New to the forum so hello everyone - seems a lovely place!
I feeling down . I am trying to arrange a holiday for me and my partner this year and was offered a place in Tenerife for free but checked the flights and it would cost £700 for flights alone!! We also have a dog so pet care and spending money would push this into over £1000 for one week - just can't afford this kind of money.
I am now thinking of camping in the UK as did a lot of this with my parents when young and always had an awesome time. I would greatly appreciate any help from members of the forum on certain things as being a novice means questions, questions, questions.
In hope of some assistance my first question is tent? I found this deal which seems good to me: Tent
What do you think? I know a 6 man might seem big for 2 but we will have dog and from my limited experience tents always seem a little smaller than advertised.
I would also be interested in hearing how much roughly camping costs nowadays? I know this is an open ended question however some rough guides would be appreciated.
Anyway sure I will have more questions (oh - like do all campsites allow dogs?) however do not want to bore you to death!
Hi Dave and welcome to the site, you've come to the right place for advice and support. First of all, re: the tent, have a look at this search result, it contains a great thread about how to put it up as well as opinions. If you don't like what you read try the tent review section above for some more ideas. As to choosing the site itself this website has the most amazing search facility for that purpose, check out above. Good luck in your quest for a well deserved holiday!
Glad to see you are thinking about giving camping a go, be warned though, it gets rather addictive ;)
Coleman are a good make for tents, we have a coleman ourselves and love it. We are a family of 4 and we have an 8 berth so I know where you are coming from when you say you would like the room :)
Camping prices really depend on what time of year, where abouts in the country, if you want extras like EHU etc? We on average pay between £15 and £20 a night for 4 of us with EHU.
Not all campsites allow dogs, so it is always good to check with them first!
hi dave and welcome! i am fairly new to the site too although been camping for a while. this tent is a really good price. the only thing is the size! as it is almost 8 metres wide you would need to make sure that the sites you are going to have big pitches that will take the tent and your car. also it will probably take a while to pitch. if you are going away for a week or longer its not so bad but if you are planning weekends away too then it probably wouldn't be worth pitching such big tent. you should put a post on the sub topic - tent info - and ask if anyone has one and what its like to pitch. also think about have you got enough boot space/how heavy it is/do you have somewhere to hang it when you get home if it gets wet etc.
we have just bought an outwell nevada m tent for a family of 4 (we have a dog too but he usually stays with granny!). it cost £190 and has a sewn in groundsheet. it only has 3 poles and takes about 15 mins to pitch. its ideal for weekends and for longer stays with a good size living area and bedrooms. one of the rooms can be taken down for more living space too.
i think if you are new to camping you should maybe start with something a bit smaller, although it is a good deal. have you looked at halfords as they do deals with tents, sleeping bags and beds etc included. might be good to get you started. also argos have some cheap tents too, and quite a few big ones for under £100 though don't know what the quality is like. again you could post on tent info to ask if anyone has one.
i would say as a rough (very!) guide it is around £12 - £15 per night. if its a smaller quite site it may be less and if its a bit bigger with more amenities it will be more. also if you want electric it will cost extra. most sites allow dogs on leads and provide an excercise area, although you should check ahead.
take a look at the campsite search on this site. just put in an area and you will get a list of sites along with their facilities. it will have a link yo their websites if they have one and it will tell you about cost/dogs etc. also there will be reviews from other campers to tell you the good or bad points about the site.
i hope you find a tent soon and you can start to enjoy camping again! good luck!
First of all welcome - you will find the site & camping addictive!!
Use the UK campsite advanced search - a lot of places allow a dog - there are rules (not allowed off lead, must go to a certain place for walking etc) but these are usually reasonable.
With regards to your tent - I agree - the bigger the better - we bought a 6 man for 4 of us & i wish i'd bought the 8!!
You dont need to buy everything at once (borrow some & see how it works for you) - you also need to speak to people & see the items in practice (& obtain advice from this forum!!) then invest in your equipment - it will grow over time.
Over three years, my camping equipment has expanded (EHU very useful) - & we are very comfortable & could live in a field for months!!
