Any campers on here? Taking the kids next week for the first time. I’ve done festivals etc but not family camping so I’m after any top tips you can give me. I’ve got a 6 berth tent, electrical hook up and chairs/table etc but don’t want to get caught out whilst we’re there. Cheers.

It's not much fun in the rain. Take wellies or good boots, and waterproofs.

Kids will love it. They only need basics if you can keep them entertained.

Top tip for camping. Get a good carpet for the tent. The cold comes upwards from the ground

Enjoy it... Brilliant for the kids..

We went all over the world with the kids when they were younger, but it wasn't the expensive stuff around Europe and beyond they remember most fondly, it's those trips under canvas in Cornwall, Scillies, and the Lakes.
Don't try to take the kitchen sink..part of the fun is doing without stuff.

Don’t do it. In the rain it’s about as much fun as watching barstewards lifting the premier league trophy at anfield.

Did it last year in the lakes with my 3 lads (2 were very young) leaked in, torrential rain, struck in traffic on the way back. Proper shite

Practise erecting the tent before you go. Then you won't feel like a prat when you are struggling in front of amused fellow campers.

Inspect the ground before selecting a tent site to ensure water will run away from your tent.

Camp furthest away from the shower/toilets etc. Fewer people disturbing your peace at night or tripping over your guy ropes.

Electrical hookup? If the weather stays like it has been for these past few weeks - one option is to batch cook some hearty food before you go and keep it cool in a camping fridge, if you have one. Camp cooking is part of the fun, so I don't mean all your meals.

Oooo you are awful.
Chase me, chase me.
My friend Everard.
Lots of 80s camping

Another tip for camping here, don’t bother.
Seriously though, camping is great when it’s warm and dry, when it’s not, it’s sh*te.

Keep a sense of humour when things inevitably aren't perfect. Kids will love it. Take bacon.

Make sure you all have a camping chair and proper pillows.

Bug spray is handy too.

Several bottles of wine and a bottle opener.

Eye mask and ear plugs.

Presume it'll be freezing. Even in August. Bring firewood with you.

Mark YOUR boundaries with those windbreaks - the peasants that turn up will have every ******* inch you leave when you've gone off for the day

Try and avoid "holiday park" type places, they're full of peasants and it's worse than going to a Haven or Butlins - I'd recommend a boring farm campsite etc

Buy a decent BBQ - ive got a Weber go anywhere and it's absolutely brilliant when camping or at home if you only want a small cook

SirBob wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 2:35 pm

Make sure you all have a camping chair and proper pillows.

Bug spray is handy too.

Several bottles of wine and a bottle opener.

Eye mask and ear plugs.

Wild camped one night in the Brecon beacons. My camping mate laughed at me as I drank a bottle of red that night. One of us slept like a log, one of us didn't

tarkys_ears wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 2:59 pm

Presume it'll be freezing. Even in August. Bring firewood with you.

Mark YOUR boundaries with those windbreaks - the peasants that turn up will have every ******* inch you leave when you've gone off for the day

Try and avoid "holiday park" type places, they're full of peasants and it's worse than going to a Haven or Butlins - I'd recommend a boring farm campsite etc

Buy a decent BBQ - ive got a Weber go anywhere and it's absolutely brilliant when camping or at home if you only want a small cook

Cheers. Got a windbreak and a small Weber bbq and we’re going to a farm campsite on the Lincolnshire coast so sounds like we chose well.

Buy a camping toilet. Doesn’t need to be a chemical one, but buy a toilet.

FeedTheArf wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 5:15 pm

Buy a camping toilet. Doesn’t need to be a chemical one, but buy a toilet.

I was looking at them today. Think they may be handy for the kids but don’t like the idea of them in the tent!

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 5:40 pm

I was looking at them today. Think they may be handy for the kids but don’t like the idea of them in the tent!

Best purchase you’ll buy, especially when u wake up at 3am!

