brrr!

[holmessweetholmes]

Ok, so I've just booked us in for 4 nights' camping here during the Easter holidays.
a) am I mad not to wait until summer to try out my new tent, and
b) what are your tips for not freezing our arses off?

Ooh, I am tempted too! Have got a new 3-man tent (having split from dh I can't put the old 4-man one up on my own, don't need the space or weight, and it was very old anyway!) but I am itching to try it out.

Being squished together at night will keep you warm and layers are important of course as well as decent sleeping bags and mats. We've got those 'self-inflating' ones which I think are better than airbeds. A couple of extra blankets under you as well as over makes a big difference too.

You're most likely to feel the cold and wet sitting around in the evenings, so...go to the pub! It looks lovely. Am aiming for Cornwall in June but might make a long weekend in the New Forest at Easter. It's not too far so we can always come home!

We're not so squished together as I'm on an airbed and dh is slumming it down on a thermarest - he thinks airbeds are for wusses! Plus the pub in the evening could be tricky, as the dc are only 3 and 6! Definitely going for the layers and multiple blankets though - might try and squeeze the duvet in the car too. And maybe a hot water bottle!

We're not so squished together as I'm on an airbed and dh is slumming it down on a thermarest - he thinks airbeds are for wusses! Plus the pub in the evening could be tricky, as the dc are only 3 and 6! Definitely going for the layers and multiple blankets though - might try and squeeze the duvet in the car too. And maybe a hot water bottle!

I am booking a site for Easter - we went last year at Easter and it was fantastic (mini heat wave - glorious!) but it so just so cold at the moment I can't imagine camping in a few weeks time! However, we all really, really want to get the tent out and just go for it! We have single airbeds pushed together for me and DH with yoga mats on top, followed by a mattress topper! Then a duvet and a heavy welsh blanket on top of that - we are so cosy (and can barely move!) at night. The kids have similar, but with sleeping bags as well.
We are planning on Somerset, and have got loads of things to do in the day, my worry is the evenings though - no EHU for us, so it is eat and bed if it's really cold!

...a another tip for keeping warm apart from electric blankets, is woolly hats on in bed. Not sexy, but camping rarely is!

IME airbeds are not as warm as Thermarests, although they may be comfier in warm weather. The air in them stays cold instead of being warmed by your body then staying warm. How about a thermarest on top of the airbed, wow that's an idea!
I hope you'd be able to find a family-friednly pub or cafe for a cold or wet evening - I'm not suggesting a piss-up!

Yes, definitely hats - forget sexy! The site has a quite nice looking café, and 2 bars I think, so we can huddle in one of those. No piss-up obv - the only question in my mind was how long we can keep the dc awake sitting in the bar - they normally go to bed at 7pm, but hopefully we'll manage to stretch it out a little in the name of keeping warm! Thermarest on an airbed... hmm, sounds good.
Harriet - mini heatwave eh?

I can't blooming wait for easter!!
When we went in Oct we were fine so hopefully we'll be OK.... I love making the bedroom super cosy so dh and I sleep on two SIMs next to eachother with a double sleeping bag under us and one over too (but both open so they're kind. Of like double width duvets the we each have a single sleeping bag too - I usually don't use my single one tho and am fine with just normal PJs on..... DS however is in a travel cot with two fleecy blankets under him, a vest, sleepsuit and fleecy sleepsuit on then 4 season sleeping bag and two more fleecy blankets on top.... He may be the only 2yo child in danger of overheating when sleeping in a tent!!!!

Oh and just for the record you can still have sexy time while wearing the hats in bed!
DH and I went camping without DS in Nov and did end up wearing hats to bed.
The above sentences are of course unrelated to one another! ;) ;)

We camped at Easter when there was snow on the ground. It went to -2C. i honestly thought we might die when I got ready for bed. Plus it seemed to be dark fr a very long time.

these are quite good for warming your feet.

Thank you for your (mostly) encouraging replies ! Those foot-warmers look promising. It's definitely my feet which suffer most. And my nose. Any nose-warmers out there? ohyoubadkitten -snow?!! Shudder.

We are also off at Easter - can't wait! My tips for possible cold would be:

Take thermals and put them on early in the evening so you don't get cold - it is much harder to warm up than to stay warm. Do the same with the children and/or put their pyjamas on under their clothes.

Hats or hooded tops for all.

Duvets also brilliant but if you are on an airbed put a sleeping bag or blanket under you to block the cold air. Same for the children obviously depending what they are sleeping on.

Have a fire if you can - great fun for the children roasting marshmallows/singing/telling stories. They can drop off round it and be carried to bed later.

Again for the children, all in one fleecy sleepsuits are great. Mothercase and Primark do them - I am not sure if what sizes they go up to but worth having a look.

We take heaters with us too - electric if there is a hook up available or gas if not. Turn them on a little bit before bed and turn them off as soon as the children and/or you are in bed. This is obviously VERY important.

Hope you have a ball and fingers crossed for that heatwave!

Maybe your dh could have a ball and fingers crossed...

Oh! I see what you mean oranges!

Have a great time! I can't wait to go - booked our site now so you inspired me! Fingers crossed for a repeat of last year.

Another vote for hats and fires here. Oh and red wine and chocolate - absolutely essential

Hmm - heaters? Never actually thought of that. There is electric hook up on all pitches, so that might be worth considerning. Harrietlichman - glad to have inspired you! Hope you don't freeze !

Oh God, def go with the electric heater idea if you can! We went last Easter & despite the fabulous daytime weather it was friggin freezing at night - we had all the appropriate bedding layers, fleeces over PJs, hot water bottles & still needed the blow heater going all night. (We camped last year from April through to the end of August & didn't have one trip where we didn't use the electric heater, though we didn't need it on overnight on all of them - but it was a Godsend int he evenings, even in August!)

Are.You.Mad.??