Hippodrome 30sqm - anyone camped here before?

Hippodrome 30sqm - anyone camped here before?

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BeeGT

Original Poster:

392 posts

223 months

Wednesday
quotequote all
I've a couple of camping options booked for 2025, one of which is on Hippodrome but I could only get the 30sqm plot which means parking separately to the tent pitch. Can anyone advise on the setup from previous experience - such as how far from parking area to camping area, what were security arrangements (could anyone just turn up and pitch a tent without parking a car at all), etc etc.
Thanks in advance.

//j17

4,616 posts

230 months

Yesterday (09:37)
quotequote all
I had one of the larger, on-pitch parking pitches on Hippodrome this year and:
+ Nice quiet site not too far from the track/tram (for an ACO "move the riff raff and give the noce sites to the corporates" campsite).
+ Basically flat and well drained (important last year!).
+ Tucked out-of-the-way so a real effort for the light fingered element of the general public to bother getting to.
+ Needs a special pass to get to by car - both to get past security by the tram station and a second checkpoint 1.2km away at the actual campsite entrance, then a third (probably another 1.2km away) to get into the tent area itself.
> Like I think all ACO sites the gate staff are only really interested in making sure vehicles have tickets though so you could just walk in carrying a tent.

- Feels like you spiral around the campsite for 15km getting in and out!
- Not an issue this year but I'd imagine quite dusty if it's a hot, dry one.
- There was no real policing of pitch sizes so arriving 4pm Thursday last year with a large pitch ticket I was initially told it was full. Thankfully flying solo and able to squeeze into an are that was not officially a pitch.
- Could have done with more/better positioned toilet and shower blocks.

"Off pitch" parking isn't that far away from the tents and while I don't know if they were letting people drive on to empty their cars or not worst case I'm sure they'd let you drop at the gate then move your car to a more permanent space.

All in all a good choice in my book if you're arriving Wed./early Thurs.

VladD

8,008 posts

272 months

Yesterday (13:31)
quotequote all
I've had a 30m2 pitch for the last two trips.

As above, you need a camping pass to get in.

The walk from the car to the pitch will be between 20 to 50 metres at a guess.

BeeGT

Original Poster:

392 posts

223 months

Yesterday (18:11)
quotequote all
Thanks for the excellent intel both of you.