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We are a family of 5 (mum, dad, girls aged 5,7 &9) and have a 5m soulpad hybrid which is great. I would only recommend buying a bell tent if you have a trailer.

Rather than a gazebo we have a (camper van) drive away awning which is used as a kitchen diner and works well for us especially in adverse weather, both tents travel in the car so can be first out without having to open the trailer.

Thanks, we've had quite a few tents in getting here but think we are finally happy with our set up (stripe windbreak has been replaced buy an ivy pattern one as hubby insists on marking his garden ).

Our tarp is a frame tent sun canopy and works great but they are hard to come by, many people with bell tents here have this canopy.

The awning only comes on our longer holidays and is used for wet coats, for short stays we use a toilet tent to cook in (use electric) and wet coats get put in the car or on the backs of chairs in the tent.

Yes we went to the soulpad showroom as they are less than 20 miles away, they are pretty much empty but give a good idea of headroom. We have two doubles and a single squeezed into one half (I made an adjustable liner to close off sleeping area) and use the other half to live in.

You should be well within budget  tent £477, canopy £47, driveaway awning (similar to ours)  £225 but cheaper models are available or buy second hand (ours was £50 and in great condition). Leaves plenty for table & chairs and bits & bobs.

Jom1904, are you at Kelling Heath for the big camp? only just opened my camping magazine and see me and my girls are promoting it for this year  I don't like photos of myself but this is a lovely photo of us .

Going to look at the site plan and work out where I want to pitch this year, had noisy neighbours and people cutting through my pitch to get to the shower block last year so probably going to go for a squirrel zone rather than dragonfly.

The big camp is an event organised by www.campingmagazine.co.uk (details & photo on the website too) it was in April last year and quite cold so probably why they have changed it to 16 - 18 May and only costs £50 (standard pitch) for three nights. We came home with loads of goodies, luckily I had space in the trailer .

Last year had pitch 138, I've looked at the site plan and thinking pitches 283 & 255 face the female toilets with 254 beside them, can't remember which way the squirrel toilet block faces as would be happy to be facing them, whilst the older one is more than happy to go to the toilet alone I do like to be able to see her go in and come out of the toilet block (yes, I'm a worrier ).