Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 21/8/2022
Same - hook up, chairs out, fix dog to outside of MH. And r-e-l-ax.
Did a quarter century of tent camping, I’d go back to to the comfortable Cabanon Pyramide for a fortnight in one place with narrow roads for exploring by car. But it didn’t work for us for touring, one night & move on.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 21/8/2022
Same - hook up, chairs out, fix dog to outside of MH. And r-e-l-ax.
Did a quarter century of tent camping, I’d go back to to the comfortable Cabanon Pyramide for a fortnight in one place with narrow roads for exploring by car. But it didn’t work for us for touring, one night & move on.
Did you sell it? I'm looking for one...
Nope. It’s a spare bedroom in the garden when the house is full.
We set the tent up as a team BUT never make eye contact and don’t say what your thinking 😂 once it’s up make a brew forget the last half hour and enjoy
The best move I made was getting a proper Bell Tent. I can put it up by myself in under 10 minutes so I get left to it.
By the time SWMBO comes back with the dogs, I'm on the bed having already had a brew.
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Not camped since we got a caravan, however, when we had our annual trip to France, we would stay the first and last night at a site halfway down, that was a case of just throwing the tent up as soon as we arrived (after checking the pitch for stray pegs, stone or anything to lose that could damage the tent, once we got to our main site, we took a bit more time with it all though, spending 10-12 nights on a pitch where your tent has been put up facing the wrong way gets frustrating as time goes on.
In that case, we would generally pull up at the pitch, unhook the trailer and move it into a corner, put the stove on and make a coffee, unpack the trailer, and then spend a bit of time working out where we wanted the tent, even then, we usually managed to get it wrong!!
Unhitch the trailer(open it and get toys etc for the kids, bed for the dog).
Open the boot and drag the tent out and odds n sods for it....her indoors drives off and does a food shop, I setup. On return she helps with finishing up, sorting the interior.
Bobajob.
------------- Trio trinidad(died)/ Bispace400(still going strong15 yrs later) /ESVO Walnoot(had to surrender) / Cabanon Latitude(dead after the first outing). Vango illusion 500xl tc.
For my last trip over the New Year weekend, when I arrived at the site next to a pub, a car was parked in my pitch.
So I went to the pub and asked for help to remove the car.
While I was there I bought a bottle of their excellent cider.
As soon as the car was move (it belonged to a regular) and I was parked up, I opened the bottle and started to drink it before I hooked up the van! I like that kind of sites!
Please note that no levelling or van movement was required after I reversed into my pitch. Otherwise I would have levelled first and made sure I would not need to move the van again before I would start drinking alcohol.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Since the OP question and my previous reply, done a couple of very late arrivals in the dark and temporary pitches with intention of relocating to different 'permanent' pitch in the morning.
Oh the joy of a caravan over a tent! - just unhitch car (it'd be in the way left hitched, but not essential to do so), put the legs down, turn on the gas cylinder, plug in the EHU - 10 mins, ready to live in relative comfort. Container of water already on board for 'essentials' like a brew, so no need to fill water butt just yet. Toilet already 'primed' for use prior to setting off. Could be cooking dinner and quaffing booze inside 15 mins! - and the bed is ready and waiting!
Just as quick to reverse minor tasks of previous night to move to more permanent pitch in the morning. How I so don't miss all the graft of pitching tents and NEVER wanting to relocate once pitched!
Even in the pouring rain, compared to a tent, it's a doddle, and the foulest of weather can be someone else's problem after 15 mins on pitch.
1. Find the loo!
2. If there isn't one, get the loo tent up asap! Actually, I have got into the habit of finding a loo en route before getting to the site so that I can eradicate the first two requirements until later.
3. Take the dog for a quick walk so that she can 'go' too. Then peg in her lead so that she can watch with bemusement, me struggling with No.4.
4. Get the tent erected.
I've always got a drink for both the dog and I in the car so that I can crack on with getting the tent up as soon as I've arrived on site. Call me pernickity but I like to get everything unpacked before relaxing, so that I know I can find anything I need. One thing I have learned since tent camping is that being methodical and organised is half the battle. (This I learned from bitter experience, having tripped over things that were left randomly strewn around!) Once I've finished faffing about I can then truly relax. Aaaaah!
Lovely, by the way, that this thread is still active!
------------- Life without dogs? I don't think so!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: When you arrive at your pitch
via mobile 21/8/2022 at 1:47pm
