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We spent the easter week in cornwall with 8 year old & didnt want to come home, find the local Asda when you get there you can get lots of entertainment for very little cost badminton, cricket bat, travel games, frizbee all of which can be let behind afterwards.

The beaches there are amazing take your windbreak if you have one & buy your buckets & spades when you get there again at around £3 a throw who needs to take them home, just remember to dig Dad back out of the sand when you leave.

We are off to Lyme Regis for 14 nights in August. This will be the longest we've ever been away (9 days before). All I am going to take 'extra' is towels. We will buy our food as we need it. We have a list of days out and e will alternate them them with a quiet day on site. We have chosen a site with a play park (have been there before so we know its good).

My only worry is it won't be long enough

I have never been a parent but surely the whole point of family camping trips is about getting to have quality time together and not relying on lots of entertainment, gadgetry and expense?

I can only say that I worship Val for her sensible advice - I have done exactly these sorts of things when taking niece and nephew camping. There is a limit to one rucsac each for personal stuff including entertainments - and frankly once there and running around with new friends, half of that never got used. Glowsticks are especially good though - we had a musically accompanied glowstick party one wet night at Teversal!

I have never got fed up when camping for any length of time though I have not camped for more that 3 weeks at a time. The only exception (ie a rotten fortnight) was 20 years ago in devon with my then husband; but that was more because our relationship was going down the pan and being in a tent with him just brought it all into miserably sharp focus.....

.............so I divorced him but kept the tent!!

Quote: Originally posted by foggers on 25/4/2007

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.............so I divorced him but kept the tent!!

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What are you like!

Want to agree with what someone else said higher up this thread: do a bit of research in advance about what to do in wet weather.  Then when you  get up on the inevitable rainy day you can just say, 'Right everybody, today is the day we are going to ...' and go off and do it rather than mope about the tent wondering when the rain is going to stop.

We've never been camping for longer than our summer fortnight but that two weeks always whizzes by! MT

Quote: Originally posted by twangy on 25/4/2007

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See that's what's worrying me. It seems to me that the list of stuff to pack, just exist on as a family, is massive enough. Add on the kids' not-inconsiderable dalek collection and other home "comforts" (not to mention the weather question) and I start to wonder if we'd be better off coughing up the extra three hundred quid for a static caravan which takes a way the need for, say, a daily meal out which will rack up the cost anyway. I wonder will a bigger tent make all the difference. We want to be as self sufficient as possible.

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Why the need for a daily meal out, Twangy? Take something decent to cook on and dine al fresco, much nicer (and cheaper ).

By the way, Cornwall does have shops, and lots to do, so don't be too intent on thinking of every last thing you might possibly need to take. Much less stressful if you travel as light as poss and get stuff, like provisions, when you are there. I'm sure the kids will love a visit to a shop if the intended purchase is a toy/game/kite etc!

I personally wouldn't go for a bigger tent, but would consider a kitchen tent (as Val has already mentioned, which gets all the clart out of the tent and  makes for a much safer cooking environment). A day room might be an option, and somewhere new for the kids to play if the weather is a bit inclement. There are lots of ways to make the trip easier, and much better to spend the dosh on things you can use again and again, than on a static caravan, surely?

As for the weather, take kagoules and just let the weather take care of itself. I don't suppose sitting in a static and watching the rain is a much better option than sitting in the tent and listening to it (which I happen to really like, saddo that I am!).

At the end of the day, it is all down to personal preference, and that's exactly as it should be. Go with what you think is best, for you and your family, and you surely won't go far wrong.

Best of luck, whatever you decide!

When my family were yung we used to camp for a fortnight, and quite often booked a local coach tour during the holiday.  It was a relaxing day out and was a novelty for the kids, who were used to going everywhere in the car.

Once when we had a two week holiday planned we could only get a firm booking for one week at a campsite in cornwall (left it a bit late) So on the last day of the booking we just packed up and drove along some country roads found a cracking site near kingsbridge in devon. We have done that a few times now also searching for a campsite adds to the adventure of the holiday and if you go off the beaten track you can find some gems of a campsite.

On the day off change we follow a general rule that we drive for an hour (ish) then start looking for a site.

Might not be ideal for some but its just a thought.