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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.

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Original poster

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:

Fennel · 26/07/2011 13:39

I will cull books to 6, but the girls all read quite a lot, luckily there is overlap in their reading. and we will need to do SOMETHING for those 10 days if it's rainy. or on the beach even. Not just going to meditate and swim all the time.

Quenelle · 26/07/2011 13:55

Oh yes, I'm another formerly smug BLWer with a fussy toddler. If you go on the BLW forum you'll find loads of 'em.

And SeaShells I breastfed DS for 15 months. If he ends up with eczema as bad as his father had I'm putting in a formal complaint to the evangelical health visitor authorities.

While I'm here can I get some advice on a few camping products from you expert-types please?

Firstly, we need a weekend tent because our 6 man tunnel takes too long for DH to put up while I try to keep DS out of the way. We've like the look of the Quechua 2 Seconds XXL IIII has anyone had any experience of one?

Next up, I saw a Higear 10cm SIM on a Go Outdoors sale leaflet yesterday. Anyone tried one? I've never seen a 10cm one before.

And lastly, DS has a little camping chair but it's far too low for him to reach the table to eat. He's too big for his Ikea Antilop now, what does everyone else use for small children?

Thanks all.

ReshapeWhileDamp · 26/07/2011 14:06

I was wondering about that Hi Gear SIM too, Quenelle. A Go Outdoors leaflet dropped through my letterbox yesterday too! What I actually want is another 5cm one to match the Aldi ones. I want to butt them together and cunningly fashion a massive Family Bed using adhesive velcro. I got the velcro today - idea is to stick lengths of the hooky side to the edges of the mattress (perpendicular to the edge) and then use longer lengths of the fluffy side to strap the SIMs together so they don't woosh off in the night.

Is that going to ruin a set of perfectly good, if cheapy, SIMs?

ReshapeWhileDamp · 26/07/2011 14:08

Oh, didn't see the small chair condundrum. Would be interested to know this too - DS1 has a moon chair and that's it. He won't be able to reach the lowish table terribly well. As for DS2 - is it totally mad to pack the Antilop into the car for him? I find it usually packs quite well, as you can fill the seat with stuff.

Fennel · 26/07/2011 14:33

We don't have a table, that solves the todder small chair conundrum. They balance food on their laps. Good for child coordination skills.

5ofus · 26/07/2011 15:48

We usually take the Antilop for DS2 (20 months). Stops him roaming free during meals too. The 4 and 6 year olds currently sit on the floor but we're after a proper seating solution before our next trip - see post upthread.

oranges123 · 26/07/2011 15:57

For the small child/chair conundrum, how about a couple of cushions/pillows on an adult camping chair? Or one of those travel booster seats tied to the chair?

At the moment, DD is 20 months and she either eats on the floor with her food on one of those folding micro table things or, if we are all eating together, she sits on my lap at the table. When she older though, I was thinking cushions or booster seat so will be interested to see if anyone has any better ideas.

A couple I was camping with recently have one of those all in one table and and stool contraptions and their 2 1/2 year old sits or kneels on one of the stools and seems to be fine. Not that helpful if you don't have one though.

Funtimewincies · 26/07/2011 16:15

We've just ordered a low table from Go Outdoors for the children to eat at and they both have cheap little camping chairs from Homebase, so we're hoping that the combo will work.

Think that I've accidentally ordered 2 Go Outdoors discount cards . Anyone want one ?

Quenelle · 26/07/2011 16:17

Thanks all. Reshape I like your idea. Go Outdoors also has a 5cm one for £20 atm. If it doesn't work out you can just pull the velcro off can't you?

We would take the Antilop but since we started having to bend DS's legs backwards to get him in we've had to retire it. He sits on one of those booster seats at home now, he has to be belted in or he just takes one mouthful of food and buggers off.

Also, eating off knees doesn't work with the camping staple of chilli and rice, too messy/scalding.

To be honest, even our camping chairs seem low at our table. Perhaps we should just reduce the height of the table by sinking the legs into holes in the ground...

JetLi · 26/07/2011 16:34

Oh the shagging Go Outdoors leaflet dropped through here as well. I forsee a trip which will then also involve the noodle bar on London Road.

Saw this not bad little camping list today - www.sainsburys.co.uk/assets/www/pdf/Camping_Guide.pdf

SherlockHolmes · 26/07/2011 16:59

Do you mind if I join in? We're off to somewhere near Cardigan Bay this week, and praying for some sunshine! Have packed the car full of wet weather gear/raincoats/umbrellas, along with the sunscreen just in case. Happy camping everyone

Nikkid21 · 26/07/2011 17:10

Quenelle - I have the Quechua tent that you were asking about. Used it for me plus ds & dd (7&9) when dh was working.

