MUMSNET Bank Holiday Camp - East Sussex

[NettleTea]

So......
The in laws have agreed that a camp out in the fields is fine for the August bank holiday weekend.
We are going to hire a couple of toilets, and Karl and Susie are going to make us some composting urinals.

The 'invite' is going out to CNA, CNT, Mumsnet Camping forum and a bunch of archaeologists from the British Museum, its not going to be open to the general public. There is plenty of room for each 'group' to have their own areas, as there are 2 fields of approx 8 acres each.

I will be knocking up a few communal fire pits, and people will be welcome to bring their own. We can provide a spade to remove turf if you want your own fire - top layer can be put back after the fire to avoid damage to the field/fields, as these fields are on our environmental stewardship land.

Camp will open 11 am Friday 26 August, and close 5pm Monday 29 August

Pre-orders for firewood, locally produced charcoal, farm reared sausages and burgers, and other local produce (MIL has offered to bake scones, this COULD be a good thing!!)

Price £35 for the weekend for the tent and up to 4 people
£10 per weekend per extra adult
£6 per weekend per extra child

Facebook page is here

will be adding some more bits and pieces to this over next few days, including prices for the 'glamping tents' If I can sell the 'Herring Gull (can sleep up to 4) and 'The Grebe' (the bell tent - could also probably sleep 4/5, though request for quiet at night as near a pheasant run with baby pheasants in) then the whole camp could move into woodland / wildflower meadow and could probably organise herb walk/foraging walks and other sorts of things. Could maybe do those anyway if there were any interest.

send me a message for more details/info

Nettle, what amazing finds! Congratulations all around really - qualified leader, C&S, finds, pitch, etc etc.

I really like your C&S link too - looks good and those photos fab. May I make one suggestion though (please feel free to ignore if you think I'm stupid, and I hope you don't think I'm being an idiot!) - can you ask them to include a big photo on the main page of your link? At the moment there is only a white space, so it seems "missing", if you know what I mean. I thought at first it's not loading correctly. Unless of course it is my Mac being uncooperative.

Will pm you re camp (if I didn't get myself banned above). Thanks!

Not up for it this year with a tiny baby but would live to join you all if it becomes annual event! Looks gorgeous.

Thanks MisS I have emailed them to tell them about the big white empty space, and also a few grammatical errors I have noticed.....

:) Pleasure. I just thought if they could add that, it would be similar to the look you're presented with when you click on the individual tents' pictures, which is great and very catching if someone was just randomly browsing for places to stay. Something to grab attention and make them read further.

You must be so excited / proud / exhausted!

Wow What a day! Congrats all round and so interesting and cool :) I'm waiting for my rota confirmation but still very up for camping with you all. Will pm you my details soon as I get the all clear on rota

I would be if it was finished yet! We still have the area where the finds were to finish, plus 4 much easier areas to level, 2 treebogs and 1 composting loo to build, the shower to design and build, general tidying and sprucing, plus 2 days of mayhem when it all gets put up and furnished. And with me being so anal about putting up the tents Its going to be me putting them all up! Its non stop til 4th August. Added into the mix that my DD is in hospital atm halfway through a course of IV antibiotics, plus I got stung by a wasp last sat and have spent sat and yesterday in A&E with allergic reactions and resultant cellulitis, it has been a bit manic to say the least!

Oh Nettle, you poor thing! Hope dd recovers soon, and you too, of course. On top of everything else! Phew.

Re bookings, what info do you need? Its a bit awkward with posting names...

If you message me I can send you the details xxx

I'm interested but not sure about basic camping. I see you'll have loos. What about running water for washing up and a shower for washing. Your place sounds lovely but I'm not sure I could cope without a daily shower!

I'm afraid I'm out :( I've got the rota for my new job and as I'm the "rockie" I've been allocated the bank holiday and am unable to swap (to be fair, I'd have done exactly the same in my old job )

I hope you have fun and I'd still like the info nettletea as we'd love to come a different weekend.

:(

we will have drinking water on tap so washing up is OK, and I have a couple of those solar shower things which I'd be happy to lend anyone. If I manage to let out the bell tent and the herring gull 'glamping' tents to any of you lot, then the shower would be available......

So am I correct in understanding you that in order to have access to a 'proper' shower I'd need to rent one of the tents? I've got a solar shower but its useless for washing hair. The tents look lovely but I've already got my own bell tent. Hope you have a great time but it looks like I won't be able to come.

There is only one 'proper' shower on the site, but that is in an area of the farm where the 'glamping' tents are, and as they are paying for isolation the present site of the MN and 'bring your own' tent camping is in another part of the farm. However some people had expressed interest in the glamping tents, and so I had said that if the 2 which are near the shower were rented to MNers, then I could move the whole MN camp over to that part of the farm, which would give access to the shower to all. So, its not necessary for everyone to rent one of the tents to access the shower (which is an outdoor shower) but just for 2 of them to be taken by MN. Unless of course they remain unbooked for that weekend - as then that area would be vacant.
Does that make sense, its a bit of a ramble?? This is the first time we have done anything like this and so I am learning very steeply!

That makes perfect sense!

That makes sense to me too-I wish I could make it

and now someone has booked 3 of those tents for the bank holiday weekend, so thats not an option. Im getting really scared now......

on the good side, my icey-teks and campingaz bivouac sets turned up today, which was a lovely moment.

Does using an 18ft tipi as a reception area sound like a completely nutty idea?

Can we put our names down please? One mum, one DS (aged 4). I can cope without a shower for three nights - camping is about being minging to me :o

Tipi sounds like a great idea, Nettle. If you decorate it in a similar style to your tents, I think it would look lovely and unique.

Btw, I looked at your C&S site again, it looks great.

Re 3-day no shower - I think I might see if there are any showers nearby (swimming pool / beach / whatever), and might have a proper shower, hair wash etc, somewhere in between. Will bring tub (for use in utility tent) and bag of freezing water my solar shower for rest of time. Oh, and of course the essential baby wipes. I think J&J should market some specifically to the camping community - it's used often enough!

put the first tent up for the glamping today, and provided OH with a page long 'still to do' list. I am so nervous, all 4 tents are booked out for the coming weekend.......

Good luck, it'll be great, I'm sure! Had a look at your FB page - photos lovely.

Do u take folding campers?

Oh I wish we could come. Alas we'll be away for our hols that weekend.

Hope you all have a brilliant time.

:) so pleased for you! It will be great, just gutted I can't make it!

Lisad123, do you mean trailer tents? Thats OK dont think we are allowed caravans or motorhomes tho.

The first tent up is the Albatros. I love it so much more each time I see it, and today we fitted the side screens and the sun canopy (sadly not the huge winglike Vario-canopy) and I am jealous of anyone staying. Cant wait to put the Herring Gull up, as that is even bigger and down in the wood with the wattled veranda!

Outdoor shower is coming together too! Uploaded some progress pics onto the facebook page