Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Camping

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

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:
YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:19

Oh so I wasn't going mad then northender!!! Glad to hear it sounds fab. Watching a couple on ebay but I know that the sensible thing would be to leave it until the boys are a little bigger. Last time we tried to go away with them in a separate room to us they each woke up twice. Which would have been fine if it was the same twice. It wasn't.

This time we're all sleeping in one big bedroom with dh and I in the middle so if they wake up scared / there is a bug / ther is a funny noise / have had a bad dream etc etc we can just give them aquick hug hopefully without having to wake up properly. They are great sleepers normally. Or at least we don't hear them if they are not! Grin

northender · 26/07/2011 21:21

No quenelle, the smell was as a result of the sewage pipe not the diesel Grin. Hi Sal.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:22

which is why I am coveting Quenelles quechua as the big bedroom makes more sense

SeaShellsMyDogSmells · 26/07/2011 21:28
northender · 26/07/2011 21:29

fennel we've looked at camping in the Scillies before but could never see how we'd be able to take enough stuff with us. When are you going? We've been once about 10 years ago but in a cottage on St Mary's. Are you camping on St Agnes?

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:31

I'm sticking to my white - pastis is the drink of the devil along with Malibu and Tequila!

Not a f*cking prayer we could camp anywhere we couldn't take the car so Scillies is out for us!

Fennel · 26/07/2011 21:33

I just posted our Scilly itinery on another thread, I am getting confused.

We have got 5 days on the St Agnes campsite, which I went to once and loved, and 5 days on St Mary's. We have just been trying to sort our camping gear and see how to transport it, in a mere 2 bags each. We are struggling.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:35

I'm not surprised Fennel! No chance could I manage that. Anika's challenge here you go! Smile

Fennel · 26/07/2011 21:35

I have spent months on end living out of a backpack so I can certainly do lightweight camping but that was before the dc, and children do seem to add to the clutter so much. We do backpack carless with them but not for more than a weekend. I suppose I don't want to be that basic for 10 days with them. It sounds like hard work.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:44

I know how you feel. I've backpacked round Mexico pre kids (although the tent that I took with mewa only used for one night on top of a bed to escape the MONSTER cockroaches but that is another story!!!). the thought of having to do minimal camping now with them brings me out in hives!

MissSal how goes the salty cup cakes?

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 21:45

mewa??? me was

northender · 26/07/2011 21:58

I have to confess, minimal camping is not something we've ever considered! Our tent isn't huge but we are a long way from being able to be minimal or carless (we can't even manage roofboxlessGrin). Every credit.

Fennel · 26/07/2011 22:06

I have just been browsing the campsite reviews and people do seem to like camping there and go back year after year so it perhaps can't be that bad... Noone talks about endless rain or boredom.

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 22:11

I guess the fact that you can't take a car means it probably attracts hard core campers that are not going to be bothered by something as minimal as rain! Sure you will have a fab time!

Northender we don't have a roof box - yet!!!

oranges123 · 26/07/2011 22:14

Am Grin and Shock at rapid uptake of canvas roulette surprise tent technique (sounds like something from Pulp Fiction). It really is the way to buy without guilt.

Our 4m has just gone on ebay - we have 4 watchers already after only an hour! This ebay business is very exciting.

Am sooo jealous of all those of you on ABAs - we have to wait until September and are not sure yet if it will be camping or a package deal - we are desperate for a holiday with sunshine so if the Fench weather is dodgy we are heading further afield (fingers crossed for good French weather as I really want to spend more time in the new bell tent).

Only other planned trip is a weekend in Eweleaze in August - very excited about that that though as Eweleaze gets such fab reviews.

Also very admiring of minimalist car free camping. Not something I can conceive of!

YellowDinosaur · 26/07/2011 22:16

oranges you are indeed now mumsnet camping legend!

Fennel · 26/07/2011 22:19

We have camped at Eweleaze. Nice.

JetLi · 27/07/2011 08:45

pmsl at quenelle & her double posting Grin

Minimalist camping - hmmm has yet to be achieved in this house!

Tell me more about canvas roulette - what website?

DD1 is at nursery so I need to try & pack today - it will be chaos Thurs/Fri when she is home. Forecast for the weekend is GLORIOUS. I suspect it is a complete lie.

Lost - your holiday sounds wonderful Smile

Quenelle · 27/07/2011 10:52

I can't even do minimalist posting Confused Sorry all, was on my BB which always posts twice for some reason. I asked in Site Stuff once but got no response so I assume it's BB's ishoo.

Northender Someone on your Quechua love in thread said they had ordered theirs from Decathlon? I've looked on the website and can't see an online shopping facility. Anybody know if it's possible? It'll cost me £20 more from this ebay chappy.

I like the sound of glorious weather this weekend JetLi. Sadly we can't go anywhere as DH is off doing midlife crisis scootering stuff on Sunday. We hope to go and try out our new Quechua the weekend after so fingers crossed for more good weather to come.

oranges123 · 27/07/2011 11:01

Quenelle, I think you can order online from Decathlon (there is a basket in the top right hand corner of the screen). However, when I tried, you had to put in your postcode and it then said which store would deliver to your address. So I guess it will depend where you live as to whether they will deliver. Worth a try though, depending on delivery cost I suppose....

Nikkid21 · 27/07/2011 11:06

IIRC Quechua don't do home delivery. You can only order it to come to your nearest store for you to collect.

Quenelle · 27/07/2011 11:16

Oh Oranges you're right! I just looked again. You have to choose a store, it checks stock at that store, you put in your postcode to see if that store will deliver to you (I chose Lakeside and it said sorry, you'll have to use Surrey Quays so changed store...) Delivery is £5.99.

Oranges you truly are the guru of getting home delivery where once there was none Grin

Nikkid21 · 27/07/2011 12:21

Sorry for the duff info there quenelle.

It's a doddle to put up. I saved the YouTube video of how to put it down on my phone and it was invaluable.

oranges123 · 27/07/2011 13:08

Thank you Quenelle Grin

Quenelle · 27/07/2011 13:38

No problem Nikkid. It wasn't obvious to me. Bit of a rubbish website tbh.

With great power comes great responsibility Orange [wise]