I am thinking about maybe considering a small hypothetical plan for camping with a 4 and 5 yo on my own, for a week.

[Slubberdegullion]

Is this a good thought to be thinking?

Now I know I can do it as I am strong and practical and ruthlessly efficient

BUT

will I recieve any pleasure from such an activity?

Or will it be a hellish endurance test?

I don't know. I am contemplating this too.

have only camped in sub saharan african where it is EASY

not sure how you manage with persistent rain and proper wind though

I reckon it would be the sort of activity which, at the time, would be a hellish endurance test and then, when you've finish, you'll look back on it and think 'you know what, that was fun'!

hahahahahahahahahaha

Sorry, what I meant to say was - of course you can, why ever not?

But having just been away (in mobile home) with DS2 and DD, I missed the adult company in the evenings.

fox I do get the post endurance pleasure thing too, sort of Bear Grylls but homeopathised.

It's the going to do the washing up with both dds in tow aspect that makes me wonder if its a recipe for Defcon 5 Foul-Temper Mummy.

wotcha Chippy

I think I will be retiring to bed with the dds and mostly reading in the evening. I hate other people anyway [cheery]

Yes.

It will be brilliant.

Lots of torch batteries, lots of books and lots of wine. Absolute heaven.

Where do you live? We'll find you a campsite.

lol slubber

have you got all the camping stuff?

Choose a site with a nice toilet block (www.bob.org.uk have sites which are of a certain standard and www.ukcampsite.co.uk has thousands of sites and you can read the reviews to see if they have a nice toilet block ), and get the key for the disabled shower/toilet so you get a big shower and loads of space for the three of you (the baby bath is usually in the disabled toilet so just say you need the baby bath and you should get the key/code for the super-duper mahoosive shower), so you're not all crammed into a little cubicle together.

Consider this - does your conscience let you imbibe alcohol whilst in sole charge?

The answer to this question is "yes".

Oh yes I have all the kit and am happy to consume alcoholic beverages whilst supervising children

I am also now a member of the camping and caravaning club, I have the sticker up in my car and everything [exceedingly proud]. DH and I prefer smaller sites with a tree with a bit of rope attached to entertain the DC, but I was thinking if I was doing this alone I would max out on facilities.

I live near Chester. I was thinking N Wales, maybe Lake Bala, or I see there is a Forest Holidays site at Bedgellert.

nah, facilities (if you mean playground etc) mean you must leave your pitch and supervise the DC. This is not good.

neen, I agree, the family bathrooms are a godsend. One would be essential to avoid shrillness.

but Chippy I could supervise the dc at the playground with a book couldn't I? A book and a tin of cake in a bag.

I think play area of some sorts is essential to WEAR THEM OUT. They must be utterly physically drained by the end of the day to ensure civilised wake up times.

Well then you have the go to The Plassey near Wrexham www.plassey.com/. It has a playground and a pool (and a lovely disabled shower room ).

Or there is a Park Resorts site in North Wales somewhere which has the all-singing all-dancing kids' activities (but prices to match )

I like to take along an insulated mug of tea/coffee with my book and biscuits. A handy trick I picked up at scout camp the other week was to fill said mug with wine.

I have tried on 3 previous occasions now to go to the Plassey, it's always bloody full. It must be good
I wanted to do a spontaneous 'oh the weather is looking pretty reasonable, let's go girls' trip. Is this possible to do in August?

Chippy, I have one of those for saturday mornings at ballet.

I must quickly add I have TEA in mine at ballet, not wine, more's the pity

Hang on.

Is this why you bought the Forge Steel?

To ensure a peaceful nights sleep?

It's just not pc to crack the little lovelies over the head with a large lump of wood, however desperate you are to get a bit of hush and start your wine book.

'I wanted to do a spontaneous 'oh the weather is looking pretty reasonable, let's go girls' trip. Is this possible to do in August?'

Probably not at the Plassey, cos August is so busy anyway and as soon as the forecast looks good they fill up quick (if not full already). It is probably the same with a lot of other sites. On ukcampsite.co.uk you can search by area so it is possible to just do a ring-round of local sites at the time.

If all you want is a playground and a bit of grass to pitch a tent they should be able to squeeze you on anywhere though. If you don't need electric make sure you tell them you are just a tent with no electric cos you don't need a 'proper' pitch then and they might be able to fit you on.

Thanks neen. We have a relatively small tent so I'm hoping that the "any chance you can squeeeeeeeeeeze us in" might work.
The ukcs site search is great isn't it, it's so useful to read reviews from real people who have camped there rather than just a list of the facilities.

mary, we take solar lamps and a wind up lantern as we have been unstuck before by little fingers turning and leaving torches on through the day. Bless the little darlings.

Wildy, I may develop a menacing brandish with the Forge Steel, you know just giving them The Look whilst lightly stroking the handle.

Yes you can

Yes I have and with children the same age.
But I did have to shut them in the car when it came to putting the tent up as it was just waaaaaaaay to much help.

Dh has no holiday left so i will take the Dc camping during the week again this summer, hopefully with a couple of other mums who's partners commute/work all week.

And without Dh taking the piss, i could get away with the cup-cake bunting, bodenesque-windbreak and matching scatter cushions
(good use for his leftover space in the car)

lol

yes I hadn't though of that. I can fully embrace matchy matchy without the withering looks from dh.

zanz was it fun though?