Camping with 2 Adults, 2 Children and 2 dogs

Please don't be mistaken in thinking, that by reading this you will learn about a hidden beauty hotspot on the British Isles that you must add to your bucket list or that you will uncover fantastic money can't buy tips to camping that you won't be able to live without.

Quite the opposite - I am a born again virgin camper

As the cost of summer holidays abroad continue to rise at the same rate as our love for getting away. With children aged 3 and 6 who are in their element being outside, we have decided that joining the camping community is the only thing for it. 

We took the plunge at midnight on a Sunday as you do....tent, airbeds, sleeping bags the full shebang all added to the virtual basket, as the man I was adamant I was having the correct hammer for the job too with built in peg puller...boom.

It all got delivered to HQ and myself and Andy were like kids at Christmas. Apart from the tent, everything came out the box for a quick S&B trial. We both sat in the camping chairs in disbelief that something so lightweight would hold us, like Borris the Blade says "weight means reliability". We checked out the stove, folded out the table and stools, we may as well have had lunch like proper little ramblers.

Also in true dad style, the tent has been erected in the garden "to check it" I don't know particularly why or what I was checking for, but it felt good. Just look at the shadow of a proud man below. It needed a little fine tuning but what do you expect when you throw all disregard to the instructions.

It's amazing how much you forget but how quickly it comes flooding back. I spent all of my childhood in a caravan with my Grandparents. From touring the whole country to spending weekend after weekend in a farmers field in Southwell. Every summer we would cross the Channel and spend 2 weeks on a campsite in France. These are some of my best childhood memories and where I learned some of my best life lessons. You soon learn, if you're willing to empty the shitter, you're willing to do anything.

So if you call up to HQ the last Saturday in July and see my car loaded to the rafters, be sympathetic as I will be heading directly to our first night away to test the gear. No, it's not Devon or Wells Next The Sea but just 20 miles down the road to test the water. If it all goes tits up, I will have a beginners camping set up for sale the following Monday. Saying this, I have already started looking at trading the family car for a campervan and we haven't even used the tent yet. Imagine it though, a Camper wrapped in full S&B livery.

So you haven't learned any little nuggets from me but I will welcome any tips or destinations you want to throw my way.  Send me an email