Anyone fancy a single parent's camping trip?

[Lioninthesun]

I was just thinking that this is in most SP's price range (camping in general I mean) and how it would be really boring/hard to do it alone...although admittedly I have never tried but the thought of setting up a tent with DD running riot makes my brain bleed a little.
So...if it isn't too weird an idea....does anyone else fancy it?

[mummylin2495]

Just to let you know , I live in Bournemouth and if you manage to get to the air show, it's free which is a bonus. It's a great show providing weather is ok. There may be a train station nearer to the forest without you travelling right into Bournemouth station. If you do this , you will only have to travel back the way you have come to get to campsites. Hth . I second the person who suggested naive in wonderland park. I used to work there and it's a great day out. Would suggest you take a picnic though as cafe is expensive. Loads to do for children and you can spend all day there. Enjoy your holidays !

[mummylin2495]

Naive = Alice

[Lioninthesun]

Thank you mummylin :)
I only have one 3 man or a 2 man tent!

[IneedAyoniNickname]

Thanks mummylin My 2love the Alice in Wonderland park, and are always nagging to go again :) and of course you would be welcome to join us on day trips :)

[mummylin2495]

Alice park is only ten minutes from my house , and no you can't all come and camp in my garden !! But you never know if you are at air show I will be there, wouldn't miss it

[FourLittleDudes]

This looks lovely :-) I'm a single parent to 4 boys, who will be 11, 9, 2 and counts fingers about 8 months in August. I've never camped before in my life, don't have a tent, and don't drive so would be a complete adventure for us! Can we think about coming along if no one minds?

[IneedAyoniNickname]

Yes come fourlittledudes :) especially as then my boys won't be the only boys there

I'm going to speak to my brother later and see if he has any spare tents to lend us :)

[Lioninthesun]

Oh yes! So glad there will be some other 2yo's for DD to make mischief with too :) We haven't been camping together yet either, so should be an eye opener!
Am wondering if it would be worth seeing if we could hire a big tent from them...do they do that? If I can save bringing a tent that would make train travel a lot easier, but if it looks unlikely I am sure we can manage :)

[HerrenaHarridan]

Wow I just looked at Alice in wonderland park!

[IneedAyoniNickname]

They probably don't hire tents, I can't get hold of my brother but will keep trying. He certainly used to have tents he doesn't use.

[Confused40]

Oh I'd definately be up for this! I've got a tent and an about to have a baby. Older son isn't interested in camping at all, but got another friend who'd be up for it too. What a good idea. Just to get away for a few days sounds fab! What dates were you thinking of? This is so needed

[janey223]

Off to start a thread in allergies - DS may need to spend the weekend eating pasta shapes, carrots and fruit... Not that he's mind.

[Lioninthesun]

We were looking at 30th Aug onwards as the prices are a bit lower. There is apparently an air show on that weekend though, so perhaps we should try to book fairly soon? I think we'd be up for a whole week.
A few of us will be going up by train and meeting at Clapham Junction too :)
I have a friend down this weekend but will pop on here later tonight.
Hope your DS isn't suffering too much janey, it's hayfever season now at last so I am starting to suffer with sneezes and slightly watery eyes.

[HerrenaHarridan]

Let me get this straight, booking as if 30tg August, no group discount so can book individually.

Motorhome can have tent on same pitch.
How do I fairly offer that?
To a family with ++ kids that would en up using 2 smaller tents and therefor paying double?
I have a 2 man tent that someone is welcome to use (or bring their own obviously)

[IneedAyoniNickname]

That's right Herrena re group discount.

Not sure how best to offer the spare place, it says pup tent, which normally means something small. I think my tent is too big to be classed as a pup tent, otherwise is offer to share the space and split the cost.

[HerrenaHarridan]

Depends how big it is I suppose, anything with rooms is probably pushing it

[IneedAyoniNickname]

Mine tall enough to stand in, and has a living area, and 2 bedrooms. :D

[janey223]

Oh his are just food I'm the hayfever sufferer!

No tent here, sure they'll be cutting them in price by then!

[HerrenaHarridan]

Yoni; that is not a pup tent!

Thinking I will book from the sat (31st) but going to go through my diary and work it out with contact.

Dds dad has cancelled 4 times, which I figure gives me 4 'valid' cancellations since I have never cancelled. The question is do I travel down sat after contact and miss contact at the end or miss contact the week before and book Friday through Friday and encompass a visit to my down south family (live in Scotland)

Going to look at the travel times and see if its even realistic to travel down after contact.

The deposit isn't too steep at least

[IneedAyoniNickname]

No I know its not, but I hate not being able to stand!

I'm probably going to go on the Fri, as my birthday is the Sat :)

Just have to see how long we can stay, which depends on school dates. And money of course!

[HerrenaHarridan]

Oooo your birthday!
That's very exciting! Do you like baileys? I have a beautiful recipe for baileys. I will make a batch specially. Do you have any preferences for flavour I can easily do extra chocolate, extra coffee, mint, orange, cherry or hazelnut and with a bit if thought I could probably do strawberry or raspberry.

Had a look at travel times and there is no way im doing the drive in one go, google maps estimates 7.5 hrs but since most of that is motorway (assumed speed ~70mph) and my van has a top speed of 55mph methinks that it should be done over a couple of days at least. Which is great because its another chance to visit my family.

So Friday kick off then

When's the air show? And when do we get to go to wonderland?

[IneedAyoniNickname]

Ooo homemade bailey's, yes please! Ummm, all the flavours sound amazing! I think the airshow is all weekend. Wonderland is mostly outdoors, so I guess a day with good weather :)

[LlamaLover]

Oooh, can I join in please? Its me and my 2.5 year old DS. We'll be driving down from oop North (stopping at Birmingham to see friends and Thomas Land on way I'd think). We have our own two man tent and basic equipment.

We'd be very interested in Air Show, Alice in Wonderland and Peppa Pig World. Will need to keep an eye out for vouchers!

I do, however, have a very large estate car, so can bring all wine and other supplies needed for everyone who is coming by train. I can maybe take orders the week before or something.

[HerrenaHarridan]

Hi llama,

Vouchers, what a good idea! I'll get googling.

Also don't you sometimes get great discount stuff through tesco club card. I don't have one but I may look into getting one

[janey223]

Llama that would be amazing, was a bit worried at prospect of carrying a weekend worth of food.

Will anyone be using formula over the weekend? It'd probably be easier to just use oat milk for DS but I don't think it'd go down well at bedtime.