Beautiful Days

If you’re flying in, Exeter International Airport (EXT) is the nearest, about 25 miles from the festival site. From the airport you can take a taxi or local bus into Exeter city center (the airport is well connected by shuttle buses) and then transfer to onward transport. By train, the main station is Exeter St David’s (served by Great Western Railway from London, Bristol and other major cities). On festival days, special shuttle buses usually run from Exeter station and the nearby bus terminal directly to the festival entrance – check the Beautiful Days website or local listings for the latest shuttle schedule. Alternatively, Feniton railway station is only about a mile from Escot Park; the festival often provides a free minibus shuttle from Feniton to the site’s red entrance gate. If taking this option, simply wait outside the Feniton station building and look for the festival shuttle buses or ask station staff for advice.

By car, the festival address is Escot Park, near Fairmile, Devon (EX11 1LU). The site is easily reached via the A30 trunk road. Drivers from Exeter should head east on the A30, and those coming from the Honiton side should head west. Exit the A30 at either Daisymount (if heading east) or Iron Bridge (if heading west) and follow the clearly marked festival signs to the appropriate entrance. The event uses colour-coded routes: typically, the Blue Route leads cars to the main parking areas, while the Red Route is for drop-offs, taxis and accessible parking, and campervans have their own separate lane. There is abundant on-site parking, but it can get very busy on opening day (Thursday afternoon), so car-sharing is strongly encouraged to cut down on traffic. Crucially, please do not park in nearby villages or laybys, and follow the stewards’ directions – the festival provides plenty of parking space on-site, so everyone should use that.

Public transport is fairly limited in this rural area outside of the special festival buses. If opting for public bus services, you can take Stagecoach Route 57 or 66 from Exeter to nearby towns (for example, Ottery St Mary or Feniton) and then pick up a taxi the rest of the way. Some local buses stop near Escot House, but there is usually a short walk along country roads to the festival gates. Local taxi companies serve the area: for example, Apple Central Taxis in Exeter (01392 66 66 66, with offices at St David’s Station and the Airport) offers set fares to the festival site, and smaller firms operate out of Honiton and Ottery St Mary. If you are dropped off, know that wristband exchanges will take place at the color-coded pedestrian gates, which open at scheduled times (typically early afternoon Thursday, and from morning Friday and Saturday), so time your arrival accordingly to avoid missing the opening hours.

If you plan to stay off-site, consider booking accommodation in Ottery St. Mary or Honiton – both are within a 10-15 minute drive of the site and have pubs, B&Bs and guesthouses. Exeter (about 20-30 minutes’ drive) offers hotels and holiday lets if you prefer city amenities. In summer these fill up fast, so book early. There are also local campsites and glamping sites in East Devon if you need an alternative to the festival’s camping. Last but not least, remember that if you are not camping on-site, you will need to re-enter each day as a walk-in (keeping your wristband or pass ready) and be mindful of the gate opening and closing times. Pack your camping essentials if you’ve got them (tents, sleeping bag, etc.), follow the countryside driving directions, and enjoy the journey – the rural roads around Fairmile have beautiful scenery especially in August.