Off again this weekend for our last outing of this year. We are on the SW coast of Scotland, looking as you do at the forecast Sat and Sunday looking really windy with 40mph + forecast. Can't bring myself to accept it but i'm thinking this just isn't sensible with young (ish) kids in tow.
Looking like we may need a rethink.
Ho hum the joys of camping - wouldn't be without it !
We're in a similiar position... going up that way on 25th and with this weather showing no sign of changing we'vr started to talk about booking into a travelodge. Will be gutted if we can't camp though :(
I feel your pain! I braved it on Monday just gone and lost a tent in the process. Wish I had delayed the trip. I am going to try to book last minute from now on, but I know that's such a risk at busy times.
Good luck whatever you choose to do. May be have a b&b as a back up?
We're going up on Wednesday and I'm getting a little nervous. Just wondering if I ought to be swapping my guy sliders for something more secure. Or maybe ordering a spare pole just in case!
------------- May '14 - Kelling Heath - Norfolk
July '14 - Trewan Hall - Cornwall
July '14 - Umberleigh - Devon
August '14 - Waren - Northumberland
August '14 - Newmill - Perthshire
August '14 - Sands - Gairloch
August '14 - Sunnyside Croft, Arisaig
August '14 - Rothiemurchus - Aviemore
We were planning to camp at the Cotswold Water Park during this last week, but the forecast was for high winds, so we booked into a Travelodge instead. In fact the weather was very well-behaved, except for a thunderstorm which happened after we would have packed the tent up anyway. We did enjoy the break, though, and were quite glad not to have to worry about the weather.
You can never be sure, and 40 mph winds are real tent-killers. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
We're up at Sands at Gairloch right now, yes the wind is pretty bad, but only for today and tomorrow, our frame tent has held up fine with the addition of a few ratchet straps slung over the frame front and back, and a few extra guys. Lots of other tents are fine as well, even though there have been 40mph gusts.
The wind has dropped considerably since early this morning, I would describe the wind now as a strong blustery breeze rather than gale force, although you would not think it listening to the conversations going on at the facility block! Many are going home early, although to be fair, some were only here for the weekend so understandable in that case. We have almost two weeks left!
Sun is out now, and we have been on the beach with the dog, it's not that much of a problem really, assuming that we get through tonight and tomorrow unscathed, the wind will drop considerably after Monday so BlueStripeyKitten, you should be ok for Wednesday, don't worry too much.
I am all for being careful if necessary and obviously get that tents can be damaged in winds even like this, but sometimes there is such a thing as going over the top in being cautious.
Our friend was due to arrive today but has postponed until after the weekend, as it is definitely not great pitching weather, but anyone thinking of booking local accommodation instead in this area, no chance, everywhere is full for a local event of some kind, our friend tried already!
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!
You've really put my mind at rest. One question though, what's the ground like? I can't quite decide what pegs I should be using! Or whether I should be buying more for my collection!
------------- May '14 - Kelling Heath - Norfolk
July '14 - Trewan Hall - Cornwall
July '14 - Umberleigh - Devon
August '14 - Waren - Northumberland
August '14 - Newmill - Perthshire
August '14 - Sands - Gairloch
August '14 - Sunnyside Croft, Arisaig
August '14 - Rothiemurchus - Aviemore
The ground here is really well drained and the pitches are not muddy at all, grassy, firm and easy to peg down on, we are using a mixture of normal pegs, rock pegs and the Vango plastic pegs, basically anything and everything but only because of the wind at the moment, we have a massive bag of pegs that we have accumulated over the years.
Not sure what pegs you have, but a set of rock pegs is always a good idea, but the yellow Vango ones from Go Outdoors are great, really strong and not that expensive, as are the Blue Diamond rock pegs.
I think the wind is supposed to be reducing by this evening, and the forecast is good from Tuesday
EDIT Just been to the campsite shop and noticed that they sell a whole range of different types of pegs, and they sell them singly too! So if you need any more you will be fine. Hope this helps.
Jane.
Post last edited on 17/08/2014 14:07:27
------------- 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!
Got back from a weekend at Scotts Farm East Wittering. What a wind last night... relentless. Take down a little challenging! The quecha illumin 4.2 xl stood up pretty well with the gusts. Glad the guy ropes did their job! The only thing is bath tub velcro does not like wind and thankful it was just wind and not rain....we had extra ventilation!
The flapping was the most disconcerting thing and our neighbouring pitch metal frame clattering. Car alarms went off..
I have quite a peg collection! Everything from the ones that came with the bell to rock pegs, wooden stakes, delta's and I may have accidentally ordered a selection of MSR cyclone & blizzard stakes
------------- May '14 - Kelling Heath - Norfolk
July '14 - Trewan Hall - Cornwall
July '14 - Umberleigh - Devon
August '14 - Waren - Northumberland
August '14 - Newmill - Perthshire
August '14 - Sands - Gairloch
August '14 - Sunnyside Croft, Arisaig
August '14 - Rothiemurchus - Aviemore
If its any help - we were in Norfolk last Sunday night, right on the coast with very little shelter. According to the Met Office we had 23mph winds with 46mph gusts and although the site was packed we didnt see any tents damaged.
It was horrible though and I didnt sleep at all! This was the 3rd day of our main summer holiday and we were 200 miles from home so what do you do? Just had to stick it out. And yes our kids slept through it too!
We had a big motorhome on the pitch in front of us and I kept praying they would stay because without them we were in the direct line of the strong winds. Not an experience I would want to repeat but thats camping in the UK.
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: Weather (again !)
