A2OC Goes Camping

[Skipton01]

Hello all,

I know this was mentioned at the Curry Social last year, but have there been any further thoughts on the subject?

Only reason I ask is that Costco has a good tent going at the moment, and I'm wondering if I spend £100 on it, will it be unpacked this year?

Cheers,

Mike

[Darren C]

Personally, I will have to wait a little nearer the time and see what this year brings – though I seem to recall that enough interest was muted at the curry social to warrant the purchase.

Besides which, if the A2OC doesn’t go camping, then I guess you could always treat Ange to some ‘goth’ weekends away eh Mike!!;)

Cheers,

Darren

[wooly A2]

I Know i have not been on here so much lately but i will defo
be there tent is already on standby ,

Got a new Pc and im having lots of problems with networking ,Onboard ethernet adapter giving me lots of jib ,
so keep having to plug my old machine back in ,as soon as my new machine is up and running i will be back to full steam ahead on the social front LOL !!!;)

Oh nearly forgot Mike if this is your first time camping i would not spend more than a £100 on a tent as
it's not everyones cup of tea , i borrowed one the first time i went and loved it ended up buying 4 birth one of Ebay for £50....

[Skipton01]

I'm going to have to get a new pc soon Carl - hope I don't have the same sorts of niggly problems you're having.

Darren, it's far too cold to go camping at Halloween, especially in Whitby, that's when the Goth Festival is on. We've got a nice cosy cottage, complete with 4-poster bed lined up for this year!

Cheers guys, I'll go ahead with the purchase.

Mike

[tdiman]

I'm going to have to get a new pc soon Carl - hope I don't have the same sorts of niggly problems you're having.

Darren, it's far too cold to go camping at Halloween, especially in Whitby, that's when the Goth Festival is on. We've got a nice cosy cottage, complete with 4-poster bed lined up for this year!

Cheers guys, I'll go ahead with the purchase.

Mike

Mike,
I've got a spare vango tent here if you want it? also sleeping mats, yours for the princely sum of nowt!!!

cheers
Mike

[ULP]

I'm glad you brought this up Mike!

I'd love to do it, but so far I have had my head into Masters work etc. so setting time aside to do proper research on camping has gone by the wayside a touch.

There are two ways of doing this - getting concensus or being dictatorial! I think the former rather than the latter

The first question is who is up for it? Please post here that you are in!

The second is location; I have had some thoughts about general areas and reckon they narrow into:

A theme packed event to the tune of Alton Towers and a trip to the peak district (I don't know the area, mind)

My other thought is the Lake District. Steamboat museum, trip on Windermere, Derwent Water or Coniston. Plenty to do.

Norfolk/ Suffolk etc. which is also rather nice but not alot to 'do' as such.

North Yorkshire - a trip to Whitby and Flamingo Land (theme park) would be brilliant.

So, who is up for it and are there any specific can do's and can't do's?

I'm thinking a Friday and Saturday night stay, getting there before lunch on the Friday and sticking around until mid-morning Sunday

Darren, you can share our tent - it's not a problem!

More than happy to take ideas, but please post which of the above would be a preference and can't do options. For what it's worth the lakes and north yorkshire sit at the top of my list!

[Skipton01]

Mike, thanks for the kind offer - I'll PM you.

Chris, good ideas there.

I like the idea of the lakes and it may be just the ticket for our Scottish members, who have a hard time of making it to Wiltshire for the ADI event.

So, the next question is when and then who would be wanting to come.

Cheers,

Mike

[alexwharton]

Date and venue dependent we'll camp out.

[Skipton01]

If anyone has any dates in mind, then post 'em here.

Same goes for venues.

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

Mike, your point about the Lake District is entirely valid - it would be good to have a meet that the Scottish and Northern Members find easy to get to (even from Bedfordshire the lakes only take four hours so it's hardly a killer to get there!)

So, I'm more than happy to find some camp sites in the lakes that will take an owners club turning up - for the purpose of seeing if they are happy I will advise about 10 cars will turn up. If anyone has experience of a good site, let me know. I have a great site on the edge of the lakes but it's a good 3 mile hike to the pub!

Carl, and others with kids, would you be willing for the kids to skive for a Friday or is this a no-no? If it's a big no, then we'll have to fix something around a school holiday be it the summer one or May half term.

Personally, I'd prefer to go for the end of June/ Early July to get great weather (...) and some decent long nights to give plenty of chance to sup beer by the tent :)

Therefore, could I suggest:

1-3rd June (I think this is the end of Half Term Week)
22-24th June
29 June - 1st July
6-8th July
13-15th July
20-22nd July (or is this the start of the school holidays?).

I'm pretty sure there is a holiday for me in the first week of June but not sure when exactly.

Please post which dates suit for the time being and I'll get something organised. I'll leave this open until next Friday, 16th, before confirming some details based upon the responses.

[Skipton01]

Sounds good to me - put me down for a plot (is that what they call spaces for tents?).

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

Sounds good to me - put me down for a plot (is that what they call spaces for tents?).

Cheers,

Mike

That'll be a pitch ;)

[driveforward]

I seem to remember committing to this.. :p

Will keep an eye on what everyone decides :)

[Skipton01]

That'll be a pitch ;)
How big do you think the tent'll be? Not planning on bringing a marquee!

Cheers,

Mike

[ScotAlan]

Hi,
I don't know what sort of camp site you're looking for, but the camping and caravanning club have some sites in the lake district. They're open to non-members, and are usually pretty good. Their website is www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk.

Don't forget your midge spray!!

[bretti_kivi]

... and the date will be?

[ScotAlan]

Don't know if this will have any bearing on the date chosen...but apparently there's a real ale festival in Keswick sometime in june!
Just a thought....

