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

Thanks Sal, no it really was helpful - I really don't think DH would even consider it without seeing inside one and I think he was quite taken. It would be good to see inside a 5m, thanks for the campsite link. Is there anywhere else nearer the Kent/Sussex border that you know of with similar?

And then, I came across one of your old posts suggesting the Touareg...

randommoment what can I say? It looked out of my league :o Actually it was a shame we were onsite when people had gone out for the day, as it would have been great to be shown around the different tents by someone other than a salesperson!

Hmm no sorry, I've seen it when we camped at Welsummer, but haven't been anywhere else where they had a ready pitched tent. I have no idea about how good / where this is, but found an example here when Googling "bell tent hire Sussex", so maybe you'd be able to find something near you that way.

Oh yes the Touareg, I was very impressed with it. Lovely, clean lines, light. Some photos on UK campsite. Btw, the MissElaineous on there isn't me - I did a double take as so similar! I know location doesn't work for you, but I know Welsummer has one of those too, so hopefully you'll find the same elsewhere if you were to try it out. It's not big though, which can be either good/bad thing, depending on what you like.

Welsummer has a Touareg too? Definitely sounds worth a visit then, thanks. Dernwood looks fab as well.

I saw those photos on UKCS and did wonder - what are the chances?! You are obviously kindred spirits.

Yep, they had last time we were there, and from their website it looks like they still offer that. I assume they only pitch those when they have / about to have people stay in them. Welsummer a very back-to-basics site, but I loved it there (ages ago though). Not sure if only in summer, but they also served tea and cakes in the little garden, which was cool. My soul is for sale when good cake's on offer.

Good cake is always a bonus :o

I should be in bed!

RedundantTautology - if you have any Khyam questions I am happy to answer them.

Still basking in post w/e glow - I want a camp-fire and stars :(
DS just wants to use his head-torch :)

Thanks feetheart, that's kind of you. I did a bit of browsing and saw that your model isn't available any more and has a newer version (harewood?) at which point I wondered why I was complicating things, seeing as I've wanted a bell for 2 years, and DH seems keener than before he had seen one!

But it would be interesting to know how quickly you can pitch/strike, and what it's like inside - compartments, groundsheet, and how heavy/big it is when packed up etc.

Hmm, I tried searching on YouTube, but can't find any good links - I'm sure there were before we bought! A simple one though. I would say you can pitch in 20 mins or so. We faff around more and take forever with the tarp, but that's not actually related to the belltent itself (and we're useless!) I'm not that keen on what I've read on the business practices of Belltent UK - although they could have improved now, of course - but add them on Facebook for a good range of "real life" photos. It's a bit rubbish not being able to view them like a normal tent. I wonder if you give them a call, as they are sometimes at festivals. I know Belltent UK was at the Outdoors Show a couple of months ago in London.

No idea if this will work, but here goes: Facebook.

Sal you are such a diamond, Googling and youtubing for me, thank you!

but pitching/striking question was actually to heartfeet about the Khyam...

Anyway I am almost 100% sure my first choice is 5m bell tent and think I know all I need to know about them :o , I just always feel I have to research till my brain hurts, especially when large chunks of money are involved. Do also think I need to consider alternatives for DH's sake.

Whoops. On bell, oh yes, most definitely. I do love my tent, but I'm not convinced that there is one "perfect" tent out there anyway.

Btw, 5m sounds fab, I'm jealous. In retrospect, wish we'd gone for that instead of 4m.

Good luck and have fun in deciding!