I'm over my camping blip and realised, for short camps at least, ...

[MisSalLaneous]

less is indeed more.

We ended up skipping Friday night, and as it was one night only (Sat), we took just the basics.

No tables, no chairs, no cooker, no lanterns...

What we did take:
Fat Airics & duvet (will replace with sleeping bags on next short camp as schlepp to carry from car)
A flat LED light for the tent, plus one head torch
Storm kettle for coffee
One cup each (used for wine and coffee)
Travel cot and duvet for ds - this one big, but we've found he sleeps best in that. Wee Airic under cot (well, we have it now anyway, so might as well stop that cold from the ground!)
Foil, salt, coffee, wine. Bought corn on the cob to cook over the coals, milk, bread, butter and cheese there.
Clothes, pack of cards, tiny cars for ds (to play inside if rains).
There was probably something else I now forget, but there was still SPACE left in the car. Loads of space! I know!

Most importantly, it was so nice. This time we stayed in the Vango Orchy, but as basics worked so well for us, we're going to buy an inner for pop-up day tent (Quencha Base Seconds Full) to sleep in, and all just bundle up there. We went blackberry picking, played in the stream, on the rope swings, walked around - no need for anything else really.

I'll still take my bell tent and other things for longer trips, but it's like this whole world of overnight camping has just opened up!

Sorry if you've just fallen asleep btw, but I had to tell someone! :)

It sounds soo lovely, I really need to learn how to travel light!!
Where did you go?

We went to Wowo in East Sussex, Ineed. Brilliant place, we really loved it and will def go back.

It's weird letting "go" of some of the things, tbh, even when packing I was convinced I'll seriously regret not taking x, y and z once we're there! And in all honesty, compared to proper minimalist campers, I still took the kitchen sink, but it's just nice to know we can do quick 30 mins packing if we wake up one Saturday morning with good weather and feel the itch!

Nope, sorry, but hope someone really clever will come along soon and tell us!

I keep all my kit in plastic boxes with lids, they stack in the car too, I still have too much though just dont know how to slim it down !!
Campsite sounds great Mis I have never been to east sussex or any other part of sussex for that matter!!

It's beautiful there, Ineed! If not too far from you, I'd highly recommend the area.

oo I have been wanting to go to wowo for ages. Was it nice? Which field did you stay in?

Yes, I loved it. We stayed on the furthest pitch (Frank's Spot) on the Tipi trail, which is brilliant as it's completely private, yet close enough to the toilets and swings (about 5 mins walk).

I have flat plastic boxes - well, about 6 inches high. One lives in the car all the time with the kelly kettle with 4 plates, mugs and cutlery, tea coffee and hot chocolate. We're always ready fo a quick cup of tea wherever we are.
Another box has more serious cooking stuff, another other camping stuff. They live in the shed, ready to be chucked in the car with the tent, Erics, sleeping bags and pillows.

I think the secret is not to use any of your normal housy stuff for camping - that way you can always be packed and ready!

I'll copy you, seeker - I like the idea of being ready to go at any time. The only things that I won't have "ready" are the Airics as I keep them unrolled behind one of the doors, but only takes minutes to get ready, so no biggy.

We went to Wowo last week. I highly recommend it too. We stayed on the first pitch to the right, and it was great!

The only blip was that a little boy from the group of campers next to us burnt himself on the fire, but Wowo management refused to call an ambulance for him, saying they only call ambulances onsite when it's a matter of life or death . Someone finally got a mobile signal and ambulance was called.

Apart from that, the site was great, I can't wait to go again.

(However, our pick-up truck was loaded to the rafters )

Sal I started an almost identical thread to this last year when i discovered the joys of minimalist camping.

I have a plastic box too, just like seeker.

We haven't done any w/es away in the pop ups this year , for all manner of reasons (mostly weather related). i'm hoping that in September we'll see a return of the fantastic weather, and can get a quick one in before the evenings draw in.

Tomatefarcie, that's horrible, such an odd decision from them! I wonder why on earth that is. Did you go for the free soup and stories on Saturday night? We didn't this time, but I'll def join in when we go next.

Slubber, that would be brilliant, as I feel a bit disappointed that I've only just experienced this "freedom" now that the season is almost over. Fingers crossed for some sun!

