Drink
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink into the campsite. However, please do not bring any glass with you. Instead decant drinks into plastic bottles.
- Due to licensing regulations , it is prohibited to bring alcohol into the central festival area. There will be a bag check at the entrance to the festival. This means we can monitor alcohol consumption and keep every one safe.
- There is a fully licensed bar on-site serving a variety of real ales, ciders and wines. Excellent coffee and tea are available to purchase all day.
- We use first class local food providers with 5* hygiene ratings serving a variety of top-quality meat-based, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
5. CAR Parking & PERMITS
- ALL cars are parked in the GENERAL Car Park (Gate A). This is a large field outside the forest area, which is on the right-hand side as you approach the festival site. From this car park, a 600m woodland track leads to the central festival site.
- PLEASE NOTE: Parking in the FOREST is restricted to crew, performers and traders. There is a dedicated family campers car park (Gate B).
- IMPORTANT: Please login to your account on the BTT website using the email address that you purchased your tickets with and create a password. Please print out your car pass (in colour) and display in your car windscreen upon arrival.
- Strictly no cars/vehicles are allowed in any of the camping areas at any time.
6. For your safety
CHILD SAFETY
The festival is located in a large, wooded area and parents are advised to supervise children at all times. Warn your children not to pick any wildflowers, touch any mushrooms or harm any wildlife. Lost children should be reported immediately to a steward or security with a 2-way radio or reported at the Box Office or Merch Desk.
Fire Safety
- In case of fire: A fire bell will sound, and stewards will direct you to the nearest fire assembly point. Please refer to the fire safety policy on the forest barn notice board for more information. Please make a note of your nearest fire safety point and water standpipe.
- We love campfires; however, we need to restrict them to only BTT managed campfires. IMPORTANT – NO fires, BBQs or fire bowls are allowed anywhere on the site including all camping areas.
- Gas cooking equipment is permitted but must be raised off the ground by at least 15cm (6inch) to prevent fires and damage to the grass. Under no circumstances use gas cookers inside your tents or in enclosed spaces.
- For safety reasons, please don’t use candles or lanterns containing candles in the camping areas.
First AID & Security
- We have first aid provision on site day and night. If you require first aid, please make your way to the first aid point near the main central barn. In an emergency, please alert one of the festival stewards who will radio for a first aider to attend.
- The safety of our festival goers is always our top priority. We are working together with our security company and the authorities to put in place all necessary measures. However, please don’t leave valuables in your tent and please report any lost children and suspicious behaviour immediately to the security team or stewards.
7. WASTE & recycling
This is a beautiful natural woodland, adjacent to a SSSI, therefore, clearing up after yourselves is a must. We have “LEAVE NO TRACE” & “RESPECT” all wildlife policies and we are affiliated to Powerful Thinking, a Think-Tank organisation for greener festivals. (Please refer to our full Sustainability Policy on this website for further information)
- We encourage people to dispose of their own waste by taking it home and recycling it appropriately.
- Keep the site clean by picking up ANY litter.
- We have a 4-bin system: general, recyclables (Card& Paper and Plastics & cans) and food waste. The recyclables are sorted off site. If in doubt about which bin to use, please ask.
- Please bring your own cups, plates and cutlery if you can. There are 2 sinks for washing up. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have your crockery, as all our caterers supply fully recyclable plates etc. There will also be multi-use BTT plastic cups for you to purchase at the bar.
- Do not leave any camping items etc on the site after the event and we encourage you to repair, reuse or recycle.
8. General Info
MONEY and mobile phones
We use contactless card machines in the central bar area, but the WiFi and Mobile signal may be unreliable so PLEASE BRING plenty of CASH.
WHAT to bring ☺
- Chairs, blankets and picnic sets
- Festival clothes and dressing up stuff
- Camping cups, plates and cutlery sets
- Warm clothes, bedding, hot water bottle– it gets cold at night!
- We are next to a sandy beach, so bucket, spade and swim wear.
- Water carrier, torch, TOILET PAPER!!
- Trolley for carrying camping gear.
- Good shoes as the ground is uneven in places, however as it’s a sand-based forest, wellies are not needed, even if it rains, which it won’t!
WHAT not to bring ☹
- Dogs or any other pets (Site rules! and we love dogs sorry)
- Glass bottles.
- Fireworks.
- Sound systems
- BBQs and fire bowls
9. Accessibility Policy
We understand that there is a huge spectrum of accessibility, that is why we ask for, and provide ,1:1 consultation regarding the individual’s needs. Please email or ring Dawn Wood for a consultation at [email protected] or ring/message 07554734556.
An understanding of an individual’s needs means that we can effectively assess and manage the individuals’ expectations and develop a bespoke accessibility plan with respect to the unique opportunities but also limitations of the festival site. We provide a small number of assistance tickets each year on a 2 for one basis. (Please refer to our full Equality, Diversity and Accessibility Policy on this website for further information)