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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.

The Glass of Wine, The Campfire and The Awfully Big Adventure

994 replies

notwavingjustironing · 22/07/2011 03:44

We've all blethered on pleasantly on Seashells' lovely previous thread and, with the school holidays approaching, lots of us are about to start our summer adventures( not all of which are in tents....!) This thread is for us all to check back in and generally keep in touch. So we've packed up our Icey-Teks and our Tarps and our Death Socks, gently doused the burning embers of our planning campfire and rinsed out the wine glasses.

We're ready for our Awfully Big Adventure.

Come and talk about yours here (even if you're staying put!)

OP posts:
notwavingjustironing · 13/08/2011 17:51

Phil Collins "Groovy Kind Of Love"

< kills self>

OP posts:
MisSalLaneous · 13/08/2011 17:58

hahaha notwaving. Drink more wine, it's all you can do now! That and get yourself to the nearest chemist for the strongest earplugs known to mankind.

notwavingjustironing · 13/08/2011 18:08

Actually I'm hoping the aggressive Scousers opposite will sort it out. Otherwise I might go and offer to sing "Valerie" !! GrinGrin

OP posts:
JetLi · 13/08/2011 18:31

Do they do requests? Grin

notwavingjustironing · 13/08/2011 18:55

The only request I will be doing is "can you please stop" ? Grin

Honestly - they are properly rubbish and not even pissed

OP posts:
ReshapeWhileDamp · 13/08/2011 18:55

Grin at NotWaving's kareoke party. Hope they don't go on too long. Portable kareoke - what sort of demonic person invented that?

Sorry to hear about your tent, Kingsroadie. Can Bell Tent Co offer a repair kit, maybe, so at least you'll match the canvas?

Kingsroadie · 13/08/2011 18:56

Thanks everyone! Have returned from my expedition to purchase suitable tent mending kits. Have managed not to find tenacious tape, but have three different potential methods: Tear-aid (which is looking the most likely for this trip as I won't be able to patch the hole until we arrive at site on Monday anyway) which is clear fabric tape type thingy, Seam Grip - which I think is a king of glue - tape inside, glue outside and leave to dry for 12 hours and it forms a seal, and thirdly a good old canvas tent repair kit with patch and needle and thread etc. Anyone used any of those?

Jet - tbh am not a terribly neat person (weirdly anal with packing etc but not the sort to keep shoes looking new for long if you get what I mean?) so a patch of a different shade or a pic on it wouldn't bother me at all (is also at top of A frame on side so doubt would be that noticeable) - in fact I like customising stuff. But I was just unsure about whether one can sew patches onto a tent? Will the sewing not create tiny holes through which water can get?!

Thanks guys! Grin

Also Notwaving - amazing! How hilarious to they sound? I would put in a request for Total Eclipse of the Heart if I were you. Most funny is them filming themselves!

Kingsroadie · 13/08/2011 19:21

x posts with a few of you! Reshape - thank you - just had a quick look and they have a reapair company they put you in touch with but also sell Tear - Aid. Which is what I am planning to use (at least temporarily!) so fingers crossed it works.

noyouhavehadawee · 13/08/2011 19:24

omg notwaving where are you - that sounds hilarious!? Grin. Where are we all off this week and is it going to stop rainign? I dont know if im allowed here because though were normally out in our vango so far this year its been up in the garden then we podded instead. Next week we have hired a motorhome and i fear as ive slightly turned my back on a proper tent the weather is going to punish us. Love to hear where your all at .. we are heading to yorkshire ....

lovecat · 13/08/2011 20:16

is this in Bala, Notwaving, or am I confusing you with someone else? Sounds brilliant - although I'm sure it's really annoying, some people across from us in Cornwall decided one night to sing along drunkenly til midnight when the wardens told them to shut up... the noise wasn't so bad (even though their taste in music ran to Dire Straits/Phil Collins/late period Elvis), it was the fact they didn't know any of the words to the songs and were getting them all wrong. Loudly. My inner pedant (which is never that inner, tbh), was getting more wound up about that than the noise!

