Just So Festival 2013

[Ni1981]

Hello! I'm new to mumsnet and was wondering if you guys can help me. I am a mum of 3 (aged 4,2 and 6 months) and looking to go to the Just So festival. Have any of you been? Would you recommend it? We've never been camping so am drowning in all the posts about what we need.

Tent: we are undecided between a 5m belltent/soulpad or a tunnel tent. Anyone got any advice?
Essentials: what do we need? I don't want to buy everything and never use it again.

Sorry to overload the information, any help/advice will be really appreciated.

TIA

Do you already HAVE the tents or are you undecided about which one to take?
If so ... Take the bell tent... There will be lots there. If you haven't got tents then you need to decide what kind of tent you want long term maybe ( both good btw)
If you have one of those cart thingys that you can haul children/ equipment around in / transport it from car to pitch ...then take one of those
Errm...essentials... Is this your first camp? Or have you got some stuff?

Tent-wise, I would say get a bell tent - you will love it . However, you and your DH need to work out what sort of campers you are. if you love being tidy and everything having its place, everyone having a little bedroom to sleep in, a bell tent may not be for you. The best thing about bell tents is the open-plan living aspect and the mess that tends to result in is not for everyone (that said, there are storage solutions around - pop up hampers etc).

Essentials - something to sleep on - airbed/self-inflating mattress, foam mats. Almost everything else you can bring from home if you have space in your car. So, duvets and sheets for all and a travel cot with sleeping bag/sheets and blankets for the baby unless you are co-sleeping.

Take a picnic rug to sit on to avoid having to bring folding chairs unless you already have them. If you have plastic mugs and plates take those - otherwise, it might be worth forking out for some to avoid smashed china.

Cooking-wise, you could just buy all your food there but most people want to be able to cook something and boil water for tea and/or the baby's bottle if relevant. So get a cheap gas burner, single or double ring, (with gas) and bring saucepan/frying pan from home. You can then cook up bacon, sausages for breakfast (if you don't just have cereal) and boil pasta/rice for dinner - always a good stand-by with a jar or packet of sauce.

You will defintiely need:

Torches for everyone (ideally head torches)
Coolbox or coolbag with ice packs or bags of ice or frozen bottles of water/milk to keep everything cool.
WINE and beer
Tea/coffee/sugar
Warm clothes/thermals (it will be chilly in the evenings and in bed)
Wellies (I always forget them and have to buy new ones on the way)
A bucket for night time wees (not for everyone but I can't bear having to schlep to the loo at night)

Have a wonderful time