Practical details for arriving, staying and making the most of four days at Baskerville Hall. This page will keep growing as the big day gets closer — bookmark it.
By train. There's no station in Hay-on-Wye itself — the nearest is Hereford, about 21 miles (roughly 40 minutes' drive) away, with regular services from London Paddington, Cardiff, Swansea and further afield.
By bus. The 39 bus runs between Hereford and Hay-on-Wye via Peterchurch, calling at Clyro — a short walk from Baskerville Hall — several times a day, Monday to Saturday. Check the Stagecoach bus website for current timetables closer to the time.
By taxi. Taxis are available from Hereford station and from Hay-on-Wye itself, but it's a rural service, so please book ahead rather than expecting to hail one on arrival. We'll share recommended local firms nearer the event.
By car. Full driving directions from London, Bristol, Birmingham and Cardiff are on our Accommodation page, along with the venue's address and postcode for your sat nav.
Sharing a lift? If you're travelling from further afield and would like to split the journey or the petrol, let us know via the mailing list — we're happy to help connect people heading the same way.
Gates and camping open from midday on Thursday 12 August. There's no need to rush — the first evening is a gentle one, building towards the opening ceremony at dusk. See the full day-by-day shape of the weekend on our Programme page.
We ask everyone to be packed down and off site by 11am on Monday 16 August, so please plan your Sunday night accordingly — whether that means an early start or staying alert to a last, slow morning by the fire.
Festival tickets, camping and parking are all booked together through our Tickets page — see the full ticket ladder there, including the limited Founding Fire release. Camping comes in a few different flavours (general, campervan, electric hook-up and accessible) — details on our Camping page. If you'd rather stay in the Hall itself, see Accommodation for rooms and dorms, booked directly with the venue.
Packing for the full weekend? Jump down to our full camping checklist for the complete list.
Yes — The Hub is home to food stalls, coffee, a proper bar and traders throughout the weekend, so you don't need to bring all your own meals. If you're cooking on your own pitch, please see Fire & Cooking Safety below before you light anything.
Open fires on individual camping pitches are not permitted — the main campfire in The Campfire space is lit and looked after by the crew, and that's where the communal fire happens.
If in doubt, ask a member of the Making Hay crew — we'd always rather you asked first.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Please keep them on a lead around the main spaces and be mindful of other campers, children and wildlife.
Making Hay is a family-friendly gathering. There's family camping near The Hub, and a family space is planned within it — more details to follow.
Accessible camping is available — see Camping. If you have access requirements, please email us ahead of time at pete@petelawrence.net so we can plan properly.
Phone signal is patchy in this part of the valley. If you're meeting friends on site, it's worth agreeing a rough time and place in advance, and bringing a power bank if you'd like to stay charged.
On-site support. There will be a crew and information point throughout the weekend — if you need help, have a question, or aren't feeling well, come and find us.
We'll keep adding to this page as the event gets closer, covering everything from the finer points of the programme to what happens if it rains. If there's something you'd like answered now, just email us.
Everything you might need for four days in the fields, gathered in one place so you can tick things off as you pack.
A few top tips. Bin liners are useful for more than rubbish — sit on one, waterproof your socks in the mud, or use one as an improvised bag liner. A white LED light inside your tent works nicely as a lantern. And pack a sun hat for the day and a warmer one for the evening — it cools down quickly once the sun's gone down.
We'd rather you asked than wondered. Get in touch, or join the mailing list to hear updates as this guide grows.