Weekend tents??? you know the ones, when the big detached palace is too much, or when you want a stop over en route??? 4 person (at least) 2 rooms, CHEAP

[crunchie]

Anyone??? Seruisly I want a cheap and cheerful tent for one nighters, not worried about it being slightly 'fairweather' as it will be the grab and go one if the weather is nice, or one that we use on the way IYKWIM

Must have 2 rooms, pref sepatrate ends of tent and must be cheap

we take a picnic to occupy kids, and always ask for a pitch overlooking play area as possible as frankly occupied kids = halved setting up time

We pack differently to Luce (not yet used roofbox although ahve one for summer) but as long as you have tent and mallet first to access its fine.

Waterprrofs go by my feet in case of emergency LOL

everyone packs differently BUT the golden rule is TENT IN LAST!!!

slubberdegullion which end of wales? North or South?

north

So shell isalnd campsite perhaps? Lucy (iirc) goes there from the north?

Slubber - I've just noticed you live in Cheshire! whereabouts roughly? I'm from Stockport so we tend to a lot of N Wales trips.

But we are braving the run to Cornwall in the summer!

Nr Chester.

where is shell island? (or is that the name of the campsite??

Happy campers from these here parts tend to go to Anglesey (nice beaches).

Any suggestions of good sites with a little play area suitable for 2-3 year olds very welcome!

(apologies crunchie do seem to have hijacked here...Soooooooooo many questions!!)

Shell Island is just south of Harlech - bit exposed and windy and suits more 'rugged' campers!

Nice sites on Anglesey are Home Farm at Benllech, Tyddyn Isaf near Moelfre (gorgeous playground set into the hillside but a very slopey site!)

The Plassey is meant to be good near Wrexham, ut that may be too close for you!

Oh I think first experimental trip we will go somewhere near. In case we forget something and need to come home for it (or is that cheating)?

Another question: 1 or 2 burner stove for w/e trips.
DH says 1 (I think he is planning on surviving on tinned beans with mini sausages and coffee.)
I say 2 (would like pasta & sauce made separately).

Unless you are thinking of buying 2 cookers then you may as well go for the 2 ring - as you say pasta on one ring, sauce on the other!

You'll need to buy the gas bottle too and they aren't cheap. The one ring cookers run off a gas canister and look a bit like a briefcase - although if you are going to The Plassey they do have a nice cafe/restaurant place apparantely!

2 ring copied and pasted

gas tip:

the bottles cost £40 for alrge ones from a dealers

we got a small stove 9rubishy one that lives in the shed) with a gas bottle attached fro a tenner on ebay LOL

They often have empty gas bottles cheap on there

We only use 1 ring btw but find a grill important. And dont have a fridge. But sleeping comfort and warmth very imporatant- blankets on all the floors insulate rooms soundly, and hot water bottles are good. kids sleep with PJs a fleece and a hat LOL except in the hottest weather.

We use sachet coffee (some of the cappucino ones are nice) for the mornings to avoid milk storage issues, but most sites offer an ice pack exchange scheme which is adequate in most weathers.

Peachy C&P also!

Wow this is all very informative and helpful.

Am going to go for it now. We are going to become campers!

How about this gas bottle? you'd need the attachments but you could get those on ebay too!

St Helens isn't too far either.

See, a damn site better than £40!

(was just looking for a c&p really LOL)

oh have another one.

Do you put your DH in those ready bed things. Or are air beds de-rigeur? Or are they the just the same thing?

As a child my parents made me sleep in those army cavas camp beds. I'm sure they aren't about anymore.

oops I mean DC in ready beds.

Am just imagining DH's face if I made him sleep in a disney princes ready bed.

We used to sue ready beds, but we now have camp beds (a tenner in millets)- after about 4 I think they sleep better on them, tbh. And they cnt get punctured as 2 out of our 3 did

Peachy was that a typo...or did you really really hate your ready beds?

Ah me and typo's- second only to Cod LOL!

Lucycat...you can tell I'm a virgin...but does all that erm rust on the top of that camping bottle not matter?

No, they exchange it for refills anyway.

nah -it's what happens after a few years -it'll make you look like a seasoned camper lol

(sorry LOL_ Luce and I can be a bit of what ds3 calls a 'cammpy camp camp' double act LOL)