Kingsy, hope the tear-aid works. I have a teensy tiny hole in my soulpad which I only noticed on the last day of our holiday, a perfect circle about 2mm across, which I am going to take a needle & thread to and darn like a sock. I have some matching thread and when I come to attempt to clean it after this coming weekend's adventures in Bedgebury, I shall try the mending.

I bought some spray Dettol mildew remover and although it doesn't say you can use it on fabric, I gave it a test on an oven glove that's made of thick cotton canvas, which DH had forgotten to bring inside after the last bbq we had, and had gone very mildewy by the time I realised (grr). It came up sparkly clean. I have now hung it up on the washing line and will examine it in a day or so to see if it's dissolved/rotted the fabric (my big fear wrt using a 'not specifically recommended for fabric' type remover) ... if not, then I will fire away with it on the soulpad!

Thanks again, btw, you are all lovely.

Now I have to sort out the logistics of Bedgebury. This is a girly camping weekend, me and DD with her bf and her bf's mum, whom luckily I also get on v.v. well with. We are going to drink wine and toast marshmallows while the girls make dens and run around. This is the theory, anyway... but as there will be 2 car seats in the back we can't do the usual thing of piling stuff up next to DD on the back seat, so must pack light. Curses.

YellowDinosaur · 13/08/2011 20:26

notwaving GrinGrinGrin at the karaoke. Hope they stop before you top yourself as I do like you! [grain]. I am pissed after drinks at our neighbours so I'd be joinging in so in all probability they would shut up then! I had a friend who had a karaoke machine about 10 years ago and it always came out after a night out. I certainly am no singer but thought I was Britney after enough booze Blush and would stick my top up under my bra to give me the ubiquitous crop top while singing Baby Baby. That, I hasten to add, was pre-kids when I had a lovely flat tummy!

Kings hope you manage to get your tent fixed - sounds as though you have some good options! You too lovecat...

Lovecat hope you have a fab time for your girlie weekend away. Sounds like fun! And no worries about having 2 carseats - we certainly manage to pack loads around the boys so I am sure you will fit most of it in.

More wine beckons Grin

notwavingjustironing · 13/08/2011 21:33

The bastards are still at it !

Don't worry everyone I'm going for the non--aggressive approach which involves me cutting the end off their EHU. Grin

OP posts:
MisSalLaneous · 13/08/2011 22:28

Love Yellow's [grain] above! Grin Good wine, you say? Wink

notwaving, you've got my sympathy. I get really annoyed at such inconsiderate people - so much so that by the end I've got myself all worked up and no-one else seem to care! Grr. Times like this that camping nazis would have been preferable. I say go for the EHU!

noyouhavehadawee · 14/08/2011 09:26

Did they shutup or did you shut them up?

YellowDinosaur · 14/08/2011 10:00

[grain]Grin. Yep wine was nice thanks MissSal! And Pimms Grin Good job I left when I did really as I feel fine now but it would have been all bad had I stayed!

Camping nazis were no effing good when our neighbours were rowdy in the night though. Only about making sure you pitched your tent to the mm on the EXACT spot they had asked you to (or apparently chasing dodgy women out of the loos!!!)

Fingers crossed the karaoke stopped shortly after notwavings last post and she is not, in fact, in custody on suspicion of murder!

northender · 14/08/2011 11:59

Hello all. Haven't had the chance to catch up on the whole thread as have been offline while camping. In contrast to notwaving we stayed on the quietest of quiet campsites. dh and I felt like party animals/yobs at 10 at night sitting drinking wine outside the tent Grin. Managed to cook tea all 4 nights and then had pasties for lunch (my waistline is suffering). a Family opposite had a fab combination of trailer tent for the kids, canvas tent and screened off gazebo, all decked out with fairy lights and bunting. Lovecat I thought of you when I saw it and the abuse you got so made a point of complimenting them on their kit! My only problem was a small hole in my fat airic SIM so it remained deflated for the durationSad. I tried some stormseal as it is a teeny tiny hole but to no avail. Still 4 nights was our longest trip yet and we survived and enjoyed it.
Will try to catch up on everyone elses adventures later

