Woods, Canvas and Family Time – From a Tent to a Trailer
With school holidays approaching and time booked off work (yay!), I have started to think of family trips away. Our trips away generally consist of woods, canvas and family time.
There is something about getting away from it all, slowing down the pace and just taking time to enjoy family time with no agendas or plans. Camping is something I have done for many years, and something I want my kids to experience.
We have taken both T and J camping over the years, and J shares my love for camping. He has been badgering me to take him camping this year. I though back in 2014 when we were camping and hurricane bertha happened, it would have put him off but didn’t. ( That hurricane totally destroyed our Coleman tent!)
From Tent to Trailer.
In 2015 I had the prospect of having to replace said Coleman tent and decided I would look at the option of a trailer tent. My body didn’t share my love of camping but I didn’t want to deny J camping – or myself. So in the middle of winter, I purchased a lovely old canvas trailer tent.
We took it out to camp for a weekend locally as soon as it got warmer and it was great. So much quicker to erect, beds a metre off the ground and a massive awning. This meant when it rained ( let’s face it, we are in the UK, it’s going to rain) we had a space to relax and play. We took it out on 2 more short camping trips in June and July.
An offer of a folding camper.
We had our week away camping in August, to our regular annually camping spot by Dalby Forest. Then I got an offer of a folding camper that I couldn’t turn down. Although I had to sell the trailer tent to help fund this, I really wanted a folding camper. It meant my body would thank me again, as no pegging was needed for the main unit.
It did leave me in a situation where if the folding camper fell through I would have a camping trip booked with no tent. It all worked out and I picked up the folding camper the day before we were set to go away, and I only had the trailer tent up on gumtree for 8 hours before someone wanted it.
We had a fantastic week away in the new folding camper, spending time in the forest, doing the Superworm trail and going to Whitby and Scarborough.The folding camper was a home away from home, and so quick to erect – 15 mins to put main unit up and be sleepable.
The folding camper made us think of the possibility of planning a bit of a road trip. As it was so quick we could do little overnight stops, so thinking on a 3 week break, taking a week to travel down exploring places going towards Devon/Cornwall. Then spending a week down there, before making our way up the other side of the country the following week, then home. – This hasn’t eventuated yet as in sept I was surprised to learn I was pregnant with Ro.
We are planning on getting the folding camper out, checking it over this weekend as it hasn’t been used last year. Then going for a few days over the summer holidays.
So if you fancy woods, canvas and family time, getting away for a weekend and making memories. I will be featuring a few crafty items to make for fun outdoors, hints and tips, and reviews of campsites.
If your thinking about going camping, Jenni over at Chilling with Lucas put together a camping checklist from her experience at Geronimo festival.