Our first weekend camping
Monday, July 25, 2005
Well we had our first weekend camping! It was great fun.
We stayed at Newgale campsite in west Wales, about 230 miles (4 hours drive) from Stafford. It is a very simple and pleasant site, which has basic toilet, shower and washing up facilities. There is also a pub on site called the Duke of Edinburgh, a convenience shop and cafe.
We set sail on Thursday afternoon about 4:15 pm and got there around 8:30pm. It took us about one hour to put up the tent and set up camp, just in time before the light ran out. The girls really enjoyed it.Our first night was a little restless for Holly as she is teething and now has two bottom teeth.
Friday was a wind down day for me and we didn't seem to do much. We drove to St David's, the smallest city in the UK. Small is definitely the word, I've seen larger villages. Later we went to Morrisons for provisions (beer) and spent the rest of the day on the beach.
Friday night was the tent's first waterproofing test, Saturday being the full test when it rained all night. It is amazing how times have changed and tents are so waterproof nowadays. We were kept nice and dry in our new tent. Megan slept well and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, even sleeping through the pouring rain.
We spent Saturday on the beach in Tenby where the sun shone and it was glorious.
Holly had her first experience on the sand in Tenby, and she thought it tasted nice too.Our next camping trip will be to North Wales (not so far to drive), which will be this coming Friday, weather permitting.
posted by Alan and Maxine @ 6:17 pm,
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Have Tent Will Camp
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Having not blogged for absolutely ages, I thought it about time I did. Previous promises to blog regularly have failed dismally and for that I apologise.
Since Maxine is now running her childminding business, getting away for holidays is quite restricting (during the week that is). So I have been looking for a way of getting away cheaply at weekends.
We borrowed a tent from Max's Dad last weekend and went camping in the Lakes, Windermere to be exact, just to see if we liked the reality of camping outdoors. We turned up on spec and was hoping to stay in a National Trust camp site called Low Wray which has lakeside pitching but they were full. A visit to the local Tourist Information office was most helpful and we ended up staying in a field, kept especially for (Hi Di Hi) campers at Tarn Foot Farm. It was fab and we all enjoyed it. Bacon, Eggs and Beans and a mug of Tea cooked on a gas stove and all whilst overlooking some wonderful views. Enough to say that we enjoyed ourseleves so much, it left us wanting more.
A couple of days later and we had bought our own tent. (see right) We want a tent that would give us enough room, not only to sleep in, but to live in during Englands summer (rainy days). The Vango Diablo 600 is ideal as the ground sheet covers both bedrooms and the living area.
We are planning a two night stay in Pembrokeshire this coming Friday and Saturday, coming home Sunday evening. I found a camp site we want to stay at from a web site called www.ukcampsite.co.uk which lists lots of campsites up and down the country. The site we are aiming for is www.newgalecampingsite.co.uk The attraction being it is over the road to the beach.
Since we are new to camping we will be looking for some nice places to stay. So if anyone has any experience of specific camp sites they wish to share, good places/areas to stay or places to avoid, please feel free to post your comments here.
posted by Alan and Maxine @ 3:32 pm,
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