When waking in the night bursting for dump , simply do what other campers do , take a sneaky dump in front of your “ next but one “ neighbour’s tent . Though don’t forget to walk tall,cheery and proud with a hearty “ morning “ as you pass them arguing between themselves with accusatory vigour.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 1:49 pm

Kids will love it. They only need basics if you can keep them entertained.

Top tip for camping. Get a good carpet for the tent. The cold comes upwards from the ground

Agree on the carpet tip. As first time campers a carpet will be invaluable in keeping them warm. Most carpet shops sell roll ends for peanuts so easy to sort.

AlargeClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 5:57 pm

When waking in the night bursting for dump , simply do what other campers do , take a sneaky dump in front of your “ next but one “ neighbour’s tent . Though don’t forget to walk tall,cheery and proud with a hearty “ morning “ as you pass them arguing between themselves with accusatory vigour.

I Don’t think I have ever crimped one off in front of a nearby tent? Funny though!

Bought the kids blow up beds and got me and the missus decent self inflating ones. We are borrowing our friends tent then depending on how well it goes I’ll look to buy an inflatable one. Really looking forward to it.

Hope you and the family enjoy it pal. I used to love camping with my kids in the 80’s. Great memories.

Choose your sites carefully.
A campers kitchen can be brilliant if it’s persisting down, as can a tv/games room for the kids(unless you are trying to get them away from the tv.
Good, clean toilet/shower blocks a bonus but you’ll only learn that on arrival.
Having worked up from a tent, to a trailer tent, to a caravan I can tell you camp life is brilliant. Everybody is so friendly and helpful if you have a problem. Enjoy.

Unless I've been ill, I don't think I've ever woken up at night for a dump. I feel like I'm missing out on life.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:19 pm

Bought the kids blow up beds and got me and the missus decent self inflating ones. We are borrowing our friends tent then depending on how well it goes I’ll look to buy an inflatable one. Really looking forward to it.

You do right not buying much until you know you like it.

Another tip is you don't need to go far, there will be a campsite within 15 minutes of most in the UK.
Easy to test out and nip home if needed.

Make a list before you travel as you always forget something .

Do enjoy camping i must say and going next weekend to Westport , top spot

Duct tape
Torch
Avoid blow up beds
Don't travel too far on your first trip- leave yourself the option of being home in an hour if all goes T-U.

Alcohol & adventure & you'll all love it...

Look for a site named Travelodge.

Tribesmen wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 10:30 pm

Make a list before you travel as you always forget something .

Do enjoy camping i must say and going next weekend to Westport , top spot

Had a tour of Ireland a few years back in Ireland camping.....Ring of Kerry ,Tipperary...Caheersavin was like camping on jelly it was so wet.....but great times.
Nothing but happy memories from camping.

Don’t forget that campers have an alternative time zone. Any noise at 10 PM and they’ll be shushing you but loudly greeting good morning to all and sundry at five in the morning whilst you’re nursing your hangover is fine.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:19 pm

Bought the kids blow up beds and got me and the missus decent self inflating ones. We are borrowing our friends tent then depending on how well it goes I’ll look to buy an inflatable one. Really looking forward to it.

Have you booked a site yet

AGENT_CLARET wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:45 am

Have you booked a site yet

Yeah. Manor Farm in Anderby Creek, Lincs.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:47 am

Yeah. Manor Farm in Anderby Creek, Lincs.

Enjoy it and remember if the children are happy everyone will be happy

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 10:43 pm

Look for a site named Travelodge.

These days, my wife is ones of those who looks for a good country pub that does B&B. I've not been camping for years.

This thread has rekindled my interest. I wouldn't mind a camping & hiking weekend with a couple of mates, while staying on a remote site, probably in one of the more secluded parts of the Dales or Snowdonia, and out of the main holiday season.

One of those farm sites where you can pitch anywhere you like, instead of regimented rows. Sites in the middle of nowhere with very basic amenities that the wine crew avoid. If I want to be surrounded by noisy drunks who have been on the booze since lunchtime, I'll have a day out in Manchester with my mates, get a taxi home and sleep in my own bed.

