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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.

Survived our first camping trip of the year...just!!

24 replies

mogs0 · 17/04/2012 12:17

My friend and I took our dc camping on Sunday.

Weather was lovely on sunday. We set up camp and it all looked idyllic. I spent an hour trying to pitch the awning and have now found the best way to attach it to my bell tent, yay!

Rather sensibly (for me), I put my pyjamas on under my clothes at around 6pm so was lovely and warm when I went to bed.

Ds and I had lots of layers of clothes on, sleeping bags, blankets under and over us and we were so cold I almost gave up and came home. At one point in the night, ds undid the zip of my sleeping bag, at the feet end, and got in Grin. I was quite impressed that he could fit as it's a bit snug with just me in it! It turns out he was sleep walking and, really, he needed a wee. I was very grateful to him for going by himself and not making me go out into the cold aswell!

I am really quite hard and generally don't feel the cold but, oh my goodness, it was bitter!

Another friend was supposed to come and camp Monday and tuesday night but she cancelled as the temp in her car on Sunday night showed -3 degrees.

We upgraded to wooden pods last night because there was no way any of us could have managed another night under canvas.

Really pleased we moved to the pods because we were able to pack away our tents while they were lovely and dry...just before it started to rain and continued to rain for most of the night. Also, the pods had heaters Grin.

We've happily come home a day early and plan to relax for the rest of the day with the heating on!

OP posts:
SeaShellsUnderCanvas · 17/04/2012 16:56

Goodness! We camped Friday but boy was it cold at night! Didn't rain thank goodness. Where were you?

ChippyMinton · 17/04/2012 17:01

Brrrr. We're going over the BH weekend and I am praying for a heatwave! I need to buy some proper pyjamas, methinks.

Migsy1 · 17/04/2012 17:03

We camped in North Yorkshire at the weekend. It was about minus 4 at night and there was thick ice on the fire bucket water the next morning. I put my pyjamas on over my clothes and one of my tops had a fleecy hood which I kept over my head. I had a airbed with a roll mat on top of the bed and a woolen rug under the bed. I also had a thick sleeping bag with a thick duvet on top. I was just about OK. I had an EHU so had a heater on whilst I was awake. We sat around a campfire at night.
The coldness never ceases to amaze me when camping in spite of all the layers I bring!

Dottymcdot · 17/04/2012 17:06

I am not going to show this thread to my DH. I am trying to persuade him that camping is a good idea.

mogs0 · 17/04/2012 17:29

Migsey - I have just shivered whilst reading your post!!

One suggestion I have, in the pods last night were little oil-filled heaters which were safe to leave on through the night (which I most definitely did!)...this is now top of my camping shopping list.

I bought an EHU last year and haven't used it yet because I only ever need electric to charge my mobile so it has always seemed a bit silly to pay the extra for electric and pack the rather large and heavy box just for that. However, I don't know if I'll ever camp again without some form of heating SadGrin.

OP posts:
issyocean · 17/04/2012 17:31

We are camping in Cornwall BH weekend hope it's warmed up by then.

MogsO can I ask what awning you have for your bell tent.Is it the Malu one from bell tent uk?

mogs0 · 17/04/2012 17:48

Seashells - we were in South Wales, just outside Newport (about four miles from home so could have just popped home if it got any colder!)

Chippy - definitely need proper pyjamas and a couple of extra layers to sleep in.

Dotty - I love camping and this has just taught me that i need to be better prepared. I'm also now researching sleeping bag liners just to be fully prepared Grin.

Issy - I'm sure the evenings will have warmed up by then. The awning is from Obelink. It's the big square one. I bought it last year and regretted it slightly because I couldn't work out how to pitch it. The kite one looked much easier and I had wished I'd bought that one but after putting it up this weekend I'm really pleased with it. I might invest in some more poles to make it more versatile but they have moved down my list for now so will wait until later in the year.

OP posts:
SeaShellsUnderCanvas · 17/04/2012 18:01

We have e obey ink tarp-v good and huge!

SeaShellsUnderCanvas · 17/04/2012 18:01

Obelink, sorry iPad took over!

ReshapeWhileDamp · 17/04/2012 18:45

Seashells, you should always obey the ink! Grin

Bloody hell, I'm getting all scaredy at this talk of -4 at night. We're camping over the BH too. Is there enough room in the car for all the layers of bedding, I wonder?

mogs0 · 17/04/2012 18:57

Have you got a heater? You'll be fine if you have.

Could you wear all your layers while you're travelling to the campsite Grin

OP posts:
issyocean · 17/04/2012 19:14

I've been lost on the obelink site for about an hour Grin

Wolfiefan · 17/04/2012 19:18

Sleep in a woolly hat. Thin and thick socks.
I hate the early morning need a wee and it's freezing!

ReshapeWhileDamp · 17/04/2012 19:50

Nope, no EHU, and I'm not using anything else in the tent. It's mostly the DC I'm worried about but they're actually little radiators themselves and put out a stonking amount of heat. I missed something on my head at the end of august last year, so I'll try to find something appropriate this year. Have I read on here somewhere that people wear buffs in bed? Might grab one from Aldi when I do the shop this week...

Slubberdegullion · 17/04/2012 19:55

There's be plenty enough room in the car for more bedding or sensible base layers if you did away with all those silly rugs and bunting.

just sayin'....

Slubberdegullion · 17/04/2012 19:56

you could burn the bunting as a heat source
[helpful]
and probably eat those rugs if things got desperate
[fibre]

poppyboo · 17/04/2012 19:58

Pack hot water bottles, I always have several in case they're needed. They. And such a difference inside a sleep

poppyboo · 17/04/2012 19:59

...sleeping bag. Several pairs of socks help too! (sorry about split post I'm on my iPod touch!)

Slubberdegullion · 17/04/2012 20:03

I find angry sex also helps to warm up a chilly sleeping bag.

Anchorwoman · 17/04/2012 20:17

Ha ha! I've been initiating camping conversations with DH as can't wait to get bell tent out again. Might have to wait a few more weeks though as he keeps making the brrrr face and trying to make me look at caravans on eBay Hmm

ReshapeWhileDamp · 17/04/2012 21:22

Rugs can be slept on, in extremis, surely. Under the mats, etc.

Grin

Ok, I'll add to the camping checklist the necessity to have a raging argument with DH on the way to the campsite, the sort of row that only particularly angry sex can reconcile.

Migsy1 · 17/04/2012 22:36

Rugs can be slept on, in extremis, surely. Under the mats, etc.

Precisely :) That is what I did in my Bell Tent at minus 4. Glad I had that silly rug with me ;)
Also, you can lay the rugs /blankets etc over back seats so they hardly take up any room.

Lovecat · 20/04/2012 18:20

If I suggest to DH that we have any kind of sex in a sleeping bag, in a tent, when DD's in the same tent, he's going to book himself into a b&b toot sweet...

Hot water bottles, hats, base layers, fleece onesie, gloves.... yep, sex is definitely off the agenda!

Slubberdegullion · 20/04/2012 18:39

Angry sleeping bag silent sex is very satisfying Lovecat, and generates more heat than the average bedroom shag.

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