On the plastic box - may I ask where you bought it? The ones I almost bought in B&Q once looked rubbish quality (some of it already broken - in store!), but there must be some really good ones out there, surely?!

I don't use plastic boxes as they take up too much car space. I use squashable bags. Nothing is breakable as all plastic plates etc, so what I do is, keep those fabric bags with zips that come with some new duvets, memory foam toppers etc. I have 4 of those, plus thin zipped sports holdalls and Ikea blue bags.

Everything is kept in those in the shed, and I top up the contents on arrival home before putting back in the shed - make sure gas cannisters are replaced, more washing up liquid, clean tea towels etc. This way, everything is readyfor the next trip.

These bags fit in spaces in the car like rear seat footwells. I pack the car with the tent bags, coolbox, table and chairs first, then the bags of clothes and gear in bags go in last. After pitching the tent, the clothes stay in the car to keep the tent fairly tidy.

Try going box free and your car packing problems should disappear!

Hey! We were at Wowo this weekend too MisSalLaneous. Brookside, just along from you!! How funny - I wonder if we smiled at each other?

We went along for the stories and singing - it was really fun!

Ha, small world! Oh wonderful, I'll def join in next time we're there. We probably would have seen each other then - I'm the one with the toddler constantly on the lookout for more berries! I think the blackberries made up the bulk of his breakfast on Sunday!

Sounds like the best kind of breakfast!

I was there with a friend - and our two 8 year old boys! They spent pretty much the whole weekend swinging on ropes! Oh, and they did the bushcraft activity on Saturday morning, which gave us 3 hours of beautiful reading time around the camp fire. Major result!

We were supposed to be staying last night too, but wimped out when we heard the weather forecast, and left at 9pm instead.

Just out of interest - did the lovely wowo peeps help you with getting your stuff too and fro to your spot, or did you lug it all yourself. I've seen people borrowing wheelbarrows before, and scooting up there on the quads... I'd love to book Frank's spot, but we don't exactly travel light, and I'm a bit anxious about spending half the weekend lugging things backwards and forwards...

Sounds fab! I saw the bushcraft thing, and will most def get ds to join next year (still a bit tiny at the moment).

Well, Frank's Spot - they offered to help with quad bike getting our stuff there as we had to have wood delivered anyway. Going back, we carried everything ourselves (multiple trips!) I think if you asked and they were available, they probably wouldn't mind though, the lady at reception was extremely friendly when we checked in. Worth a call perhaps? It's a fabulous spot - I probably shouldn't go around encouraging people to book it... :)

No, shhhhhh.... It's a hideous site, really!!! [nose-growing emoticon]

Good to know you got some help. I'm sure we could do it really. I have dreams of escaping for a solo weekend camp in Frank's Spot. Just me, my tent, a few logs, comfy chair, and lots of reading... One of these days I will do that!

The Bushcraft is definitely worth it, once the children are old enough to be left. I think there were a couple of younger ones whose parents stayed too, but ours loved the independence of it. They've become a bit addicted to setting fire to cotton wool balls in various experimental ways, and stamping them out with their wellies though... [eeeek!]

Yes, yes, horrid. Honestly. [crossed fingers]

DH and DS were there last week too (have already discussed this with Sal ). The foraging thing on Thursday was cancelled,a nnoyingly, because it "had been too dry" . They were in the ... umm ... in the first field to the right (Middle Brook? Maybe? I'm not good with names).

When do they open up Tipi Trail slots? Have been checking availability on the website and it looks as though Tipi Trail is completely booked up for the next few years, which doesn't look as though it can be right...

Hey! No, that doesn't sound right at all - we only booked our weekend a couple of months ago. I wonder if you could book by phone instead?

MisSal - glad to hear you've got your mojo back. I was getting bit worried last week whilst reading your thread whilst camping and worrying about whether it might happen to me after a worryingly enthusiastic start!

ooh sorry, notwaving, didn't mean to put others off! You can relax again though - I just needed to reassess which parts I really like and what puts me off, and work around that.

thats good to hear. I've just done a week on Anglesey with some proper "weather", and feel I have earned another part of my camping badge

Cant decide whether to do another sneaky couple of days the weekend before the boys go back to School or not.....

Then I will pack it all lovingly away for the winter, whilst DH shakes his head sadly at me and my matching "stuff".