Camping virgin - what do I really need and what is worth spending ££on

[raspberryroop]

Never camped - am single parent with 3 dc - We do geocashing and I also Home School and I think camping would be a great extension to our aventures.But I'am also abit of a wimp and want everything as easy and comfortable as possible - what do I absoluty need and what things are worth spending £££ on. I think we are more likerly to do long weekends though that weeks at a time. Have reasonable amount of pennies to spend and A disco to put it all in .

1. Decide what sort of camper you will be and what sort of site you are likely to prefer: 'wild camping' style sites with a field, woodland and allowing campfires, or sites with EHU, a pool, and on-site launderette. This will determine some choices in what you buy. (e.g electric coolbox / insulated non electric)
2. Choose the right tent for YOU - this may or may not be expensive. Do you want easy / quick pitch? Just enough space to sleep and shelter from the rain or a mega-beast the size of a semi? Is looks important? Packed space and weight? Do you need to be able to put it up without the assitance of another adult?
3. Cooking style? Will you mostly barbecue? Or cook over a campfire? With the back up of a portable single burner, or do you favour a two ring stove with big gas bottle for cooking things in pans?
4. Your most comfortable sleeping arrangement. Many people prefer SIMs for warmth or comfort - arrange to try out a friend's. If you prefer blow up beds, get an electric pump.
5. Sleeping bags. Will you be happy in 'mummy style' or do you want wider 'envelope' shape? Cotton lining or synthetic? 3 season is usually best and get compression sacs to cut down on bulk.
6. Camping / picnic chairs
7. Some sort of portable table is v handy
8. A selection of lanterns - battery and wind-up for back up.

Things like cool boxes / utensils / you can think about once you have decided how you like to camp. Use your own kitchen stuff to begin with.

I have mid-range / cheap tent, cheap SIMS, cheap camping chairs, bog standard cooker (with no associated 'camp kitchen' stand), expensive Icey Tek cool box, reasonably expensive sleeping bags, expensive 'Campfire grill'. (and wish I had an expnesive tri pod and dutch pot for cooking, and pie iron).

Why not try out somewhere that has some ready erected tents and a cafe on site as back up? Not the full Featherdown thing, but if you are anywhere near the SE, Welsummer, for example?

Wild camping definatly but only for a few nights

What you need in terms of a list is as long or as short as whatever type of trip you are planning, your destination, what you plan on doing while you are there and what you plan on eating and how you plan to cook it.
[helpful]

My list for a week in N Wales going by car is somewhat different to my list for a week in France travelling by train (one is very veeeeeeery long, the other not so much )

The only things that are similar are
Tent
Decent pegs and a mallet
Something to sleep on
Something to sleep in/under
Head torch

All the above bar the head torches (aldi bargains) are worth investing in. At the very least you'll have a good chance of a good nights sleep in something that doesn't leak or blow away, something not to be sniffed at if you are camping in Britain.

Wild camping wild camping? Or wild camping with a tap and a drain?

One you'll need a spade for, the other a bucket with a lid.

eeek - tap and drain - Cae Du in NW has been reccomended to us a bit wild and freerange children but reasoanle faclities - Like the idea of a camp fire but also having a shower IYSWIM