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Camping

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

Original poster

Tips needed from lone parent campers :(

35 replies

SharonGless · 25/04/2011 21:35

Hi all,
Did a lot of camping in my youth which was a bloody long time ago. Think canvas tents and wooden tent pegs! I did have a two man tent for festivals and weekends away when I was single but not done any camping since having DC.

After many an argument discussion H will not camp with me for various boring reasons. We were either going to buy a folding camper or a caravan for him to enjoy the outdoor life with me and DC. However after some further discussions he will not be coming for weekends away.

Therefore I need a tent for myself and two DC who are 5 and 3. I obviously need to be able to put it up myself. I gave most of my gear away prior to meeting H so need to start again. Can you either point me in the direction of a thread or is there such thing as a camping spreadsheet?

I have the go outdoors catalogue and they seem to have some good deals on tents but I have no idea where to begin

OP posts:
Ceolas · 25/04/2011 21:43

There's a discussion on pop up tents further down. That might be an option?

changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 21:46

Oh I'm marking my place.

I started the pop up tent thread as there is only me and the DD's as I am a single parent.

I've been pricing up pitches and it's just such a cheap holiday.

I loved camping as a child/teenager but exH wasn't interested. I think the kids would love it, mine are 12 and 9, we can take bikes etc with us.

Grin
piebald · 25/04/2011 21:49

Try ukcampsite ,co uk. they have lots of reviews of tents. I did a lots of camping with my 3 dcs when they were youger and had a great vango tent that was simple like a polytunnel and very easy to put up

Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 21:50

Just had a look at the pop up tent option - look pretty easy to do. Just considering the room in them if weather is grim with 5yr old and 3 yr old? Any thoughts?

OP posts:
changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 21:51

That quechua tent has quite a big living area and there's extra living areas you can get.

I've looked at the video instructions and I think I could do it - I have in the past put up an 8 man tent on my own

Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 22:02

Thanks - confident I could put one up on my own have had a quick look at it. Didn't realise that is had additional living areas though.

OP posts:
changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 22:14

tente.quechua.com/en/tent/r-9,a-48,sejour-base-seconds-full.html

I was thinking of one of these

Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 22:22

Just checked my local Decathlon and they have got the tent and the living area in stock so am going to go tomorrow and have a look.

OP posts:
Donki · 25/04/2011 22:30

I'm not a single parent - but have got a 3 person (with small porch) Quecha 2 second tent so that I can go camping with DS by myself. It's brilliant - I can put it up easily and not worry what DS is doing whilst I am busy, because it is so quick that he doesn't get bored and wander off...

I can put it down really quickly too (after practising beforehand). I recommend watching the video on the Quecha website a few times first, and then practicing in the garden. When I bought mine last year, the shop (Decathlon) warned me that they have had people returning with the tents up (heaven knows how they fitted them into their cars) to get help repacking them!!!!

Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 22:47

No way. How the hell did they get them in there? Thanks for the recommendadtion. I am definitely interested in these.
Any other tips for camping with little ones? Was going to get one of those folding tables with benches attached. We already have camping chairs for me and them. I have got a gas lantern, small stove. Do I need a kitchen thingy? God I remember in Guides having to build a washing up stand out of sticks and rope

OP posts:
changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 22:53

There's a thread about how to survive a weeks camping.

Seems to have lots of useful advice Grin

Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 22:55

Cheers changing will have a look tomorrow.
DS back to school and need to sort uniform/school bag etc etc

OP posts:
Original poster
SharonGless · 25/04/2011 22:56

Have you got the link to it to save me searching? Will lose my place by tomorrow

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 25/04/2011 23:01

MAIN thing with the quechua tents is to think 'cock and balls' when you are de-camping.

changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 23:02

Cock and Balls????

AitchTwoOh · 25/04/2011 23:03

yes. cock and balls. that is my gift to you all... Grin

changingmynameagain · 25/04/2011 23:04

Only on MN could a tent thread turn into Cock and Balls

MummyTubb · 25/04/2011 23:07

I wouldn't get one of the folding tables as 3 and 5 year olds will be too far from the table to reach it iyswim. Are they able to eat from trays on their laps? If so, buy a couple of children's lap trays for them. I have a table with adjustable legs (a Kampa one) which means I can put it down really low so the children can easily reach it from ther camp chairs. It also means I can make it level even when we are camping on a slope.

