Friday 23 October 2015

Cool camping

Hello, 

I do love being outdoors and the urge to go camping again has been steadily 
growing over the last few months. I probably haven't been camping for 2 years and
 besides barbecues in the back garden, I can't remember when I last cooked outside. 

So with a half term looming I decided it would be an ideal opportunity to spend a 
couple of nights camping, but as this would be the first time we'd be away with daughter on her own, and not even one brother to keep her company, I decided it had to be something a little bit different. It had to offer daughter a little extra - and I found the ideal place. 



I found this great campsite, with the main attraction being a wood fired hot tub!
And while you are warming up the hot tub  
you can also boil water for your tea. 




The idea is so simple. You keep a fire burning in the bin and the water from the hot tub
 circulates round the coil that circles round the bin. Once the hot tub was 
full and the water started to circulate it heated up very quickly. 


Of course when it came to cooking dinner, the kettles 
on the hot plate of the hot tub stove were replaced with sausages and baked potatoes. 
Why is cooking sausages by head torch so much more entertaining than
cooking under a grill?!
Daughter remained sitting in the tub to eat her dinner - I waited until I'd finished 
eating before I joined her!

The other great attraction about this campsite was the sleeping arrangements. 


Daughter got to sleep in a VW campervan!!


Husband and I slept in the tent. And there was also a campfire and pizza oven!
This is the outdoor cooking/washing up area.


   Hammocks to while away a few lazy hours in the summer - but perhaps for 
just a short time in the cooler British autumn.  


However, the first night we were there the temperature was incredibly mild 
for late October, helped by cloudy skies.


Steps up to the dry compost toilet. 








The tress this autumn have been particularly stunning - I think because we have had so
 little wind the leaves have stayed on the trees longer and given us a truly beautiful display. 


It really was a wooded wonderland...


...with a covered eating area.  


This site had no electricity but it takes more than that to stop a teenager from using her ipad.






Our water carrier. 


Firing up the hot tub for our second night!









Daughter in the hot tub by torch light. 


The second night we had clear skies - what joy to sit in the hot tub and look at the stars. 
But oh boy, was it cold for camping. Hot water bottles, extra duvets and plenty of 
blankets kept us snug. In fact husband and I had so many blankets on our bed I
 struggled to turn over under their weight! 



A fabulous couple of nights camping. 

And did it fulfil that urge I had to go camping? Most definitely. 
And did everyone enjoy the little adventure? Again, most definitely. 
But guess what daughter would now like in our back garden?!


xXx

10 comments:

  1. I am guessing a hot tub, I would too. What a great camp site, looks and sounds idyllic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a fabulous place you found. Sitting here just before I eat my breakfast I'm feeling even hungrier looking at that pan of bacon and mushrooms.
    Thanks for visiting and leaving me a comment so I knew you'd been, it's lovely to discover new blogs.
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a fabulous place you found. Sitting here just before I eat my breakfast I'm feeling even hungrier looking at that pan of bacon and mushrooms.
    Thanks for visiting and leaving me a comment so I knew you'd been, it's lovely to discover new blogs.
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fantastic campsite, it sounds like you all had a brilliant time. CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great little break, especially having those added extras on the campsite. I've never been camping, my dad wouldn't go when I was a child and my hubby's never fancied it but it's something I've longed to do, getting outdoors and connecting with nature. I bet you can't wait to go again now you've found this place.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That campsite looks wonderful! The tents, the stove, the food, the hot tub. Wow.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't blame your daughter for now wanting a hot tub in your back garden. I would too! :-) Great to hear you all enjoyed your camping trip. The campsite looks amazing, will have to look it up although I'm not sure my girls will be that bothered about the hot tub. I'm very interested though! X

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, how nice! Here is California the weather is still very warm, and there aren't many changes in trees. I loved seeing your autumn camping photos and reading the camping narrative.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks like a great place to camp and I'm sure you all really enjoyed it. There's nothing like food cooked outside. I remember years ago when my sons would wolf down anything I provided whenever we were camping! You're right about the leaves this year. they have been glorious and managed to stay put for so much longer than usual. We used to live across the street from a family who had a hot tub in the garden!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Brilliant and efficient!!
    Thanks for sharing~

    ReplyDelete

Hello, thank you for dropping in on my blog. I hope you found something of interest and I would love to read your comments.
Caz xx