OK need a weekend tent - Khyam? (and a rant- apologies)

[SlightlyFamiliarPeachyClair]

had a lovely weekend here but the tent took ages to pitch. it's great for the longer trips (couldn't be any smaller with Sam really) but just too much for the short ones, so we're trying to decide between the Tourer 400 (DH) and XL (me). Any ideas, anyone?

Really narked actually, as we got home to find a message from a site we booked 6 weeks ago saying they might not be able to fit us in now. they've had our tent measurements for all that time, FGS! . It was one thing trying to find somewhere for August in June (though ahrd enough...), quite another now I suspect! We joined the caravan and camping club specifically to use booking services,a nd so far NOWHERE has been wlling to take our tent, so £33 wasted. Is a six man tent, albeit a large one, that much for a family of five where one is disabled? I get it when a diablo 900 is ocupied by two poeple, but we do have to pay site fees for all five after all.

how big is your tent and what shaspe is it?

Had a chat with the owner of the site we are going to next week. Their website says 6m by 6m max, our tent is 7 by 3.

He was quite OK for us to bring our tent and said it was the overall foot print that worried owners

Oyrs sleep 8 and is an outwell colorado, if that helps.

understand your

our tent takes 30 mins to get up.

It's exactly the same as a Vango Diabolo, 610 X 570. So yes big, but Sam needs to haev space to hide away if he overloads. We did tell them the size early on though, they apparently didn't notice it.

GRRRR

may I recommend getting a pop-up tent like this for hide away

also I know a turn-up and pitch in a field campsite in kent if that's any use? (has showers, toilets, play area, river, local pub, national trust site)

Thanks Twig, but 5 of us in a Quechua? Mmm, maybe not .

We did tell them this weekend, but the site had pitches that were hedged and the tent had to be re-pitched. Apparently, had we not told this site they'd have sent us home as they mark out 5 X 5 and if you don't fit, you go home. I have noticed a lot of people putting up physical barriers- logs, rocks, hedges. Apparently, it's because of the 2 poeple in a diabolo 900 scenario; really common I hear. some idiots ruining it for the larger families. We would like another child, what should we buy then? 6 of us in a Vango venture?

We can only travel max 2 hours from here (newport), because Sam gets really agitated. we have e-mailed the Cheddar one to see if they can fit us in again, as we did really like it, and also they had some huge pitches. It just depends if they've got any free,a s most of their pitches are too small. Other than that it's cancel i think. as the other place has our money and hasn't agreed to refund us yet. We are going away next week anyway, for our 'main' holiday- thank goodness that wasn't it! And apparently Forest holidays are considering a similar max tent scale, according to a UK Campsite thread back along.

Now, the Khyam thing: Dh likes the vis a vis thing, but i find it claustrophobic. Size and weight wise there's nothing in it, or cost either (£5 difference at taunton Leisure). it's gonna be a battle it out thing, i reckon! Won't be able to buy it for a few months thogh so will be too late for this palce.

I know, we will too Grrrrrrrrr

Have just sent V annoyee e-mail to caravan and camping club! hee hee hee

waste of bloody space

forest holidays let us pitch with a 7 by 3....but we had requested a larger pitch with and ehu

no I meant if you get a smaller tent then you can get a quecha for DS to have private area (to play in) cos they're so easy to put up / down

not stick all 5 peachies in one

Apparently we have been told the optimum pitch size is now 5 metre squared to geta s many in as possible. The Khyam XL only just makes that dimension, and is barely big enough for us for two nights. UKcampsite does have a list of sites taking big tents still though, if anyone needs a reference.

PArk Resorts still take any size without EHU, marked pitches with EHU tho (we don't do EHU thankfully)

Twig

ah I seeeeee- good idea, will think about that