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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Camping

Anyone camping this weekend? Looks windy and showery...

28 replies

Blu · 09/05/2013 12:02

But we will be toughing it out!

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Blu · 09/05/2013 12:17

Blimey - gales outside now!.

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hz · 09/05/2013 12:24

Hope you are going somewhere sheltered. We aren't but my daughter is with some friends for an 8th birthday party. Maybe it will be better by Saturday?

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Blu · 09/05/2013 12:29

Nethergong Nurseries - will have to camp in the lea of the woods.

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Blu · 09/05/2013 12:30

What we need is a good windbreak

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hz · 09/05/2013 14:30

That looks like a fairly sheltered site. Look forward to hearing what its like, it's on my list!

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Ineedmorepatience · 09/05/2013 18:08

Use your car as a windbreak blu especially at night it works really well.

Good luck

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hz · 09/05/2013 18:32

Ha. Yes windbreak. Oh dear, I just giggled about the 'wind' bit of windbreak.

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Callmecordelia · 09/05/2013 20:13

Yes, our first trip at Welsummer.

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Blu · 09/05/2013 21:29

Welsummer is lovely.

It's like November out there at the moment....

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pinksky · 09/05/2013 22:25

Yep, we're going to Thistledown near Stroud. In the campervan luckily... Enjoy your weekend Blu, hope it's dry at least for putting up the tent

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Angelodelighto · 09/05/2013 22:30

I'm taking DS2 for our 1st ever camping trip tomorrow to www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk/

I've spent all evening studying the BBC weather forecast (it doesn't look good TBH) & have optimistically compared the wind direction ( 20 MPH at the moment)to the site pitch on Google Earth as you do & have planned how to pitch tent & I reckon we can wing it.
[we so can't and we're going to get blown away and bloody enjoy it!

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hillbilly · 09/05/2013 22:53

If anyone is going to Town Farm and needs a windbreak, just ask the owner Charles for the one I gave him last weekend

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hillbilly · 09/05/2013 22:56

Yes Welsummer lovely and quite sheltered too. Blu, didn't you go to Nethergong last year? I seem to remember a dilemma between that and another site for solo camping?

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Blu · 10/05/2013 05:58

We remembered hilly! I was dithering between Nethergong and B Wood, and in the end went to BW for the walking on the S Downs and the one off opportunity of the adult only part of the site. Which is beautiful. Now really looking forward to NN but worried in case it's cold, windy and miserable. But we are resolved to go.

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Judyandherdreamofhorses · 10/05/2013 07:35

We're going, with baby DS and 3 yo DD. It's out 'trial weekend', not far from home, to check all our equipment and make sure we've got what we need.

Today is much better than yesterday. It's the putting up and down of the tent in the wet I can't bear (especially taking it down). We're at Woodlands theme park in Devon, so plenty to do I'm sure.

Good luck everyone!

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Callmecordelia · 10/05/2013 09:00

Blu, I'm only half an hour's drive from Nethergong, and it doesn't look too bad - sunny with a bit of cloud, and the wind has dropped compared to yesterday afternoon.

I'm now a bit daunted by my packing list, and I'm going to a pre-erected tent with bed and cooking equipment inside. I'll be lucky to get out of the door at this rate!

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Blu · 10/05/2013 11:06

That's great - thanks for that Cordelia!

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Callmecordelia · 11/05/2013 22:31

Well, I've just got back and unpacked .

We were due to stay tonight, but we just couldn't face it, and we left. DD was under the weather last week, but seemed a lot better by Friday, so we went to Welsummer as planned. When we got there, nothing seemed to go right for her. She tantrummed - she whined - she couldn't walk more than 2m without demanding a carry. She was upset at being taken away from her normal environment, and kicked off at the slightest provocation. It was like someone had kidnapped my rather lovely (if I say so myself) 2 year old and left a nightmare in her place. Or maybe these are the terrible twos, and they've just been delayed by four months.

Cold, we could cope with. I followed all the Mumsnet Camping advice, and we were toasty in bed. The bell tent was lovely to be in in the rain, and didn't leak once. The owner was so nice, even when I broke down in tears on her when I'd gone for a walk to get some space, and the bluebell woods at the site were really, really beautiful.

