Oooh now, camping I hear you say. Suddenly it is becoming strangely appealing but I am a total novice, loads of Q's

[Enid]

but dh is 'mr practicality' and the best holiday we've ever had was when we drove a camper van round OZ and we both loved the self-suffiency of it.

So...possible and fun with three kids (7, 4 and 15 months - next summers ages)?
what do you need to get started and are the tents hideously expenisve, also which are the best ones as dh will want to know that ?
Can you just 'pack and go' or do you need to book ages in advance?
ARe all campsites full of fat blokes with their tops off sitting round stinky bbqs playing music super loudly?
Is it utterly weather dependent?

Last time I camped was in the french alps in an old army tent with two blokes, there was an almighty storm and we tried to keep the rain out using big stones along the bottom of the tent and I had to sleep on a lilo. Am presuming things have come on a bit since then.

you coudl allwyas get a lst minute cancellation this year nand got o brittnay or womwhere in a mobile home allset up
your kids woudl LOVE it

yes maybe we will

am feeling strangely confident after a day at the beach without dh and with three kids

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don't know about all the campsites but have friends who go to a fantastic place on the Norfolk coast and they said that you either book (apparently the campsite is already taking bookings for next summer ) or they have a limited number of slots that they keep for people who turn up on the day. Have no idea if they all work this way though.

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what do you DO all day?

did you watch the Top Gear caravanning bit on Sunday?

you can get campsites with pools, playgrounds, near the beach etc.

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so come on whats the rolls royce of tents?

There are some swish tents in a shop called Tiso up here - complete w/'bedrooms' on either side of a corridor-type space in the middle.

Wow! Beats the hell out of a Kevlar bivy bag that costs the same.

get yourself to the ukcampsite here

It is just brilliant
The kids love it.....and i just love seeing them all mad-haired and grubby iykwim.
I guess it's kinda expensive...but once you've got it, you've got it haven't you?

Basics:

Tent ...i think it's best to get a good brand even if it's second hand..although saying that we had an Aldi tent that did us for a few years.

Sleeping bags and mats/airbeds

Cooking stuff ... or you could just buy dinner out for the evening and do breakfasts and lunch yourself if you don't want to cook.

coolbox

torches/lanterns

Can't think of any other absolute must-haves...but if you get into it you will!

some chairs and stuff to sit on. A must!

I like to bring a small table, too.

We are novices. Have bought a tent (montana 4 - v nice) and are going to do a series of two night trips locally during the summer hols (so if weather is rubbish we can come home.) I can't imagine ever wanting to go away for two weeks but we'll see - kids are beside themselves with excitement.

Get that cool camping book - quite poncey but made me want to do it.

you got o a fench site where its hotand you haev a pool lal day and kids clubs int he mornign so oyu can pootel in to local ville and avail yourslef of seafood plonk and pastry

and re the day at the beach
those lightbulb " i can do it oyu knwo" moments are great

And as Troupout will confirm this is the best tent in the world (can't link directly, click on tents, then Montana 6, can watch great tent porn of it being erected...oooer).

I never thought I would go camping again, though most of my holidays as a child were camping in Cornwall, but I got bitten by the bug last summer. You get real 'Smug Mum' feelings at your kids just running round all day, being children - no computer games, no TV, going to bed tired and grubby. They love it. And the very best bit is after they're in bed when you sit by your tent, drink wine and watch the sun go down (even better if you can go camping with friends - like we did last weekend. Troutpout and I in our matching Montana 6s ).

It is somewhat weather dependent (unless you're hard core) - we went in September last year and it was blimmin' cold, but if the weather's good, it's just fab.

Oooh go for it...it's as addictive as MN in its own way.

Oh yes, as puddle says, get the Cool Camping book - guaranteed to make anyone yearn for a few nights under canvas (or, in my case, 5000 Hydrostatic Head Outtex polyester...)

and you do live in the best place for camping Enid - so you wouldn't have to go far if you didn't fancy it!

btw marthamoo is still in the first flush of romance with her new tent

but it is a good 'un.

Just don't get toooo big a tent as you might not get a campsite to accept it!

Come and visit us here week beginning 5th August and have a nosey round!! You're more than welcome

showed dh the video

he said 'all i want to know is, does it come with a butler'

Depending on your marital set-up, Enid...that might well be you.

Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

'ello, gorgeous

How are you? Long time no mooooooooooooooooooo!

(Sorry Enid - just needed a brief moooooooooooo, I know you'll understand and I am very glad you had a lovely day on the beach with the girls)

I am slightly tiddled (in a nice way) and my baby finished at nursery today and it was all very emotional and I cried and there was much hugging (ds1 went there too, I'm on the Committee, they're fab, I love 'em). And I said I would go to the Next sale tomorrow with Troutpout (it's kind of a tradition) but I can't find if Macc one opens at 5 (it did in the winter, we were there in the snow and ice, like the loonies we are)...

and dh's job is all..grrr...aaarggghhh...will he have one next week..

but yeah, apart from all that, hunky dory. You?