lostinwales · 14/08/2011 12:12

Morning everyone, I am Grin at notwavings karaoke campers, although if it were me I would have sabotaged the EHU immediately. I hate people who feel the need to play music when they are camping (are they so arrogant at their choice they think everyone will enjoy it?) but karaoke, ooh I'm cross just thinking about it. I think I can guarantee lovely weather for the week though as I'm working everyday therefore it will be glorious. Still I have regularly camped and then gone to work in the school holidays in the past, stop at home for a shower and then go straight to the tent after. There is something amazing about peeling off your uniform in a tent and cooling off with a pimms looking at the sea.

I need keeping away from the computer at the moment, the Vuelta Espana bike race starts next saturday (in Benidorm!) and I am itching to go, so I'm trawling cheap flights at the moment, (even though DS1 won't go near an airport let alone on a plane). I can dream eh?

SeaShellsInTheMoonlight · 14/08/2011 12:24

Shock at karaoking malaysians! I'm impressed with their commitment starting in the afternoon: karaoke for me is normally a signal that it's 10minutes to go before I'm bundled into a taxi and escorted home by dh in disgrace Blush Grin

Starting to plan a trip next august with friends-they are just back from a tiny but amazing campsite, so thinking about booking very early! It made me start thinking if nettle tea/canopy and stars fancy hosting next years meet up? They seem a great little company. It's a shame nettle tea isn't more central or it would be a no brainer...

My toddler is possessed today. If his head span round it wouldn't surprise me. I was a park this morning 8am, he was in the sea 9am, and is still "fun" oh well, nap time soon

SeaShellsInTheMoonlight · 14/08/2011 12:29

Xpost northlander-glad you survived your trip! Sounds like an idyllic camp site :)

Lost-benidorm eh? Guaranteed sunshine and ooogling cyclist-trawl away!!

lostinwales · 14/08/2011 13:25

Actually I just saw the weather for Benidorm, 35-40 degrees Shock I think that may be the key to stepping away from the cheap flights. Team lost are ginger and fair skinned to a man, being outside in 30 degrees nearly killed us in Italy, we would probably vapourise before we got out of the airport. I'm persuading DH to throw the tent in the car and head for the beach as the forecast here is a manageable 20 and our friends field beckons.

JetLi · 14/08/2011 15:28

Ooh lost - thanks for that re:Vuelta. I hadn't twigged it was so close to starting. 35-40 degrees is also waaaay beyond the melting point of the JetLi family. But I shall set up the Sky+ with immediate effect.

Seashells - where is the campsite? Northender - how about yours? I have a penchant for the quiet sites.

YellowDinosaur · 14/08/2011 16:24

Dh just smiled when talking about the Vuelta. He is well into his cycling! He goes on trips every year and most recently has done of some of big climbs in the pyrenees and alps. Next year he is doing Landsend to John ogroats.

Pmsl at Seashells karaoke comments! Yep for me too - if I start singing or dancing or more reliably Sambuca shots dh knows it is game over Grin

Just wondered if any of you have advice for me on this thread. If you do I'd appreciate it and have grown to respect your opinions...

Northender and Seashells campsites both sound fab. As does Glottenham farm but sadly that will be too far for us for a weekend meetup. Definately up for a meetup next year though - maybe somewhere in the Midlands to be central? Does anyone know anywhere

brambleschooks · 14/08/2011 16:30

Yawn! Too much cleaning and washing!

I have mucked out the hens, however, and Sheila is sitting in separate accommodation. Blubby is still in the main henhouse as back up broody and since I ran out of eggs for her to practise on until the eBay ones come she is sat on a combination of golf balls and rubber eggs.

I have made bread and cupcakes and am going to use some of the courgette glut for soup. Wonder if slubber has attained the Cobb pavlova yet and whether she used a twig whisk. Will look at thread YD.

YellowDinosaur · 14/08/2011 17:04

Sounds as though you have been a veritable domestic Goddess brambles Grin

JetLi · 14/08/2011 17:05

Yellow - ITV4 are covering the Vuelta I am thrilled to report [grain] Wink