r/campinguk

I own an SUV and I’m finally tempted to make proper use of it! I’m based in the Midlands.

Long story short, I’d like to get into camping, either with my wife or a few friends.

My ideal weekend would look something like this:
Drive somewhere scenic.
Go for a hike (and maybe a bit of green-laning/off-roading where it’s legal).
Come back and have a portable shower.
Cook some food.
Relax in the tent with a portable projector and watch a film under the stars.

I’m still undecided on the setup. Should I get a car-attached tent or just a good inflatable tent so I can camp anywhere?

At the moment, I just want enough space to lie down comfortably and use a projector in the evening.

My biggest question is… where do people actually camp?

When I’ve been hiking before, I never really noticed places where you could park up and camp nearby.
Do most people use dedicated campsites?
If so, do you still get much privacy, or are you quite close to other campers?

If I wanted to chat, laugh and play a film in the evening, would that be frowned upon?

Or do people simply park somewhere suitable and find a spot to camp for the night?

I’d also love any recommendations for great camping locations within a few hours of the Midlands, especially places with beautiful scenery, good hiking, and somewhere suitable for an SUV.

Thanks in advance!

I have purchased a second hand outdoor revolution SIM and it's most certainly more comfortable for sleeping than an air bed. The issue we have is the size of it, along with our inflatable tent it takes up most of the boot space. We don't have a huge budget but are there any beds that roll smaller but are still comfortable?

Can anyone recommend some racking solutions for a garage, I have some cheaper plastic stuff I bought a while back for general storage but I need taller, deeper and sturdier shelves to hold my camping gear.

Everything I can find online looks more towards general storage and I can't see it cooking with my tent, fridge etc....

I'm looking to take my 18 month old daughter camping for the first time outside of the back garden.

Ive been searching for a while but was wondering if anyone has visited anywhere and can recommend.

Im looking for:

- car camping accepted so in the worst case scenario we can pack up quickly and leave.

- Roughly 1h30 maximum from Preston, again, so if she hates it and we need to bail we can get home fairly quickly.

- Shop or pub serving food 10 minutes walk away. Im obviously planning taking plenty of food and water but would like something as a back up.

- Something nearby for her to enjoy, preferably nature based. A nice woodland trail or a small stream or cove nearby we can have a paddle in. Anything really.

- Preferably on the cheaper side. Its more a quiet adventure away for a night than a full on holiday.

Ive had a look at riverside campsite in malham as I know the area quite well, couple of waterfalls nearby and a small shop if needs be but cant find prices anywhere so will need to ring tomorrow. Dont know if anyone's stayed there? Or open to hear people's experiences of other places?

We've already been for a few hikes and she loves the outdoors. I'm dying for her to get into camping too so really want her to enjoy her first time.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

TIA

A very good and chilly morning to you all. I was hoping to find some recommendations for campsites in the peak district with good views. Whether that's scenic vistas or rivers, streams and woods I'm not fussy. I'd love to find some places in the south peaks as we've already explored much of the north. We're open to full service or quite basic sites but will definitely be taking our tent rather than camping pods.

Anyone stayed anywhere particularly nice?

We go camping as a family a handful of times a year. We bought a bell tent about 5 years ago and it completely transformed the experience for us. A few advantages as I see it:

• Nice and roomy with plenty of headroom to stand up in
• Really easy to put up and take down, with only one pole to worry about.
• Very structurally sound, holds up really well in the wind without flapping around.
• More breathable, stays cooler in the summer. Doesn’t get horribly humid in the mornings
• They are basically indestructible

The only real disadvantage I can think of is they are heavy and bulky when packed down, but I’m only talking about car camping anyway so a non-issue really. Cost seem comparable to some of the bigger standard nylon tents.

But yet they seem relatively unpopular. sometimes I’ll be the only bell tent at the site.

So I was just wondering, if you didn’t opt for a bell tent, why not?

Hi campers

hoping for some thoughts / advice on potential tent choices please, or a curved ball of a brand we have missed. we are looking at the following air tents, having resigned ourselves to the size and weight of them!:

1. Berghaus 600XL
2. Quechua 6.3
3. Quechua 6.3XXL.

our runner up was a Outwell Sacramento, and if you could buy one a Coleman Valdes, but there seems to be no Coleman stock in the UK atm.

