Going camping, what do I need?
Discussion
For our family holiday this year we're going camping on the IoW, i've never been camping with the family before, it's always been with the blokes at Le Mans or other beery events so i'm asking for some advice with things that I may not have thought about.
Obviously i've got the obvious stuff, tent, cooker, sleeping bags, beds, table, chairs etc etc but is their anything anyone can recommend that I may have missed. 4 of us going, two boys aged 10 & 6 staying on a serviced pitch on a proper campsite.
TIA
Obviously i've got the obvious stuff, tent, cooker, sleeping bags, beds, table, chairs etc etc but is their anything anyone can recommend that I may have missed. 4 of us going, two boys aged 10 & 6 staying on a serviced pitch on a proper campsite.
TIA
If it's anything more than a field then you'll have electric hookup available, if you want it. You'll have to bring your own lead though - and check with the site whether they require you to bring an RCD or not.
Headtorches are a much better idea than regular ones too, especially if you need to pitch a tent in the dark.
Headtorches are a much better idea than regular ones too, especially if you need to pitch a tent in the dark.
For the IoW, take bikes if you can. It's a much better way to get around the Island if you're staying central-ish.
And think about English Heritage membership.
There are three places really worth going to on the Island, Osborne House (stunning), Carisbrooke Castle (will be great for the kids - it's big) and Appuldurcombe House (very haunted!). If you go to all three it'll cost you the best part of £80, whereas annual membership is only about £75, and kids go free. Then you can go to all the other places too.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/southea...
Yarmouth Castle is tiny, St. Catherines is nice, but quite small and won't really excite the kids!
Other things;
Yarmouth well worth a visit though, great place.
Get the kids sailing if you can, it's never too young.
Don't go to Newport, it's a dump.
Ryde is a bit snotty too. A bit of a 70s seaside resort/Butlins holiday camp.
Cowes has some great pubs.
There's nothing at the bottom, just little villages.
It takes bloody ages to drive around the Island, even though it's small!
HTH.
And think about English Heritage membership.
There are three places really worth going to on the Island, Osborne House (stunning), Carisbrooke Castle (will be great for the kids - it's big) and Appuldurcombe House (very haunted!). If you go to all three it'll cost you the best part of £80, whereas annual membership is only about £75, and kids go free. Then you can go to all the other places too.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/southea...
Yarmouth Castle is tiny, St. Catherines is nice, but quite small and won't really excite the kids!
Other things;
Yarmouth well worth a visit though, great place.
Get the kids sailing if you can, it's never too young.
Don't go to Newport, it's a dump.
Ryde is a bit snotty too. A bit of a 70s seaside resort/Butlins holiday camp.
Cowes has some great pubs.
There's nothing at the bottom, just little villages.
It takes bloody ages to drive around the Island, even though it's small!
HTH.
maser_spyder said:
For the IoW, take bikes if you can. It's a much better way to get around the Island if you're staying central-ish.
And think about English Heritage membership.
There are three places really worth going to on the Island, Osborne House (stunning), Carisbrooke Castle (will be great for the kids - it's big) and Appuldurcombe House (very haunted!). If you go to all three it'll cost you the best part of £80, whereas annual membership is only about £75, and kids go free. Then you can go to all the other places too.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/southea...
Yarmouth Castle is tiny, St. Catherines is nice, but quite small and won't really excite the kids!
Other things;
Yarmouth well worth a visit though, great place.
Get the kids sailing if you can, it's never too young.
Don't go to Newport, it's a dump.
Ryde is a bit snotty too. A bit of a 70s seaside resort/Butlins holiday camp.
Cowes has some great pubs.
There's nothing at the bottom, just little villages.
It takes bloody ages to drive around the Island, even though it's small!
HTH.
Good info thanks, and to everyone else who has posted, it's much appreciated.And think about English Heritage membership.
There are three places really worth going to on the Island, Osborne House (stunning), Carisbrooke Castle (will be great for the kids - it's big) and Appuldurcombe House (very haunted!). If you go to all three it'll cost you the best part of £80, whereas annual membership is only about £75, and kids go free. Then you can go to all the other places too.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/southea...
Yarmouth Castle is tiny, St. Catherines is nice, but quite small and won't really excite the kids!
Other things;
Yarmouth well worth a visit though, great place.
Get the kids sailing if you can, it's never too young.
Don't go to Newport, it's a dump.
Ryde is a bit snotty too. A bit of a 70s seaside resort/Butlins holiday camp.
Cowes has some great pubs.
There's nothing at the bottom, just little villages.
It takes bloody ages to drive around the Island, even though it's small!
HTH.
A bag of spare tent pegs, and possibly the sand pegs as well, nothing worse than only just having enough pegs only for one to bend or get lost meaning you are left working out what you can bodge. Also put out all your guys etc even if the weather is fine as all it takes is a storm overnight and your tent could end up out of shape or leaking.
Also take plastic bags or boxes for things that you need to keep dry/ clean, so one for food, one for spare dry set of clothes.
Also take plastic bags or boxes for things that you need to keep dry/ clean, so one for food, one for spare dry set of clothes.
The main thing I missed we I used to do camping was refrigderation.
If you are planning on cooking your own stuff then get a large coolbox that can refridgerate off the cars lighter socket or an electric hook up. failing that a large cool box and plenty of ice blocks that the campsite should be able to freeze for you. Make sure you have 2 or 3 lots so you can have one or two set of blocks in the freezer & one in the cool box on rotation.
Otherwise you won't be having any cold milk/butter, drinks and epecially wine/beers more importantly.
If you are planning on cooking your own stuff then get a large coolbox that can refridgerate off the cars lighter socket or an electric hook up. failing that a large cool box and plenty of ice blocks that the campsite should be able to freeze for you. Make sure you have 2 or 3 lots so you can have one or two set of blocks in the freezer & one in the cool box on rotation.
Otherwise you won't be having any cold milk/butter, drinks and epecially wine/beers more importantly.
Edited by OneDs on Wednesday 9th June 13:32
OneDs said:
The main thing I missed we I used to do camping was refrigderation.
If you are planning on cooking your own stuff then get a large coolbox that can refridgerate off the cars lighter socket or an electric hook up. failing that a large cool box and plenty of ice blocks that the campsite should be able to freeze for you. Make sure you have 2 or 3 lots so you can have one or two set of blocks in the freezer & one in the cool box on rotation.
Otherwise you won't be having any cold milk/butter, drinks and epecially wine/beers more importantly.
Or just buy a camping fridge. Runs off gas, 240v mains or 12v car batteries. Best £120 I ever spent.If you are planning on cooking your own stuff then get a large coolbox that can refridgerate off the cars lighter socket or an electric hook up. failing that a large cool box and plenty of ice blocks that the campsite should be able to freeze for you. Make sure you have 2 or 3 lots so you can have one or two set of blocks in the freezer & one in the cool box on rotation.
Otherwise you won't be having any cold milk/butter, drinks and epecially wine/beers more importantly.
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