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first time camper to be...info & help please..


lancsguy

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hello everyone this is my first post ! this summer will be my first time ever camping - me and the wife figured to go and see the uk rather than fly abroad so we decided on going camping with the dogs. now we have bought all the essentials, stove,sleeping bags, pans etc...but we are still looking at/for tents, now my wife would like something that she can walk about in and have plenty of space inside and I have found a Litchfield DLX 6 man - it has the room, and a seperate sleeping area for the dogs ! - can anyone vouch for this tent ? - I mean is it a good tent, can it withstand strongish winds,easy to put up etc - you know what I mean.... also are you charged per size of your tent or is it a standard price regardless and also are all campsites dog friendly or is it better to call up before you set off.. and finally - where is best to go in the lake district as thats where our first expedition is to take place.... thanks for your time and I look forward to your replys if any and also if you have any advice that you can pass on then please do !! thanks lancsguy..
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I've had a quick look at the tent you're looking at, it seems very large for just 2 of you and a couple of dogs! It will take more time to put up than a smaller tent and it seems to have an awful lot of guy ropes to boot. From past experience we found it better to have a tent that had full height in the sleeping area as well as the daytime area as it makes getting dressed etc much easier and you can then utilise the spare sleeping space more during the day. You can also the use one of the spare compartments for a toilet for example. Also, remember that whatever you get will have to be able to keep the dogs in, it's amazing how easily they can get out of what you think is a 'secure' tent!!! I'd suggest thinking about what you want to take with you equipment wise and then work out how you would be able to place it in the tent so as to be able to use it properly, for example will you be able to put a camp kitchen in, table and chairs etc and still be able to move around? If you can measure and mark out the centre 'living' space in your garden (look on the internet for the exact sized in the adverts), you can then place your items 'in it' and see how you get on. As for getting there and back home - how bulky is it going to be in your car with all the other paraphanalia as well, don't forget food, pots & pans, bedding, clothes, shoes etc, etc. It's surprising how much space it all takes up. Also, when you get it home, if it's wet you need to think about where you'll put it to dry off. I'm not trying to put you off a large tent, but just make sure it is what you want before you get it. A large tent can be great but you have to make sure you will be able to put it up without a problem in the rain/wind or whatever is thrown at you. Putting it up in the garden on a nice sunny day with no-one looking is one thing, putting it up on site in the middle of a gale with the rain lashing at you is quite another. As for charges on campsites, I'm afraid I can't help as it's some time since we went to any with a tent but I suspect some of them might make a distinction between a large 'family' one and a small 'pup' type one. Regarding dogs, a lot of sites do accept them but not all so you really need to check beforehand when you book, and also whether or not they charge for them as well, some sites can be quite extortionate in the high season, I've seen some charging over £5.00 per dog per night ... obviously to put you off taking them. One tip, when looking for storage for your bits and pieces, pots and pans etc, get some of the plastic storage crates with lids (meant for going under beds etc), they are easy to pack/unpack, easy to move around and stack, and also give you some work surface. In the past we used to use suitcases (hard bodied) for the same reason. Whatever you choose, have fun!
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  • 1 month later...
hi there if you havnt bought your tent yet, i suggest you measure it and phone ahead to sites you may wish to visit, some have marked out pitches and cannot accomodate many of the larger tents, others may charge you for two pitches. we thought about buying a similar sized tent, and changed our mind for this reason, also because we wanted something we could practice in the garden with beforehand, didnt fancy being the "camp entertainment" (lol)
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