Was excellent for a quick basic weekend camp. Had the whole thing pitched and pegged in 10 mins. Took a further ten mins making up a big bed with 3 Costco sims plus huge fleece blanket to lay on and then we had a sleeping bag each.

I think we were in the campsite pool less than half an hour after arrival.

That said it's too small for any longer than a couple of nights. I plan to take it to Wellington country park c&cc ths site mud august for a couple of nights while dh works.

While in decathlon have a look at the 4 stool / table set. The stools are fairly low and would probably work for a toddler.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 17:35

Hi all!

I am also after that Quechua tent for weekends away with me and the boys since I ahven't a hope in hell of being able to put up our big tent on my own unless I lock the meddling helpful boys in the car. Even then it is a bit of a big ask and I don't want to alienate fellow campers with foul language before I've even pitched the tent! However dh doesn't see the need - maybe I'll have to emply 'oh look I appear to have ordered a tent no idea how that happened I was only seeing if it would work!' technique! I like the pop up one with a bedroom at each end more for about £160 (can't recall what it is called though?) but I think at the mo having one big room for us all would work better.

Fennel sounds like you need a Kindle if book number is a big deal? I love books and am resisting it like a good un but I also read similar numbers when away so am reluctantly coming round to the idea... Especially if it can also be used to MN!!!

I have bought 2 camping chairs for the boys and am hoping that they will work with our table. Doubt it though but we have the backup option of sitting on the picnic blanket on the floor. Or serving their food up in advance so it can cool down (usually do this at home as they won't eat unless its virtually cold - even fried eggs which are GRIM cold) and then eating it on laps. I'll report back!

Anyway in the process of cooking our dinner so will be back later...

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 17:37

Fennel could you also use saucepans instead of buckets on the beach? A good wash when you get home and can double up for cooking - magic!

SeaShellsMyDogSmells · 26/07/2011 18:31

I'll pop back later as running out the door, but I'm Definately not doing the bh camp :( not because I think you are all wierdos or hairy truckers called steve, but my rota has come through and it's unswappable as it's a bh lol

I hope you have lots of fun though! It's a really good idea though, may be we should find somewhere around the Cotswolds early next summer for a camp? Something to thunk about over the winter months :)

Oh, and whilst walking today I saw 20 4m bell tents in a field. Friends, I did take a picture defo need a 5m, lovely though they were!!

Right, will read thread when I get back :)

Fennel · 26/07/2011 18:49

We are just totting up everything we want to take. Oh dear. I wonder what other people do, noone takes a car to the Scillies, perhaps there's a website. Maybe we need huge canvas holdalls full of kitchen implements.

Kindle is possible but we have 3 adults who will share the adult books, and 4 girls who will share the kid books. 1 adult and 1 kid who don't really read. That's a lot of Kindles.

SherlockHolmes · 26/07/2011 19:08

Fennel if you an Android phone you can probably download Kindle reader for free on it. If you have an Amazon account then you download books directly to your phone, which is what I've done to cut down on paperbacks (much as I love them).

scaryt · 26/07/2011 19:17

We're currently in the caravan in ashboure. Then off to filey for a week then alnwick. Followed by the just so festival and at least one camping trip to wales.

Jetli...do you live in a large city in sth yorks by any chance? Sounds like we frequent the same gooutdoors!

Sorry for short post, I hate posting on my phone!

Fennel · 26/07/2011 19:19

Hm, I avoid anything with internet connection when on holiday. My work is the sort where they don't respect boundaries and by not being able to check my email I manage to ignore it all properly, I worry about letting the internet in. Better to carry some fat paperbacks I think than that. but I may rethink on the kindle at some point.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 19:49

A shame you can't make it seashells... I work part shifts too - its a bummer when they don't work out and sods law dictates that if you want a weekend off you will be working it!

Fennel understand why you re reluctant re internet on holiday if your empolyers won't respect boundaries. ALso that the kindle is less beneficial when you'll all be book sharing!

Scaryt I live just south of Alnwick (well about 45 mins). Hope you're having fun and continue to do so!

I'm just about to crack open the wine and then do some mindless web surfing for camping stuff I don't need. I too have the go outdoors flyer but am avoiding opening it because it would be very dangerous! Unless you wrestle my credit card of me at the same time as Slubbers!

Funtimewincies · 26/07/2011 20:22

It's Stephanie actually.

Quenelle · 26/07/2011 20:24

Thanks Nikkid we're definitely going for the Quechua. Annoyingly we live in the Decathlon Vacuum - no branches within several hours' drive so we'll have to get it from a seller I found on ebay. It offers 100% plus return postage guarantee so not bad.

YellowDinosaur great minds think alike obviously. I hear they also cut quite a dash on the campsite. (Urgh, don't think I've ever said 'cut quite a dash' before. I'm definitely getting old.)

Costco for SIMs you say Nikkid...