Camping is great for kids and you can get all over UK with some very reasonable sites. Camping in woodlands or forests is fun but if you do buy some cheap fairy lights to show where your tent is at night.

Oops

I once when camping in a popular part of the Dales. We arrived, me and a good pal, at lunchtime and all was quiet. Pitch the tent and went on a long hike. Called off at a village pub for some food, and a few jars, got back to the campsite just before 10.00pm. It was like another world.

The place was rammed. Tents were packed cheek by jowl. Kids running riot while their drunken parents staggered around shouting at them. Loud disco crap was blasting from what seemed like nearly every other pitch. One family had even bought their own very noisy generator, so they could power up a projector.

Around 11.00pm, the campsite owner must have had enough. He and his farmhands were riding around the campsite on quad bikes while shouting through megaphones 'turn the noise off and get your children under control, and 'we will call the police if you don't quieten down'. This went on for about an hour until the police arrived. My mate and I just sat there watching it all unfold. It was like something out of Little Britain.

Bad night 2.
I had a night at Coniston, I was running the Coniston14 the next day.
4 scouse lads pitched next to us with a stereo blaring Bowie at 1am. Wife lying on top if me saying “don’t get involved”. A bloke turns up and talks to them very nicely for 20mins or so. There giving him scouse gob. Eventually he says “right lads, you’ve never seen an arm that big and if you don’t turn it off you’ll feel it. One gobby reply and **smack**. Silence. I never got to see the fella but I’d have loved to have seen this arm.
I had a crap run.

We’ve all had bad nights on sites. Don’t let it put you off.

We found a lovely campsite in sussex where they don't allow idiots. It was really peaceful and away from it all. The kids absolutely loved it there and its definitely worth a look for anyone who enjoys camping:


https://www.blackberrywood.com/

Currently at Latitude festival in Suffolk. A little wet and muddy but all good fun!

Camping is what you make it, obviously in finer weather you are dryer & more comfortable but there's no reason even in foul weather why you can't have a good time, preparation is key.

Having spent last yesterday in 17 hours of rain camping with scouts;

Take shorts not trousers
Take a shell waterproof not an insulated one
Crocs are your foot's best friends
Guy lines on your tent are to be used in high winds
Cotton to be avoided in the rain, it takes days to dry

FeedTheArf wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2023 5:15 pm

Buy a camping toilet. Doesn’t need to be a chemical one, but buy a toilet.

Got a portable chemical one today. Cheers.

Pearcey wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 12:53 pm

Got a portable chemical one today. Cheers.

Just bring it indoors overnight if you are concerned but they don’t smell.
Tell family to use site toilets during day to save constantly emptying.

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 2:16 pm

Just bring it indoors overnight if you are concerned but they don’t smell.
Tell family to use site toilets during day to save constantly emptying.

Yeah we’ll use the main toilets. It’s mainly for my lad to be honest.

Has anybody any experience with Tentbox. , those that you fit on the roof of a car, thinking about one for touring Scotland. Interested in peoples pros and cons for them

Wake up in the middle of the night and break your neck. I also wouldn't like to be in one when the wind gets up. Your car would rock on its suspension. Probably end up seasick.

Seriously, though. A tent that size can be pitched in under 10 minutes. I wouldn't waste my money.

Goalposts wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 23, 2023 3:52 pm

Has anybody any experience with Tentbox. , those that you fit on the roof of a car, thinking about one for touring Scotland. Interested in peoples pros and cons for them

Personally I don't get em. They seem all sorts of expensive and still need drying out if used in wet weather. Also, means you cant use your car if you want to go anywhere during your stay.

I used my six berth family Airbeam tent in the lakes this year which took me all of 15 minutes to put up and around 25 minutes to put away. It cost around £600 which is probably 4-5 times cheaper than a decent quality tentbox.

Just back from a great trip. Really enjoyed it. Very relaxing and the kids loved it. The tent I borrowed leaked during one night of heavy rain but I’ve sorted that by buying a new air tent that I pick up tomorrow.
Going again in a few weeks time. Cheers for the tips.