Pluses - I now know I don't mind walking to showers/washing up. In the morning, when everything is quiet and still and sunny, I really like it. We also had some lovely fish and chips in the sunshine, and sitting in the tent doorway with DD running in and out was lovely, exactly as I thought it would be. My little camping gaz bistro is wonderful, and I'm never, ever buying another disposable barbeque. A 5m Bell tent is probably the right size for us, but I'm definitely seeing why a Pyramid has it's attractions....

Minuses - DD didn't like it. Which really, really surprised me. DH and I getting ratty more quickly with each other than I dreamed possible. We're also crap at campfires. So, unless it is summer, maybe I'll need to get an EHU and a heater.

Would I go again? Yes. And I've just hightailed it out of a campsite at 8:15 in the evening.

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hillbilly · 11/05/2013 23:01

Hi Cordelia. Didn't want to leave your post unanswered. Sorry your weekend did not turn out as planned. I'll pop back tomorrow with some (possibly)helpful campfire tips and also a few ideas for what (for us) makes for a relaxing trip. Was it your first time? We got totally rained out on our first time and came home early too.

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Callmecordelia · 11/05/2013 23:04

Yep. First time. Feel a bit sad about it.

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hz · 12/05/2013 00:01

Cordelia, don't worry, you did well. I have a fond memory of standing in a leaking tent with 3 year old wrapped around my leg screaming, 6 month old in my arms screaming and me demanding that we just go home and come back and collect the tent another day. That was a few years ago and now I camp at every possible opportunity. Don't give up. You need to find what works for you, campfires get easier (try firelighters - ssshhh), and kids soon become accustomed to camp life, and it is so worth it, the morning tramp to the toilets through the dew is actually one of my favourite bits!

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Callmecordelia · 12/05/2013 16:36

I am just so frustrated, and a bit upset. I knew this weekend had to go well to persuade DH it was a good idea - and he's not sounding keen to try again at all.

What a time for the terrible twos to emerge, eh? We've just had a walk ruined by a tantrum, and my husband carried her home grim faced.

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Blu · 12/05/2013 19:33

This weekend was quite tricky for a first camp, with the sudden changes from warm to drenching downpour etc. much more tranquil when it is nicely settled. I think 2 must be the hardest age for camping, too. We didn't happen to camp til DS was 3. But it sounds as if she's jutting out her chin at life in general rather than at camping in particular.

Saturday eve was a killer, with a short break for cooking and eating between massive rainstorms, and it was colder overnight, too .

Have another go when / if it's proper warm.

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hillbilly · 12/05/2013 19:47

It also took me a long time to persuade DH to go camping. Our first trip was with someone else tent (no instructions) and rain almost from the moment we arrived. I was the one to suggest leaving the following day, not him. Anyway a few years down the line and we have a really good set up. Like we always make sure we have our proper coffee pot and coffee, the kids have their favourite breakfast. We have a single ring stove for the first tea/coffee of the day before the fire is started. We have enough blankets, thermals, hot water bottles etc. And a potty for emergencies! Plus our kids are now 5 & 7 so that makes a HUGE difference.

A campfire tip from DH: he saves the wax from the bottom from scented/jar candles and uses it as a fire starter. It works a treat. Alternatively firelighters. Build a pyramid with kindling and then add to it as the fire gets going.

I second Blu - go again when it is really warm.

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MummyPigsFatTummy · 12/05/2013 22:48

Another one here to say don't give up Cordelia. We were fairly seasoned campers before DD came along but there have still been some weekends since I could cheerfully have given it all up. One in Eweleaze when DD woke up with night terrors and wouldn't settle until we tramped 10 minutes to the car park intending to drive home (from Dorset to Kent) and come back for the tent. She promptly fell asleep in her car seat (familiar I guess) and we spent the night in the car park with her.

Another time we did come home when we had been rained on for 4 days and were set for another 4 of similar weather and DH had spent what felt like the whole 4 days chopping up kindling for the Kelly Kettle to sterilise DD's bottles.

However, she loves camping now and so do we and it is worth persevering.

Could you camp with another family with a child/children of similar age to yours? DD loves nothing better these days than the freedom of running round the site with her other 3 year old mates, toasting marshmallows round the fire in her fleecy sleepsuit and headtorch and staying up late. Getting her home at the end of the weekend is the hardest part.