Not sure whereabouts in Dorset you are but the camping shop at John Browns Garden Centre (?), Three Legged Cross - The Forest Camping Centre. Been there recently and they have quite a few tents up to look around, plus all the usual camping shop stuff. Their prices seem fairly good too on equipment, but I always pop home and check out the web first, just in case there is a bargain going.
hello and I hope you enjoy many happy camping trips.
with regards to the tent, is the second pod for dog and luggage? if not then why go to the hassle of pegging out extra 'pod', you may be better with one bigger bedroom to allow more room for bed, luggage and dog. Also remember that the tent is only one part of camping kit, decent sleeping gear is essential, nothing will spoil the experience for you so much as cold uncomfortable nights. everything else can be collected as you go along.
with regards to sites, some sites 'allow' dogs and some 'welcome' dogs, check reviews on here.
You live in a beautiful part of the world, you don't need to go far to have fun xx
------------- Annie :)
Its better to regret things you've done than things you have never tried
Thanks for all the helpful advice!! I had no idea the Coleman Wyoming 6 was 8 meters wide - I think to much for this novice.
Looks like TallBigMe got a hell of a deal but now thinking that a four man might be the better option as would enjoy weekend breaks and ease of pitching. Is there any general rule on maker of tents - buy branded etc? Coleman and Outwell seem popular?
I think my budget for my first tent will be up to £100. Would like one with comfortable sleeping for 2 people and a dog (who sleeps with us), and a small lounging area. Any suggestions welcome.
I agree anniemac I am very lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world but there are lots more out there to explore and I would really like to see more of the UK.
Hi TallBigMe - I am tempted as that is a hell of an offer and the reviews were very good but as Annie said I do not think we would require the second pod (unless the misses kicks me out of the first)!
Had a look around and something like this might be more suitable - Outwell Oregon 4. Got good review from fellow members and seems more a size suitable for beginners?
Outwell Oregon Four isn't a *standing room* tent(160cm) and wouldn't be very comfortable for any polonged occupation of the tent and yes, you are right,the number of berths claimed by the manufacturers must be for very small people. The Easycamp tent for which somebody posted a link seems to be a very good buy.There's an excellent camp site which must be close to you,Burton Bradstock. Billy Bragg lives close by and often eats in the excellent fish restaurant/pub in the village.
Yes - in agreement. Looked around and everyone has nothing but good comments regarding the Easy Camp Parma 600.
Thanks TallBigMe for posting the offer, what a steal, and at that cost I can be less worried about making mistakes and it blowing away (unless the better half is in it)
If anyone is willing to add any tried and tested secret camping tips, i.e. don't wee into the wind or ground sheets saves a cows surprise present etc., would be grateful. Don't know if I need an initiation to hear secret gems of experienced camper knowledge
Dont forget you dont have to put the second sleeping pod up. Leave it down and use the area for storage instead. I have a tunnel tent, and I only use one of the sleeping pods. Leaving out the second pod gives you loads of extra room.
Hi, We are new and novices too. Only camped twice, but loved it. There is only two of us now and we have four dogs. We bought a Gelert Horizon 6 for £159 and love it! We only use one bedroom and the the other end we use for the dogs (in two big cages with covers over - only two dogs sleep in the cages). The top of the cages we use for 'working tops' and the rest of the area is a living area. It's great! There's plenty of standing and walking about room. We tether the dogs outside when we get up and up until just before we go to bed. The dogs are so tired out from all the walking they barely lift their heads up off the grass!
Before we bought all the stuff we borrowed some as it's quite pricey to buy it all in one go but once you have it you're off! Trouble is, like an earlier poster said, it's a bit addictive and we've now gone and bought a trailer to drag it all about. Before this we had to pack it all in tight in the backseat and a roofbox. That gets a bit much if you're packing in the rain.
It's probably cost us about £450 altogether, including the tent when you add all the bits up. Although I spent a bit more than I should've on things like rubber mats for the floor. After the first camp I had to seriously rationalise because I realised I'd taken much more than I needed. I think the best advice is buy as little as you need, borrow as much as you can and then buy - don't get carried away like I did.
I hope you like it if you do decide to go for it. The best thing about it is it's so different from every day life, doing practical things lke putting the tent up, not having an en suite (maybe not too good for some folk) no telly, no computers, no electric stuff, just candles, gas lamps, feeling tired at night and sleeping properly!
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: Feeling down - need a holiday!!
. I am trying to arrange a holiday for me and my partner this year and was offered a place in Tenerife for free but checked the flights and it would cost £700 for flights alone!! We also have a dog so pet care and spending money would push this into over £1000 for one week - just can't afford this kind of money.