I'm greedy and like my space, so I have a 9-man tent (Vango Diablo), even though it is just me and 2 kids most of the time, but we do go for a fortnight at a time and I would go barmy in a confined space for that long. I usually camp with friends so have someone to help put it up, but took it down in the wind on my own last year.

I would get some sort of kitchen stand if I were you.

Collegemum38 · 25/04/2011 23:20

I have camped aone with my DC since they were 5 and 3. I have a right old collection of tents. My fave is my Cabanon Athena Frame tent - hard work to out up alone but not impossible and fab for longer stays.
Khyam Ridgidome - now called something like Khyam Wayfarer, they are several in the range. I love these tents. They are quick to erect but very sturdy in bad windy weather - like a frame tent. The tent is atttatched to most of the poles which unfold and click into position. Easy to do on your own once you have had a few practices and I am only 5 ft tall.

My most recent tent is the Vango orchy 6berth. This is OK to put up alone but I do struggle getting the poles over the bedroom into the eyelets alone, so usually have to call on a fellow camper for help. I have also bought the extension for this with the zip up door, to add on for longer stays and useful additional space for cooking in wet weather, storage in general and so handy for all the wet coats and wellies in a typical British summer.
I have camped for upto 6 weeks in the summer on my own with my 2 girls. I started when they were 3 and 5 and now they are 10 and 12. They can offer alot more practical help now, but I used to give them "jobs" to do to help when I was busy erecting the tent even when they were tiny. Just simple jobs like lay the pegs out, connect the poles etc. I also used to take a pic nic for when i was erecting the tent,more to keep the kids amused for 10 minutes or so whilst I got on with tent erecting. I used to lay down a blanket after a loo visit and lay out bits of pic nic and make a fuss of picnic idea and it actually used to keep quiet and amused for quite a while.

Heres a link to the Khyam tent - they do various different models using the rapid erect system.
www.khyam.co.uk/detail.asp?p=340

MrsShrekTheThird · 25/04/2011 23:31

I have a DH who won't camp. DC and I have a ball Grin and we go all over the place!
We have a Vango Artemis 4, which I put up alone - and I'm not big (think size 8 beanpole) it only has three poles. The dc are 10,7 and 5 and there's enough bedroom for the octopus like dd and the rest of us to fit nicely. There's a good living area that is just about big enough to get your kitchen and table/chairs into to cook and eat if it's wet. I use a fair bit of lightweight kit, nothing big or heavy, and the dc all have their own little jobs like getting water or putting chairs up, they are all big enough to do something. In theory ds1 could do more as he;s 10 but he has ASD and tends to want to do things the wrong his way...

MrsShrekTheThird · 25/04/2011 23:34

Sharon - don't get one of the daft picnic arrangements with the little stools attached to the table. Unless you pay an absolute bloody fortune they're all fairly flimsy imo. Roll up table or whatever and a bunch of chairs is the way to go Wink

RambleOn · 26/04/2011 00:03

My top tips:

Get a portapotty, so that you and DCs can use it in the night. You don't want to be bursting for the loo all night and be unable to leave your DCs on their own in the tent.

When you settle down for the night, zip your tent up to the top (ie with with zip handle at top of door). The DCs then won't be able to reach it to let themselves out while you are asleep.

Don't forget the wine Smile

Original poster
SharonGless · 27/04/2011 21:05

Thanks for all the advice - this is brilliant. Although I just gave my portapotty away as DD is trained and thought I would never need the bloody thing again. Great idea though.
Won't be getting one of those tables either then. Any other tips? Am now planning to go around end of May/early June but have got a friend with a camper van who will come with me and if it is horrendous weather have got a bit of shelter for our first trip.

Those of you who have replied who have a DH: Does it bother you that you aren't doing this as a family activity? I work every other weekend and value our time as a family.

OP posts:
MrsShrekTheThird · 28/04/2011 01:03

End of may and start of June sounds fab, we're going then too - we usually make this time of year our main holiday as the weather's often at its best!

Re the DH thing, tbh it's nice to do something just me and the kids. DH works shifts and so it's difficult trying to fit things together with him and we tend to arrange our main holidays as a family for the times when he can. He absolutely hates the idea of camping, but I wanted my children to experience it and they love it. It gives us freedom to buzz off almost on impulse, with friends and all kinds of people who we;d see much much less of if we didn't camp. I have school holidays off so am at the opposite extreme from DH, I am always off with the children (again mainly for DS1 and his ASD) so it's nice to be able to go off on a whim and see another bit of the country for a few days.

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