what kit do you need?

[JoanneOfArk]

2 + 2 smallish children, we are going for a weekend in Devon at end of September.

We have nothing except for a portable gas BBQ.

Copious amounts of gin

a tent?

what kind of tent?

Not gin - makes you colder. Red wine and lots of socks.

Oh, yes, tents and things.

Can you borrow a tent from someone? Are you likely to camp again? What's weather like in Devon in September - rainfall etc?

if a portable gas bbq is seriously all you have (although admittedly it is a good start!) you need to get begging and borrowing! If this is the first time you have been camping with the children I wouldn't recommend buying too much stuff new - ebay is full of entire camping kits at the end of the summer from families who've spent hundreds, gone camping and hated it so sold everything the minute they return!! If you can't borrow, buy the cheapest crap you can - if you like the holiday you can always upgrade in the future. We have 3DS and have camped in Devon every year for the last 5-6 years, although we always went in the 2nd week of August. As you are only going for a weekend you should be able to get away without taking the huge amount of stuff we have to take. I would advise taking plenty of stuff to amuse the children with in case the weather is a bit pants (but no crayons - they tend to melt inside hot tents...) hope this helps - if you're close to Basingstoke you can borrow my camping stuff!

oodles of warm bedding, socks, woolly hats, fleece jumpers, etc.
It is amazing how cold a tent can be the evening.