Thanks for everyone's help and advice 😊
Took little one camping this weekend (during the storms, nothing like breaking myself in gently lol). My friend and her little one arrived there a day earlier. I managed to pitch the tent all by myself (thankfully whilst dry) wasn't expecting the really hard stones though and bent quite a few pegs (thankfully I had bought an extra ten). Apart from the pegs it was up in 10 mins, must admit it was reassuring to see other campers taking over an hour trying to just work out how to put up their tents!
Found out middle of the night during the storm that I hadn't pegged down the cover over the vent securely and we got a tad wet faces at 3am.... thankfully there was enough space to move the air bed out the way until I could pop outside and secure it properly! Also had a puncture in the air bed, which I managed to fix the next day with a few sticky plasters! Could not get the folding right though to get the tent even remotely small enough to go in the bag but thankfully my friend definitely has the knack and did it with ease so hopefully I will remember how she did it for next time!
Fab camping trip though and looking forward to the next one in a few weeks. Def going to get a tarp, for a bit of shelter for cooking, a little table, cool box, bucket with lid 😊
Tent envy...... Love my tent as easy to put up with plenty of living space for me & little one but envied my friends little tent when it came to packing up and envied the bigger ones with big porches when we had to wait for the rain to ease before we could even think about starting dinner!
Now just need to get a bigger car to fit all this camping stuff in.
I fond that a beach shelter (especially one with a door) comes in handy for storage and cooking in the rain it doesn't cost much and takes up very little room in the tent.
Newbie 77, I am so glad that you had a great time, all the advice you had was spot on, and you are making wonderful memories for your child, believe me that counts for a lot, mine are all grown up now but they remember mostly of everything the camping from their childhood.
Hope the next trip is even better
I also have to mention 100_mph_pennine's post here, as a little girl ( now almost 50! eek!) I was brought up by my Dad along with my younger sister, you do realise what an absolutely fab job you are doing, your girls will always appreciate it, it must have been so hard for my Dad in the 70s as a single Dad, but he gave us so much of his time and put us first and we will never forget what he did for us after our Mum left us at ages 7 and 5.
I know single Mums do an equally wonderful job, but single Dads really deserve recognition, they are still fewer on the ground than the Mums.
Jane.
------------- Enjoying life beyond kids, new love, living on a boat and a new lease of life in my mid 50s! Never too old to reinvent yourself.....
Mum to five - 4 girls, 31,28,25 and 22 and one boy, 20
Engaged! Wedding June 2020!
Hi, glad you had a great time & well done - it does get easier, honestly !!If you want the company of others look on the "meet up" website, there is a single parents holiday group called "one plus - single parent holidays" they do a range of holidays from play days, weekend camping and three week chateau breaks. Anyone can post a trip they are taking and see if any others want to join them - works out well to sit and drink wine with a bit of company in the evenings! I've been on two breaks with them, they are at cost price and lovely people.
Sounds like great memories made! Now that you've caught the bug I would recommend you get some 'rock pegs' or 'ground hog' pegs as they are called in Halfords. They look like a big long nail and along with a claw hammer (for banging them in and also for extracting the pegs) are invaluable in stony or hard ground. Then for soft ground, the yellow plastic pegs are the best as they give the most surface area. Get a few of both types along with a rubber mallet and a claw hammer, put in an old gym bag and put it away along with the tent.
You've already discovered airbeds aren't great. Start looking at least 7.5cm thickness Self Inflating Mats (SIM) instead, at the end of season you'll find some great bargains.
Hiya
Just saw your post and I'm in exactly the same boat.
I love camping and the hubby doesn't so trying to get other mummies together for a camping trip. Our babies are 7 months.
Fair play to you though.:)
I'm sorted with all the camping stuff but unsure where to go? Can anyone suggest/help with cheapish campsites? Somewhere along the south coast between Dorset and Hampshire way? Preferably somewhere quiet but not too quiet incase babies no likey! Eekk lol
Thanks in advance xx
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: Single parent camping newbie
