I hardly dare admit it on here but our bell tent isn't really doing it for us

[Freezingmyarseoff]

Slightly concerned that I'll get rubbished by the MN bell tent posse but our 4m bell tent isn't really working out for us. We're a family of 5 and yes, I know we probably should have gone for 5m straight up but I wasn't thinking straight when we bought it (as a family of 4).

But we have got back from 10 days camping in France and found it really frustrating not having enough space & trying to get it vaguely organised enough to find anything. Thanks goodness the weather was fab but I can't imagine how tricky it would have been had it rained. Anyway we had always intended to upgrade to a 5m but now we're not so sure. I think we need a tent with rooms or certainly a divide between sleeping & living. Of course this is nothing to do with all the Dutch tents we saw at the campsite .
But what tents would you recommend as an alternative - we still want a canvas tent & something as easy to put up as possible.

Me too george me too.
It's baskets, trugs and rugs a go go. All things easy on the eye, and pleasing to the soul.

This is our third year camping, we never did it before children, and it has definitely got easier.

I agree that everything has to have a place. We also have clear plastic boxes full of stuff - kitchen things, fairy lights, lanterns et al, which sit waiting in the attic ready to just be squeezed into the car. We're hopefully getting to the stage where we just get the boxes down, check the batteries are charged and things are clean and go. This would be so much easier than having to find things and run through long lists each year.

Then it's only the food which actually needs particular organising, which is similar to any cottage holiday, or normal week to be honest. It is so much better this year than last year and hopefully next year will be a doddle.

I think all holidays with children have a degree of stress, initially I was anti-camping but now I think it's actually the least stressful option and genuinely love it. Mine are aged 6, 4 and 18 months .

we have a sleeping compartment. We never camp for very long though, and for us the one person being able to put it up thing compensates for any downsides.

We've got an outwell Montana, it takes a while to pitch but is uncomplicated. Everyone has their own compartment, very helpful with 2 crap sleepers, 22 months and 3y.

We have a Vango Lomond 600, quite modern tent. For us, we really need to be comfortable and have space and headroom when camping. I've seen the bell tents, and they do look nice and seem more breathable, however being tall I have a phobic dislike of sloping headroom, and hate having to constantly duck to get from a to b. Our tunnel tent works for us!

In theory I would adore a bell, in the field if lone camping I would love one but when camping with my family , I could see it being a nightmare.

We were away with our friends camping last week, they a couple in their 5m bell and us in our Polycotton version of the Kampa Filey.

Their bell was gorgeous , all organised and glamped up with everything Orla Kiely: duvet, bunting, mugs,canisters,towels everything matching. It looks stunning.

Our tent also has everything matching, tablecloths,cutlery,dinnerware, bunting,solar lights etc. Being a tunnel tent with a side storage room & bedrooms it also means that all of our clothes,shoes, (crap) can get hidden in the storage room. Our body conscious teen& preteen have a zip up separate room(s) to get dressed/undressed in and me & Mr onaroll don't have to cozy up in bed with an audience.
That leaves the living area with our sofa & throw for comfort and space for our storage table ( with kettle, tea making stuff , toaster and charging stuff on ) and our table and chairs inside if weather rubbish.
Last week weather was glorious, table & chairs outside. Kitchen was set up in the attached awning.
Dh & Ds left earlier than me & Dd. I packed up ( with minimal help on inside stuff from Dd).

My friends in their bell had said they would help with the tent.
Striking camp in a rain storm, I got my tent down as quick as they got their bell down.... Soaked through to the bone, I did need help lifting the tent into the car as it was so heavy with pools of water in it.

I have (whispers) 9 tents.... They are all but one Polycotton or canvas. I have a pyramid,a cabanon a trailer tent within the tents. My favourite is the pyramid tent. I still want & hanker after a bell....but only for when I camp alone.

For family camping I find the tunnel tent or the trailer tent best. But I am a canvas camper so of course want a bell.....

9 tents! You so need a bell tent to tidy it up to a round 10

CerealOffender - you make a very valid point .
I keep looking at the 3m bells ( without the centre pole) , but think it would have to be at least 4m.

I actually really love the Emporer bell, but that goes against everything I said above........

NINE TENTS?!

I so want a poke around your outhouse....

ViviPru

Mr onaroll just wants to have it clear and tents gone :-/..........
Then he could get more bikes in ;-D

i have a massive cabanon in storage only used once with a trailer.
am not in the UK at moment but have though for ages if anyone would like to buy it.
so there must be a market for them still.
interesting. it's just like the ones we went camping in in the late 70's
i live in Devon if anyone knows anyone who would be i
interested.
obviously need to dig it out of storage and check condition. too big for my needs now.
just saying

Ha onaroll that sounds like DH. i once told him there was no way he was even thinking about getting another bike until he cleared the garage that I'd barely been able to walk one step inside due to mountains of crap for over a year. The very next day it was emptied and spotless....

ViviPru - did he get the bike ?

I currently have 9 bikes on a stand in mine, he is using one this lunchtime and keeps a 'spare' at the office in case anyone wants to go on the lunchtime cycle......

I can't use the argument ' how many bikes does one person need?' ; the answer would be 'how many tents does one person need? '

Same have the same justifications too, different one needed for different circumstances....

Yes, it was already on order the cheeky fecker. When I complain about the multiplying bikes he just says one word "cameras" and I have to STFU. I have lost count. I've over 10 possibly.... Gotta take nice pictures of my tent haven't I?!