First off, I just want to say thank you for all the invaluable tips I have read while planning our first camping trip. We (me, OH and 3 boys) have just returned from a weeks camping in Wales and it was brilliant, the kids loved it, so thank you.
I would also like to thank the lovely man who told us about the camping shop in town that was having a sale after we had admired his tent. After erecting our borrowed tent, we went down to the shop and had a look, mainly because we had forgotten our eldest sons folding chair and thought we'd get another cheap(ish). Any way we didn't get the chair but we did get an Alaska 8 dirt cheap from the bargain bin. After being assured that we could return it if it was no good, we duly took it back to the campsite and (after checking with the owners) set it up (no instructions) which took about an hour and a half. We loved it immediately and after checking it thoroughly, took down the borrowed tent and spent the rest of the holiday in our Green Goddess as she is now known. We survived the wind and the rain in her and our only problem now is finding somewhere big enough to dry her out as we had to decamp while it was raining.
We hadn't planned to buy a tent so soon, as we weren't sure the kids would like but two days in we knew they did and we couldn't resist a bargain. Thanks to this website and forum and the advice on here I knew what to look for and what to avoid so many many thanks.
I've got an Alaska 4, they are well designed with a very good layout. If you've got nowhere to dry it out, then put it in the bath and keep moving it to get most of the water out of it. You can hang it over the banister or somewhere similar to get it dried out properly.
You sound like you are happy with your new purchase and if you got it for the right price then it looks like your trip to the camping shop was well worth it
Yes we tried the beach at Borth Y Gest, great for rockpools and although we didn't go up the mountain we did go on a few railways including the Ffestiniog (Porthmadog - Blaenau) and the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon - Rhydd Du), OH and the kids even got a ride on the footplate of Taliesin at Porthadog, something that OH has been wanting to do for 30 years!
Yes the traffic through Porthmadog was a bit of a pain, but bearable and yes the shop was Outdoor World (great assistants).
The whole holiday was wonderful, the people on the campsite were so friendly and easy going and it is a beautiful part of the country, even the rain couldn't spoil it. We can't wait to go back next year and do some of the things we missed this time round (more railway! - OH and youngest son are train nuts - slate mines and more beaches).
Nice to hear that a bricks and mortar shop can compete with the net. I was just saying today how I don't know how I would manage without the internet as I researched ALL our kit on the net and purchased it all at a greatly reduced cost.
Shame the only shop round our way is about twice the price of everywhere else and poorly stocked. Guess it won't be in business for too much longer though.
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: Buying a tent while camping!
