Hatfield Park, Herts · Temple Newsam, Leeds · May bank holiday · One day
Slam Dunk: north or south?
Slam Dunk runs the same festival at two sites on consecutive days, Hatfield Park in Hertfordshire and Temple Newsam in Leeds. From Kent one of those is ninety minutes away and the other is four and a half hours, so the first thing to check is which one your ticket says.
No camping at either site, which makes this a day festival at festival scale. From Kent the southern date works comfortably as a return; the northern one does not, and needs a hotel.
South or north from Kent
The same line-up, and completely different journeys.
Hertfordshire
Around ninety minutes from north Kent. A comfortable day return.
Leeds
Four to five hours. A late finish makes driving back a poor idea.
At either site
Everyone leaves at the curfew, which is the whole planning question.
Usually
So there is a Monday to recover on, whichever site you choose.
The two journeys compared
Same festival, and the difference from Kent is substantial.
| Pick-up area | To Hatfield | To Temple Newsam |
|---|---|---|
| Dartford & Bluewater | 1h 15m – 1h 45m | 4h 10m – 5h 5m |
| Bromley & Orpington | 1h 20m – 1h 50m | 4h 5m – 5h |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 1h 20m – 1h 55m | 4h 20m – 5h 15m |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 1h 30m – 2h | 4h 10m – 5h 5m |
| Rochester & Chatham | 1h 35m – 2h 5m | 4h 30m – 5h 25m |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 1h 40m – 2h 15m | 4h 25m – 5h 20m |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 2h 5m – 2h 45m | 4h 55m – 5h 55m |
How to do each one
The southern date is simple. The northern one needs a decision.
| Site | Format | Home by |
|---|---|---|
| Hatfield Park | Day return | Around 01:00 |
| Temple Newsam, driving back | Long day return | Around 04:00. We would advise against it |
| Temple Newsam, staying over | Hotel in Leeds | Next day, comfortably |
| Either | Bank holiday Monday after | Which makes the late night considerably easier |
Planning a Slam Dunk
Check the ticket first, as always
Two sites with the same name and the same line-up on consecutive days is exactly the sort of thing that produces a very expensive misunderstanding. Hatfield or Leeds. It is on the ticket and it changes everything about the booking, from the fare to whether you need a hotel.
Hatfield is a proper day return
Ninety minutes to two hours from most of Kent, no camping, a curfew in the evening and home by around one in the morning. That makes it one of the more straightforward large festivals we run, roughly comparable to a big arena show in terms of planning. For a group who want a festival day without a tent, it works very well.
Leeds needs a hotel, honestly
A curfew finish plus four and a half hours puts you home at four in the morning, and we would rather say so than take the booking without mentioning it. Leeds has plenty of accommodation and it is a bank holiday weekend, so the Monday is there to recover on. We will price both versions so you can compare.
No camping means travel light
Unusually for a festival of this scale there is no campsite, which means no tents, no bedding and no four-day load. That makes the vehicle sizing straightforward and the fare lower than for a camping weekend. It also means a wet day has nowhere to retreat to, so waterproofs matter more than usual.
Slam Dunk questions
Two sites, one day.
Where is Slam Dunk held?
At two sites on consecutive days: Hatfield Park in Hertfordshire and Temple Newsam in Leeds. Same line-up, and your ticket says which.
Which is easier from Kent?
Hatfield, comfortably. It is ninety minutes to two hours from most of the county against four to five hours to Leeds.
Is there camping?
No, at either site. Everyone leaves at the curfew, which is exactly why the northern date needs a hotel and the southern one does not.
Can we drive back from Leeds the same night?
You would be home around four in the morning. We would advise a hotel instead and we will price both versions honestly.
What time would we get home from Hatfield?
Around one in the morning, which is manageable, particularly with a bank holiday Monday to recover on.
Do we need much luggage space?
No, unusually. With no camping there are no tents or bedding, which keeps the vehicle sizing simple and the fare lower than a camping weekend.
What should we bring?
Waterproofs. With no campsite there is nowhere to retreat to if the weather turns, so they matter more than at a camping festival.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking, whichever site and whichever format.
Rock festivals and day events
The one-day bills.