I am so excited! Went on my first ever camping trip last weekend (one night only, hubby informed me 'one night away close to home is the way to start to see if i like it'!). We stayed in a teeny two man tent thay hubby has had since younger and in the scouts, with the intention of investing in an upgrade if we enjoyed it. Well, needless to say we had a great time.
On the way home from the site we dropped by Yeomans and invested in the Coleman Ridgeline 4 plus. Got it at a discount of £60 from the RRP due to some damage (which I have already repaired with tenacious tape). I picked us some 2 season mummy bags two for one in the Millets sale and a friend who camps has kindly donated a double airbed.
I absolutley can't wait till my next trip- we are planning a couple of nights in or near Scarborough at end of July- so pleased I finally persuade hubby to give it a go and can't believe we've not tried this sooner!
Any tips or advice anyone would kindly share would be most welcome!
practice pitching your tent a couple of times, you might decide you need better pegs (e.g. T style rock pegs). A peg puller and decent mallet is always handy
stick a blanket between you and the airbed or it will be cold
get a cheap stove and kettle for a cuppa in the morning
pick your sites carefully, they can make or break a good trip (bit like the weather but you cant pick that, other than changing plans)
Excited for you! We're on the tail end of buying our kit, and I'm kind of dissapointed! I shall miss shopping around for kit and bargains!
I guess my advice would be to try not to impulse buy. There have been things I've picked up, being sure that they were a bargain or unusual, only to find them in abundance and cheaper elsewhere!
Thanks for the advice. Have had the tent up in the garden- it's very easy to pitch, was raining and breezy in the garden when we put it up and windy when we took it down!
didn't even think about putting a blanket on the bed- will we still need it even though using sleeping bags?
with regards to tent pegs, i don't really understand what the different ones are for or which type we need for different types of ground. can anyone give me a quick overview?
good to practice pitch - if only to decide who is in charge :)
most airbeds conduct the cold from the ground, unlike foam mats for self inflating mats - you will probably find a blanket or towels between you and it more comfortable (and less clammy)
most tents come with cheap pegs that bend, lots of sites have rocky bits and sooner or later the pegs bend. The T style rock pegs go into anything so are handy, but you often need a peg puller to get them out again. If it is sandy you would find the V shaped ones better -though never camped on a sandy site
thanks for the great info and advice littleskink. and thanks fostermum and joaquinfan for your kind comments.
I just knew I would love it before we even set off- I didn't imagine I would enjoy it quite so much. and we didn't do anything while we were there. i mean, we had a bit of a walk around and explored the site, but apart from that we sat together and played card games or board games. we just spent time together with nothing else to think about- it was great!
am quite pleased that we have managed to bag oursleves a couple of bargains too- ie the bogof on the sleeping bags and the donated airbed. got a funky little wind up lantern as well for a fiver which we used both on our trial trip and during a power cut at home. i was really surprised by how much light it produced and how bright it stays!
right, i'm off to do some more camping research. thanks again!
Pound shops are brilliant places to get some pieces of kit.
A small stove is usually around £7.99 whereas the same thing in Argos is £34.99.
You don't really need a kettle as a small lidded pan will do the same thing, pans that come in the value ranges are thin bottomed and heat up quickly, and are multipurpost to for heating up cans of soup or the like.
I would advise putting a layer under your airbed, the foam roll mats are ideal. The reflective things you put on your car screen to stop the car getting too heated up are good too. I saw them in Halfords for £3 and you'd need two.
Other things available in pound shops are torches, lanterns, chairs, plastic plates etc etc.....
Until you know if you really like camping or not, try and take as much stuff as you can from home such as duvets, blankets, crockery, cutlery, pans etc.
Pack 2 repair kits, 1 for people and 1 for tents. If you dont have one then sods law says you will need it but if you have one then things mostly seem to turn out ok :)
For pegs, you can use rock pegs on all ground so for now, buying those might be your best option. They are not expensive and will do a hell of a better job than the flimsy things that come with most tents.
Make a list of things you need so you dont forget anything. Nothing worse than trying to pitch a tent with no poles lol
Putting the reflective car screen thing under airbeds is good tip Frome. Last year we used thin cheap reflective blankets but they rustled and moved about too easily.
------------- Mavis
It is easier to smile than frown so share a smile every day
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: My exciting new hobby
