Well we finally had out first camping trip last weekend and i must say i have mixed emotions about it. Using a borrowed Coleman sahara 8 we pitched at High Yedmandale site (thank you all who reviewed this site previously) near Scarborough.
The site itself was great, as was the owner, not overcrowded and plenty of space but maybe a few more facilities would benefit it as there was only 1 washing up point and 2 showers (Ken, the owner ,said by Saturday there would be 33 onsite).
we had a fairly decent setup with camp chairs, foldy out tables, 2 ring stove, a little foldy out kitchen and other bits and pieces.All was good.
Sleeping on the first night was a problem but it was my first time and there was a small thunder storm and heavy rain and i had to go to the loo at 2 in the morning but by about 4 ish i drifted off - to awake at 6.
The whole camping and cooking thing was taken with relish by my wife and we ate heartily each morning .By the second day the kids had friends to play with too. We had a trip to Scarborough on the Saturday which was ended mid afternoon by horrendous rain which stopped by the time we drove the 15 mins back to the campsite. The saturday night proved to be chilly for everyone and we were all tucked up in bed by 10.30 and even i got to sleep before 3 am. Sunday morning was glorious and we ate and slowly started to pack eveything up and head of home via Grosmont.
This seems a bit rambling - sorry about that but overall it was quite enjoyable and hasn't put us off. A few things that we need to look into are heating and some decent lights without resorting to EHU. A better pump for the blow up beds (took forever).A tent with one of those extra living bits on the front.
SO pleased you weren't put off by the weather!! It is something that you get used to with experience!!! I only started camping last year and am totally hooked now, we have gathered valuable tips from other campers and friends who camp, its just so much fun no matter what the weather or equipment you have.........it is a huge bonus when the sun shines!!!
There are lots of experienced campers on this site with lots of valuable tips and advice so keep looking and happy camping!
Hi stealthdog.
Heaters in tents, unless you buy yourself a cotton or polycotton canvas tent, the the only heater you will be able to use is a mains AC heater as Gas heating produces moisture that can not escape from a polyester or nylon tent and with the added moisture from the campers the condensation would be very bad. The EHU is a very useful camping aid and should be seriously considered for modern family camping. We were camping on the dales the weekend you are talking about and the Saturday night was cold for this time of year.
If you decide to buy a tent give it a lot of thought.
if their are four of you buy at least a six berth,and check out as many tent displays as you can get to, choose a couple that you really like, then read about them in the tent reviews above and ask about them on the forum.
Best of luck.
Rex.
------------- "Be the person your dog thinks you are" (BM)
Lots of layers at night keeps the cold at bay along with a hot water bottle. High tog quilt is also a must for us, and, as I need the loo in the night then the porta pot comes with us.(do not relish walking to the loos on site in the dark) Go for a tent bigger than what you think you need if you decide to carry on, We are off tomorrow till Sunday and looking at whats in the Kitchen waiting to be packed we will need a lorry!!!
So glad you had a good time, weather can be a pain but we all learn to live with it
If your buying a tent make sure it is big enough so that you can sit indoors in comfort six berth minimum, eight would be better, my own preference is for the canvas frame tents, plenty of bargains around and they last for years if looked after
As for air beds pump, i have one of these, takes about three minutes per bed
As for lights, these are very good, very bright and the batteries last ages, not many pounds from Poundland, wilkinsons etc. Or off Ebay. We also have a campingaz gas lamp which gives off a bit of warmth when the tent is closed up for the night
Hi there - glad you enjoyed most of your first trip!!
I'd second what has been said about researching/testing out tents - I'd made my mind up what I thought I wanted, read the reveiws and everything and then we went to a camping display and stood in some tents and it was only then that we realised what we really needed/wanted.
To combat the cold at night...wear a hat in bed. Seriously, most of your body heat is lost through your head. And socks for the other extremities!! If you can get sleeping bags with a hoody bit on, even better. Layers also help.
The electric pump for airbeds is great - we have one that uses either the EHU or the car for power and it sucks and blows air too which hellps when you are trying to get everything back in the car quickly.
As others have said, go for at least a 6 man tent as this'll give you room to move inside. If you're near the Newcastle area you can have a good look at family tents at United British Caravans near Gosforth Racecourse.
You don't say how old your kids are but I presume they are young, I'd say gas lights are a no-no due to naked flames, electric would be much better. To buy a decent gas lamp isn't much cheaper than an EHU anyway.
I've mentioned Alpkit head torches on other threads and they are really good value for money, an added bonus for the kids is they have a red LED on the back so that they can be seen from the back as well as the front if they are moving around the site after dark. They are available here.
Last thing I'd recommend is ear plugs similar to these they will block out the sound of rain and thunder and you'll have a better nights sleep. They're also handy if the other half snores.
Thanks for all the good advice (as usual) and they seem a couple of really useful bits of kit caster.
The tent i have been ogling is an Outwell Idaho XL but its a bit pricey.
My in-laws want their tent back this weekend as they are off for a week (lucky devils) otherwise i would have been heading on back over to the camp site search.
One thing i noticed was that i seemed to feel the cold from under the blow up mattress, would i be better off using a sleeping bag rather than the duvet we did use
Forgot to mention that my father was also with us and probably will be in the future- always handy as a baby sitter i guess (other relatives are also making noises of intent too )
One thing he did have was a wolf eyes torch - my god i have never seen anything so dam bright.
Oh earplugs are a good idea - i must admit i am a bad sleeper anyhoo even at home
You'd definitely be better with a sleeping bag, the air in the airbed will be cold as its in contact with the ground, the only way to prevent this is to either insulate yourself from the airbed or to insulate the bed from the ground.
Sleeping bags are our chosen method of avoiding this problem, we also use fleece sleeping bag liners for a bit added warmth and have camped in all weathers from scorching hot to snow and ice using the same set up. When its cold we snuggle down deep, when its hot we leave the zips undone so we can cool down.
By the way, regarding the snow and ice, if we'd known it was going to be so cold we wouldn't have went but we didn't so we did
I understand what folks are advising about buying a bigger tent than you need for the extra room but not everyone wants the outlay at first and obviously paying for it may be an conern for some!! And also there is erecting it if your a newbie!! We've just bought a Orchy 600 for £130 from GoOutdoors and it suited me, my wife and our two kids (7 & 3) perfectly, plenty of room inside even with the doors shut!!
I understand what folks are advising about buying a bigger tent than you need for the extra room but not everyone wants the outlay at first and obviously paying for it may be an conern for some!! And also there is erecting it if your a newbie!! We've just bought a Orchy 600 for £130 from GoOutdoors and it suited me, my wife and our two kids (7 & 3) perfectly, plenty of room inside even with the doors shut!!
Just my thoughts!
GC
Yup and a 6 person tent such as what you bought is just what people are recommending to the OP
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: Overview of our first trip