[ULP]

Despite suggesting the 16th as the last date to post, I still think there are some shy A2 owners out there so let's hold this one a little longer...

So far, I have the following:

Skipton
Driveforward
ULP
Darren C (suprisingly quiet at the moment...)
ScotAlan (perhaps?)
bretti_kivi (perhaps?)
Alexwharton (perhaps?)
WoolyA2 (you've gone quiet!)

Anyone else going to add their name to the list?

This is the place I have been to before - they accept groups and the site is really nice although it isn't strictly in the Lakes but just to the South East.

http://www.cheapest-camping-holidays.co.uk/camping_uk/Ashes-Lane-Caravan-Park.shtml

The web link at the bottom of that page doesn't work!

However, I think to get the full Lakes experience this is probably the place to go on the shores of Ullswater - check out the fact we can hire canoe's and pedalo's!!! High season is only £18 per night for car + 2 people

http://www.watersidefarm-campsite.co.uk/index.htm

How about we narrow down to the following dates:

29 June - 1st July

6-8th July

Please post or pm me if either are unsuitable

[tdiman]

You can count us in even though I don't have eggbert anymore!
As a seasoned camper, the best tip I can give you is make sure the site has a good toilet / wash facilities, we only book the ones with a good loo award, oh and the David Bellamy recommended sites are usually up with the best.
If anyone would like to put forward a site I'll happily check it out

[alanb]

Provided I'm free on the date, I'll do my best to make the short hike from Somerset!

AlanB

[audi0001]

Hi all,
as a keen camper i would be interested in the camping weekend but i'll hang fire untill i find out where it is going to be as if its to far south i'll probally need t give it a miss,
i'll keep my eyes on updates,cheers

[battyb]

Me and the kids would be up for it depending were and when.

Paul

[Darren C]

Despite suggesting the 16th as the last date to post, I still think there are some shy A2 owners out there so let's hold this one a little longer...

So far, I have the following:

Skipton
Driveforward
ULP
Darren C (suprisingly quiet at the moment...)
ScotAlan (perhaps?)
bretti_kivi (perhaps?)
Alexwharton (perhaps?)
WoolyA2 (you've gone quiet!)



Darren, you can share our tent - it's not a problem!

Hi Chris,

"Surprisingly quiet..."; well what can I say mate, busy, hectic and manic at the moment, so sorry for not adding my thoughts until now!!;)

I have spoken with Di and we will look to attend provided the date is not in June, (if you are looking to add a week day to the event that is), as Di is not allowed any time off during this month!!:confused: With regards to your kind offer, we would gladly join you and Marie for a night of..., sorry I mean share your tent. (I promise to not throw the car keys into the centre of the tent at any point during the break!!).:D

We will look to leave young Kayleigh with Nanny and Grandad to make things a little more easier, though it will be a shame to not have her with us.

Happy on any venue, date is our prime consideration, but we can discuss further next Sunday at Kayleigh's christening. (Speaking of which I will 'PM' or call you later this week!!).

Cheers,

Darren

[ULP]

So, for an update we have:

Skipton
Driveforward
ULP
Darren C
tdiman
alanb (poss)
audi0001 (poss)
battyb (poss)
ScotAlan (perhaps?)
bretti_kivi (perhaps?)
Alexwharton (perhaps?)
WoolyA2 (you've gone quiet!)

Being mindful of Darren's point about Di's holidays, can I suggest we go for either:

6-8th July 2007

or

13-15th July 2007

In the Lake District - I'm 99% sure Ashes Lane will take us but being on Ullswater will be more 'in the lakes' so to speak! Waterside Farm haven't come back to my email so I will give them a ring tomorrow. Depending on whether they have a preference for the date (for whatever reason) and ensuing comments over the next 24hrs, I'll annouce a final date tomorrow.

As for things to do, I was thinking the Steam Boat Museum with a trip on Windermere for the Friday afternoon, with a drive to a few lakes and a trip on the Ravenglass Railway on the Saturday, perhaps Keswick for the afternoon to see the museum with all the cars from TV programs in it.

Steam features heavily!

Cheers

Chris

[Skipton01]

It's all sounding rather good to me Chris - either date is as bad for me as the other - so never mind, I'll just have to let Granada down anyway!

Cheers,

Mike

[Darren C]

Being mindful of Darren's point about Di's holidays, can I suggest we go for either:

6-8th July 2007

or

13-15th July 2007

It's all sounding rather good to me Chris - either date is as bad for me as the other - so never mind, I'll just have to let Granada down anyway!

Cheers,

Mike

Chris, et all!!

Really appreciate your thoughts on working around Di's leave, (or lack of), but please don't hold back on choosing a more mutually convenient date in June on account of this.

I/we would not wish to jeopardise a great break for others.

Having said this, congrats on your thoughts and progress on venue / ideas Chris, sounds like it will be an awesome event!!:D

Cheers,

Darren

[Skipton01]

Darren, don't worry about me - Granada are fussy about whenever I take, so it really doesn't matter.

Cheers,

Mike

[Darren C]

Darren, don't worry about me - Granada are fussy about whenever I take, so it really doesn't matter.

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks Mike!!

What will the "Heaven & Earth Show" do without their top sound engineer anyway??

Subtitles will work I guess!!;)

[Skipton01]

Thanks Mike!!

What will the "Heaven & Earth Show" do without their top sound engineer anyway??

Subtitles will work I guess!!;)
And the Jeremy Kyle Show and Coronation Street, not to mention the crap I'm doing for the next week or so - Glitterball (goes out live at 12 midnight, the sh1t stuff that gets people to phone in and be ripped off!).

Hey ho, keeps a roof over my head!

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

And the Jeremy Kyle Show

Is that to a sound engineer what changing rooms is to the construction professional?