Calling all happy campers!

[mum2twins]

I am a complete camping novice and quite honestly the idea fills me with dread, but my husband has just bought us a family tent!!!! His idea of comfort and mine are poles apart. Can anyone recommend the vital things we need such as something comfy to sleep on (my main problem is it all sounds really uncomfortable) and any other 'must haves'. Also can anyone recommend any brillaint sites for 4/5 year old twins!

I got an e-mail back re. Holmsley today saying they can't accommodate us after all so the hunt began again. Luckily had one place I hadn't phoned and they had room - Hill Farm Park in Romsey.

Stressful this!

Well we just put the tent up in the garden - me and DH now only just talking so it went as expected!!

Do you think the people that write instructions for putting tents up are having an effing laugh? VAGUE to say the least (which of course is my fault).

I've just booked the bank holiday weekend for camping - couldn't get in Roundhill in New Forest which is our usual destination but managed to get into St Ives Farm in Hartfield in West Sussex.
Paid full amount (over £100 inc friends fees) and then discovered some awful reviews of the place on www.ukcampsite.com. Has anyone been there? Please tell me its not as awful as it sounds!

eeek sandyballs - just read the reviews - one good out of 7. Can't you cancel and claim ill health or something. If not you just have to pray the ravers aren't there when you are!

Pot luck with camping who you get to share the site with isn't it.

PrettyCandles - we went to Hurley Riverside Park - lovely stretch of river, isn't it?

Hooray Hooray It's a Holi-Holiday

Was it BoneyM who sang that?

Anyway, the Kbears are off tomorrow - so excited!

Thanks strawb, we've gone from having no camping gear two weeks ago to having the whole kit and caboodle including new tent, new-ish stove, new roof-box courtesy of DB and a whole load of other bits and bobs. Also DH's parents have given us £100 to have a nice time on holiday with. I am one lucky bear.

I will report back in a week or so! Please pray for sunshine. See ya.

KBear, Romsey is a lovely spot, and your twins will LOVE Paultons Park if you fancy a day trip out. It is a theme park place for little kids, so lots of running around places, picnic spots, fantastic playground and then lots of mini rides, even a mini roller coaster that my 5 yr old LOVES! It opens at 10am. They have a website. My top tip is; when you enter, head off in the 'right' direction, everyone goes left, you can whizz round all the rides on the other side before it gets mega busy, ie the roller coaster, tea cups etc. There are also penguins, a little land train.

Hope you get your peace and quiet, have a fab time.

bluesky - THANK YOU and for the tip about Paultons. Kids are 6 and 3 (not twins, you must be mixing me up with another bear!) and we looked at the website and they are very keen to go.

What am I doing on MN you might ask when I have to pack up the whole house into two small holdalls AND watch Big Brother. I am chilling out after a busy day at work and a slow and delayed train journey and then I promise I will get busy!

my fault kbear, i scrolled to the bottom thinking it was your thread, but now I see it wasn't, it was mum2twins, ahhhhh friday night confusion!! Hope you're packed and ready to go .....

I've just finished. Am knackered but too hyped up to sleep just yet although I'll be sorry in the morning when the kids come bouncing in at 6am.

I have a list as long as your arm but there must be something I've forgotten or am I THAT good? !

check - to the important things like tin opener and I don't need an opener for a BOX of wine - .

No, our nappy, bottle, potty days are done. We are free! DS is nearly 4. Only trouble is he does like a kip in the afternoon so still taking the buggy so we can put him in it if we're out all day.

Is it normal to feel this excited about camping?!!!! A few people at work today where asking where I was going and their faces fell at the mere mention of the word. Some others spent all lunch hour talking tents and camping stoves!!!

I usually go to Scotland so we're well prepared for hot, cold, wet, dry. Always take too much and rarely need half of it but have roof box will travel!

Right, I'm off to bed! See you.

Am looking at tents as sister(xena) is trying to persuade us to go camping with them. Can someone tell me ...... do all tents you buy have inner tents with their own integral ground sheets? some seem to say, others don't... how do I choose?

Usually they have bedrooms with sewn-in groundsheets but the living area has a loose one.

HTH

thank you, now just have to pick my tent!

try www.yellohvillages.com

They are great sites