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Hello Everyone

This is my first post, and also my first visit to the website.  My wife and I along with my too quickly growing up daughter, now fourteen, have been on many overpriced foreign holidays and have decided to opt for camping for a change.

We have not purchased a tent and wondered if renting one is an option before we commit to spending a load of money.  We would also like any advice on where would be an ideal first campsite to try, as I am sure there must be plenty in and around the lake district.  would like somewhere clean with showers etc.  Not bothered about bingo and fairground, but a pub/shop would be nice.

I have decided that we can have many holidays this way rather than one abroad holiday so it makes more sense.

Hi there

I read recently in camping magazine about Pod Camping, which is rent a tent in the UK. I think if you put it into google you should get the web site up. I did look at it and it comes out costly.

The other option is to borrow stuff from friends to try out.

We have recently become campers due to cost etc and just went out and bought the stuff....even if we only go away 1 or 2 times a year thats 1 or 2 times more than now.

Thanks for the advice.

I am sure it is better to just go out and buy the gear.  what sort of tent would I need for three of us, and can you tell us what essentials we should consider, we shall probably go to Lowther park near Penrith for the first trip and be mostly eating out.

see here http://www.busyoutdoors.com/Pod_Camping.html 

hope this helps

Hi, not sure about renting gear, there is alot of really good camping equipment available so would recommend taking the plunge and buying it - you don't need to go all out for your first trip and a lot of places do starter kits.  As for a good site in the Lake district, we can thoroughly recommend The Croft at Hawkshead, a lovely site not too big and with good clean wash facilities, no shop,bar or clubhouse, it is right beside the little village which has several good pubs and a variety of shops - all you need within 2 mins walk! - it's in a great location for visiting consiton, windermere, ambleside etc.  The reviews and site details are on this website - just put The Croft in the name search. 

Good luck & enjoy!

Very busy site this! Camping must be v.popular.  I have just looked at some tent prices, not as frightening as I thought, some were £65 up to around £500 for the Vango 700.

It seems all I would need besides the tent is 3 sleeping bags, 3 fold up camp beds/ inflatable mattress, is a portaloo really needed? Some fold up chairs and hey presto! Or am I being silly and need a myriad of items with me e.g. fridge, electric wire, tv, camping stove, cutlery, table etc.

Hi and  welcome to the site.

From Carlisle the world's your oyster really .. you have the Lake district and  the Scottish borders both on your doorstep and there are some great campsites in both.   I can't add anything about renting , it seems a good idea, although I notice most of the podcamping sites are much farther south.   If you have a budget in mind,  have a look around your local camping shops and see what is on offer.  You can research anything you like  here, and the lovely folks here don't seem to mind even when some of us ask daft questions.    I won't mention that we couldn't work our guy ropes when we first started.!!

Equipment also doesn't have to be expensive.  Both Aldi and Lidls have camping equipment in from time to time, as well as the major supermarkets.  The 2 main items though are the tent and the sleeping bags.  Get those right and you won't look back - it's even worth taking a duvet at first as some people prefer them. Stick to a known brand for the tent,  if you can, rather than jump at a bargain on eBay.  - unless of course it's a well researched second hand tent.  I hope you find the right thing for you, and I am sure you won't look back.   

ps Aldi's has some stuff in tomorrow that usually flies of the shelves.

pps Warning - camping and this site are addictive  !

Hi and  welcome. 

I would second hlk01''s advice about getting a known brand tent.  We returned to camping last  year not having done it for 20 odd years.  I saw a cheapo tent (Eurohike) in Milfords and thought 'that will do'.  But it didn't.  We had bad weather, water in the tent, took it back and then applied a bit more thought to the project.  I researched tents on this site and those of various retailers, went to see erected the one I thought would suit and finally bought it - the Montana 6. We have only tried it out in the garden so far but are looking forward to our first holiday in it.  Like you, money was the big incentive for us to camp again. We just can't afford expensive foreign holidays and, in any case, there is so much beauty all around us here in England, who needs it?  My husband was dubious about spending £300 on a tent thinking 'What if we only use it the once?'  The answer to that is that, even if you do, you will still have spent far less than you would have done on any other holiday - even to rent a caravan for a week can cost £800.  Your tent will pay for itself, no doubt about that.  Personally, I wouldn't waste money hiring.  Find out with your own tent; you can't lose. Don't spend lots on gadgets and  fridges and pay for electrical hook up until you know you like it tho.  So, tent, sleeping bags, air beds ( We never used them first time around but wouldn't be without them now), little cooker, camping chairs and little table and Bob's yer uncle.  Have a lovely time.

I would suggest getting a small gas cooker of some description and a kettle.  Mainly for that early morning brew up.  Take the frying pan from home and cook bacon and eggs, there is nothing better than the smell of a cooking breakfast whilst camping. 

Other than a tent and sleeping bags whatever else you get is whatever you feel you need.

You will get hooked though, we have a caravan now but still take the tent out now and again just for the fun of it