Just bought new bell tent, very excited, tell me what else I need...

[MrsLovely]

....before I waste my money on a load of old tat due to severe over excitement!

What tried and tested extras have you done the hard work to find so I don't have to?

The tent will be expected to take two adults, two children (one 7, one baby coming up to 12 months when the tent will first be used) and occasionally two dogs.

What do I need???

Thread here about the stove top oven, it looks like he's making fairy cakes in it! Can do pizzas and jacket potatoes.

www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=6&TopicID=249943&PagePosition=2

We have an outback oven. One of best presents ever. This summer I used it to make cake (from 1/2 of one of the packets of cake mix for breadmakers that you just add water to), pizza and deep tortilla-like omlettes. Brilliant addition.
One thing I have done is cut several circles of teflon non-stick sheet to fit the bottom, but with a bit sticking out the side like a handle. It make everything easy to remove. I made several pizza directly onto the sheets then you can put one in then when its ready just slide the next one in. It takes abit of of organising to feed 4.

The stove top oven looks great but I can't believe it really works.

We have a double camping stove so I'm assuming it will work on that, but ...pizzas? Cakes? Can this really be true?

I don't think I'd have believed it either if it hadn't been for the thread on ukcampsites. Am very exited about it.

I like the idea of the stove in a dog cage. We also have a 5m Bell, MrsLovely, but I wouldn't consider getting a stove until DSs were well past the age of responsible behaviour. (That'll be another 12-odd years, then. ) Hot water bottle? A large dog? We took ours on her almost-maiden trip at the end of august. It should have been warm enough at night. It wasn't. Bring as much insulation as you can cram into the car. SIMs are surprisingly comfy and warm but you might want an extra layer to lie on, and those foil-backed blankets can't be a bad idea either.

A word of caution about Aldi SIMs - I bought two last year and one punctured the very first time we used it. I am blaming a lot of excited gallumphing round on the part of DS1. But still. I also got DS1 the ungrateful SIM-wrecking wretch a second hand Alpkit Wee Airic off ebay and it is fine. If I could afford new Dozers (maybe I'll splash out later in the year) I'd get them like a shot.

Can I suggest collapsible storage? We had one of those collapsible laundry baskets - sort of a cylinder of fabric with a spring inside - and another really rubbish Poundshop one, for dirty clothes and dirty bibs etc. Bell tents are beauteous palaces of space and light - but they are low on built-in storage. (Very low. ) You need, IMO, some sort of structuring of the space unless you are glamping it with just you and DH, in which case, knock yourself out with throws and bedside tables and chandeliers. But any more than two tidy people and things get messy fast. Maybe a collapsible storage box per person, so clothes, books, toys etc, have somewhere to live and you can sit around a tidied tent and not feel like a jumble sale.

Oh and ignore Slubber's anti-bunting stance. She is Sternly Utilitarian. I have bunting (home-made, no less) and I can tell you it does not flap. If you want bunting, have some. It is fun, and camping should be fun.

Reshape excellent advice on the whole storage thing, am most upset at the moment as bloody Parcelforce have tried to deliver my tent on the only two days I was out this week, and I still haven't got it! Although very windy here today so probably not the best day to get DP to put it up whilst I took up an advisory role

So I think I'm quite swayed on the Airic SIMs but will have to try and source them as cheaply as possible, am currently trawling ebay in the hope I'll find something useful (keep going back to look at the oven top stove thing!).

Congratulations on the Bell Tent MrsLovely. I am coveting one still, I've convinced DP it's a good purchase and we've just booked our first camp of the year in June as we're too soft for camping before then. I just need to get over the fact we already have a tent, and there's nothing wrong with it before I go ahead and order it.

I am loving the return of the camping chat

We're just starting to plan the rest of our holidays

Sell your other tent and use that money for he bell tent.

You know oh want to

I like your thinking...

Dearest Reshape. Please may I draw your attention to MrsLovely's wording in her OP with particular reference to "load of old tat" and requests to assist prevention of purchasing thereof.

I rest my case.

BUNTING IS NOT TAT

Tat. n

1. tatty articles or a tatty condition
2. tasteless articles
3. a tangled mass

[back formation from tatty]

Lol !! Now now, no need for that slubber

Let's not fall out over a bit of (gorgeous and totally necessary) bunting!

Gah, you're all wannabe tatters. I see your bunting and raise you fairy lights and a hammock.

Arf at you lot and your bunting issues, I didn't realise the camping area could get heated!

Now please find me 3 Dozers at at least half the price they're being advertised for.

And bloody bloody Parcelforce still haven't managed to unite me with my tent, all this sunny weather wasted, it's going to rain tomorrow!

Hammock

Sal, how on earth do you get it all in the car??

Sniggering at Slubber. You can probably tat with bunting, thereby affording a pleasant evening's entertainment when the charge on the Kindle runs out.

SalAbility, have you name changed recently? Cos if you're who I think you might be would be lovely to catch up. xx

Hey randommoment. Yep, I am who you think I am, and I'd love to catch up again! We should co-ordinate summer campings, would be great to see you again.

Reshape, this is my car. Not too shabby, if I say so myself. Also helps that I make ds sit on the roof.

Oh, and nah, not really heated. It's all love, you know.

Have you managed to catch up with your bell tent yet, MrsLovely?

I got mine near the end of last summer and only managed a couple of trips so can't wait for the weather to improve.

I bought an Icey-Tek, 2 raised double Aerobeds and the Malu tarp (which I haven't tried yet).

This year I must, must, must buy a Cobb and quite fancy these solar powered fairy lights. On the subject of lighting, bought a couple of these little magnetic lights which stuck to the central pole and were a godsend!

You will not regret he aerobed (even dh admitted best camp bed after nearly killing me over the cost ) and the fairy lights are fab too. Just as essential as the bunting really!

12 weeks til I go camping - yay

Still no tent, CURSE YOU PARCELFORCE!!

Have now got the nice lady from my local post office on the case, I think I frightened her by banging my head on the counter in desperation when she told me it still hadn't arrived.....

Soooo, aerobeds, I notice they are plentiful on ebay, if i get a double do you think I should get the two seperately blown up sides type? I'm sure there's a technical term for that.

Yup definitely! And I'm sure that is the technical term

IT'S HERE!! Finally my tent and I are united...very impressed by how small the bag is, quite concerned about how heavy it is....even more concerned about how the hell I'm ever going to get it back in the bag once I've taken it out!!