anyone NOT going this weekend due to weather forecast?

[oiseau]

It's our inaugural trip this weekend, bought all the kit, lovingly packed it all and it's sitting ready to go in the spare room. But the forecast looks shite for the SE ... We can't decide whether to go and risk putting the ds's off for life (and perhaps me?) or wimp out???

I really really really want to go but trying to make sensible decision.

what do you seasoned campers think?

I'm going ... even though it looks like it's going to be COLD (which is worse than wet I think, terrible when combined!)

Am a fair weather camper really, but as long as it's dry when pitching and erm... de-pitching(?) then I think it'll be okay. Will make sure I bring the hot water bottles and the little heater and lots of travel games

At least there doesn't seem to be high winds like there were last year's Whitsun.

Last year we came home a day early because we got back to the tent to find the wind kicking up, we were soaked to the skin then to add insult to injury the electricity got cut off at the site! We admitted defeat and came home...

We were going to go for our first time this weekend but can't now for other reasons. However I do feel that for our first time I want to go when the weather is good as I know I will get all stressed if I have to sort everything in the rain.

gawd. 2 days ago when I checked it was sun sun sun, now there is one sun hiding behind a cloud on saturday morning, and then there are two rain droplets clouds for the rest of the time.

bugger

can't back out now, sitting room carpet hidden beneath stuff and the dds are practically incontinent with excitement.

But I am a wimp.

We have cancelled 3 planned camping trips already this year due to bad weather forecasts. DP and the girls are going this weekend, but I am put off by last Whitsun weekend - our camping trip then was the worst we'd had in 10 years, torrential rain for several days on Dartmoor. I am still scarred from the memory, we are definitely fair weather campers. We go quite a lot, 4-5 times a year, but only in good weather.

Famous Last Words: It CAN'T be as bad as last Whitsun

was whitsun 2007 very bad then?

[novice]

we weren't supposed to bail out last Whitsun as it was with a group and it would have been Letting The Side Down. That's the only reason we suffered it.

I don't know what the South East forecast his, here in the SW it's mixed, not brilliant but not totally appalling either.

Awful Tatter!
I wasn't even camping and I remember the heartrending threads...
Did you see Desperate Housewives last night?
Like that, with tents.
Our Scouts Donkey Derby was rained/hailed off for the first time ever

Rain's okay as long as it's not one long downpour - showers and it being fairly warm if overcast is fine.

My top tip for being out and about in occasional showers: wear baseball cap underneath the hood of your mac - keeps the rain off your face.

It's the cold thing I'm worried about. We're camping just east of Birmingham and it's supposed to be 13/14C at highest on Sunday and Monday... don't mind so much if it's nearer 20 but just wet.

Take wellies, and good cagoules. And lots of warm clothes. And aim to go to cafes and pubs and indoor places to eat or warm up if the weather is cold and wet. Don't suffer for hours in a cold damp field. Also take extra blankets at this time of year, not just sleeping bags.

it could be OK. even fun.

(she writes, secure in the knowledge that I am going to have 4 days TOTALLY on my own in a lovely WARM DRY house this weekend while DP and the dds go to camp).

Bloody bloody hell and dd2 has the most exuberant case of the shits

Sleeping bags?

We have DUVETS and sleeping bags and hot water bottles I think we'll be okay.

Good point about the eating indoors.

We also have an electric pitch so we get to take a little bar heater thing. Naughty but nice

Sleeping bags?

We have DUVETS and sleeping bags and hot water bottles I think we'll be okay.

Good point about the eating indoors.

We also have an electric pitch so we get to take a little bar heater thing. Naughty but nice

Oops... somehow clicked twice, sorry!

goodness me, how do you carry all your crap?

duvets?????!!!!

then you have tent, tables, food yadda yadda

do you have a trailer?:

sounds like hard work to me

Oh this brings back memories of this time last year.

How dh ever managed to get me camping ever again after that is nothing short of a miracle because what I said about camping after that is not repeatable .

I am going this weekend for my first ever camping trip (well, since I was young anyway!). I'm taking a 3 year old and a baby. Think I may be mad...nope, know I am!

As is where I told him he could put his tent!

Olive: I have a folding camper ... I do take the kitchen sink with me (and an oven, and a grill, and a hob, and a toilet, and two mattresses, and...)

I have an older version of one of these - so I get to be off the ground on a mattress with a duvet and don't need to leave the camper to get to the loo!

(unfortunately ours doesn't have the heating or the MP3 player... )

psst Oliveoil - is it this one?

We have a huge roofbox and everything fits in the car - honest.

we get all our food when we get there, just take a flask of coffee and some pain au chocolat for first arrival - having previously checked out local Tesco/Sainsbos/etc before we go (on tinternet), pitch tent, then I go to the supermarket while retentive dh pegs all the guys out.

peasy

Have a nice soothing photo slideshow of camping to make you all feel more positive.