Am I silly to be nervous about leaving the tent during the day? I'm worried it will blow away or get raided/stolen etc. I'll cope, i'm sure, but it's all abit strange - did you feel like this at first?
It is a strange feeling but just leave your worries at home where they belong take a deep breath and relax and enjoy.
Tents being broken into or destroyed by weather is not common. I know there are a few posts on here at the moment about people being concerned or who have had stuff stolen, but it's honestly not happening all the time.
Just go - you'll have a blast! (not referring to any accidents with the gas stove there... which are quite rare also!)
Oh yes I was just as nervous as you before our first trip. It didn't help that we had a very cheap tent that had the most diabolical instructions I've ever seen. We had no idea what we were doing and knew that the tent wasn't secured properly, but just couldn't work out what we'd done wrong!
Each time we go we get a bit more confident and realise things that we've done wrong or could have done better.
I still remember our first trip, heavens opened up, weather was cack,everything that could have gone wrong, did but hey, we still laugh today, what the rest of the camp must have thought is beyond me but we enjoyed every second of it.....have a great time and keep cool.
------------- Always make the effort, life is too short.
On our first trip the children were sitting in the car whilst we were setting up the tent and unbeknownst to me they turned on the lights and the radio etc and completely drained the battery with all windows and the electric sunroof open . I couldn't find anyone to jump start us and so waited until my dad could get his battery charger to us (2 days later). We then had 2 days of rain where we had to plug up all the windows with plastic bags and towels and of course we had to leave the car unlocked! Luckily nothing was stolen from the car or the tent! I find it funny now but at the time I was a bit
Hi, we went camping for the first time in 20 years at the start of June. I got really stressed before we went and I honestly wasn't looking forward to it. We went to Snowdonia just outside Beddgelert, I was convinced everything would be a disaster but to my complete surprise the tent pitched really easily, the dogs behaved and my husband and I didn't argue!!!!
We regards to leaving the tent, try not to worry there's a sort of code that campers live by, it's a band of like-minded peolpe. Everyone looks out for each other so if your really worried then speak to your neighbours and just ask them to keep an eye on your tent, I'm sure they'll happily ablige.
of great stuff, i just love this site, you all make me feel so normal
we argue every single time....pitching or taking it down,
there was one occasion when i was shouted at (asked) for the mallet,
i threw it......honest i didnt know that wooden mallets bounce off grass.....i didnt
it hit the OH on the nose....oooops
anyway it was an accident and we still argue as soon as the frame is up and the pegging out starts?
and of course i pass the mallet slowly now, lol
but then we have days of peace and quiet, untill its time to take it all down again
If you look at the instructions closely, I'm sure it says that a row is essential to the successful pitching of the tent. My husband never lets me have the mallet, "I'll do it", thought he didn't want me breaking a nail, but now I'm not so sure!!
First time out we had a glorious Friday evening followed by an iffy Saturday morning followed by 15 hours of solid heavy rain. So heavy that on Sunday morning at 7.00 the tent finally gave in and the gales that had now developed started to blow water through the fabric. Enough was enough and we packed up and came home. Conclusion - for 5 of us we needed a bigger tent for when it rains.