October half term?

[Dilbertian]

Am contemplating going camping in October half term without EHU. Am I mad? I am definitely a fair-weather camper - I get cold at night.

Any tips for surviving, maybe even enjoying it?

Anyone?

We bought an old caravan for £100, fixed the leaking roof, had some great holidays over the winter then bought a newer better one, its much easier to keep warm and nice to have the On suite luxury
If you want to go Tenting, with no EHU, hot water bottles and sleep on some Kingspan foam insulation or Polystrene sheet ideally an inch or two thick, wear a hat and you will be fine, I wouldn't recommend a nocturnal toilet trip though as it will be cold.

Oh and good warm stodgy food

I would LOVE a caravan, even an old one, but we have nowhere to store one.

What is inch-thick polystyrene sheeting?

Tbh, I love camping, but it's too cold for me right now.
I'd say that given its darker nights as well as colder, I'd have ehu, to allow for the use of a heater, as well as kettle for water bottles, warm drinks and better lighting.
I'd also have a carpetted communal area - makes loads of difference.

This is the best thing to put under your air bed or sleeping mat, its not very durable but for £6 you wont be cold, well not through lying on the damp ground, you can often get damaged sheets cheap from builders merchants
www.wickes.co.uk/Kingspan-TW50-Insulation-Board---1200-x-450-x-50mm/p/180440?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplp180440&sc_intid=180440&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppyb-rGOs7yY7pbxl5nKNv1jINlLR0wyfpPSrZPAoUcKgdG8FbhsS7OIaAiWjEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Caravan storage is often difficult and can be from £200-500 per year, the Inlaws keep there's on a site in Cornwall and the owner stores it in a barn and brings it out t=when they come on holiday

Polystrene is more expensive but is not as good an insulator as the Kingspan stuff
What ever you do dont have anything with a naked flame heating the tent its just not safe, remember there is no such thing as poor weather just poor equipment. Lots of layers fleeces and down jackets are very good

Wear a hat in bed!

That Kingspan stuff would fill the car!

I've got merino long underwear, which I wear as PJs when camping if it's even vaguely chilly. Plus wool socks and a wool beanie. Dh and the dc all have thermals of various sorts. I was thinking duvet and pillow, as well as sleeping bag, for each of us. And disposable heat packs that stay warm all night.

I've got SIMs for the dc, but I prefer an airbed for comfort. Airbeds aren't as insulating, of course. I could put a thick old wool blanket between me and the airbed, and cardboard boxes opened flat under the airbed and the SIMs?

But what about daytime and meals? Carpet for the living area is a good idea. We used to bring the SIMs into the living area to sit on in the daytime. I've never put chairs in the living area, as I'm worried they would rip the groundsheet. Would carpet protect it?

You can cut it up and just place it on the floor, just under your body is good, it looks like you are well equipped to start with.
Have you considered sites that allow open fires?
Charis could be stood on a carpet mat to protect the ground sheet.
Card board is great for insulation

Yes to cardboard under your sleeping mats or those insulated foam playmats.

Remember to cook early before it gets dark. I hate faddling around trying to do stuff in the dark.

Consider a site that allows proper campfires and sit out keeping warm by your fire.

Take hot water bottles. You can get long ones now, that could be good, heating the main length of a sleeping bag.

However, October half term is too cold for me. I'm OK at night in my sleeping bag, it's being outside all day in cold temperatures, and the damp.

Some moral support. We are doing this too. I sort of bought a tent on a whim and we need to test it. My idea was one night only. DH has argued for two. We do have EHU and planned statley home visit incl indoor for daytime.

It isn't that cold here (SE) but there's just been a bloody monsoon. As long as that blows over we should be fine.