Price isn’t our determining factor - erring towards the 6.3 XXL, however some reviews say minor issues with the groundsheet letting in bugs and the ventilation cooling down the tent too much / not keeping it warm (on the latter point I’ve never really found a tent to retain much heat!). Apparently the blackout is the best bar a Coleman and the light fabric should help with sunny camping trips, keeping the temp cool. a large porch could also be useful for cooking etc

Has anyone have experience with either tent and could chip in or are we missing another tent and should look at it.

thanks in advance!

I’m planning on going solo camping for 2/3 nights next month (England)

Given that I’m going alone I’m looking for a tent that is reasonably easy to pitch

What tents have you got that are easy to pitch, spacious enough so you have headroom - separate living area & bedroom

Ideally under £250 but I’m happy to pay more if it’s going to be decent quality and not tear on the first use !!

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

We are planning a trip around the South West and would like to go camping.

We are used to the Camp Sites in Germany where it is kind of hit or miss whether it's a nice quiet site or you have bunch of noisy drunk people around your tent.

How is that in the UK? Do you have any suggestions for people who like their campsites quietly?

hi all,

I've recently started using my parents' Khyam RigidDome from the late 90s/2000s. it's been in dry storage for 20 years or so.

On our last trip one of the main seams came apart inside, about 3-4 feet long.

Should I use a liquid or a tape to fix this? I'm also assuming now one seam has separated like this, others will too. Should I preemptively treat/tape the other seams?

thanks in advance!

im camping in my backgarden (sad i know) with friends for my birthday, but id like to take the tent with me on actual camping trips

does it matter how much the tent is cos the difference in prices is very extreme

If anyone has the decathlon inflatable bed bases, could you tell me if they slip around on the ground very much? And if you can clip more than two together at a time? (Ideally 3 or 4 together for co-sleeping?

Thanks!

I've borrowed a CADAC 2-Cook camp stove for a camping trip this weekend and need to buy some gas. Pictures of the butane regulator attached. What type of gas canister is compatible with this, and is it available at Decathlon or Halfords (my nearest shops for this kinda thing). TIA!

https://preview.redd.it/wq6zdc3ls9ah1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bdbfb82dfa93c13a0b19c32378b5f5188bc1558

https://preview.redd.it/6f2tsc3ls9ah1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8fe0db9687f89adf9246b1fa4dd49d69fb12fc6

In 3 weeks, attending the F1. Dragged the old Outwell Hartford L out and it's leaking. Just spent £400 on a Hi-Gear Hampton 800 (new), another £40 on a footprint and now the question about a carpet.

Size needs to be 3.80m x 3.00m apparently and north of £70 for branded.

Question ~ Do I really need one? If not, what else can I use?

I'm very new to camping and I'm planning to go on my first camping trip with my partner. We'll be driving to the campsite and we're planning to go mid August to Berea, St. David’s, Wales. We don't want to spend too much money on equipment as we may find out that camping isn't really for us.

We've purchased a tent - Quechua Arpenaz 4.1 and now we're trying to plan other equipment.

Would you suggest an inflatable air mattress + fleece throw + sleeping bag or something else?

Just got a Dometic Ascension FTX 401 (4-person inflatable) for our first proper family camping holiday with two young kids. Looking for practical setup advice from anyone who’s used one for a week+ trip rather than just weekends:

• Any tips on the best layout for the bedrooms/living area for a family of 4?

• How are people using the rear storage area in practice?

• Pitching tips for getting it taut/wrinkle-free on the first go (it’s a 2-person job apparently)

• Anyone added the annexe or +1 inner tent — worth it?

• General “wish I’d known this before our first trip” advice

Thanks in advance!

Nick

Looking for a campsite i can go to with a bunch of mates, make plenty of noise until late at night without bothering other people, within 3 hour drive of hertfordshire. Anyone got any reccs?

Hi folks. I'm hoping for a steer on a tent purchase. I need a two man self standing tent for a week long trip to the Cairngorms in late Autumn.

It needs to be a genuine 2 person tent that can take a bit of wind abuse, with enough headroom to sit up comfortably. I'd prefer to keep under £300 if possible. Weight isn't a big deal, but Id prefer a bathtub groundsheet. I don't have much preference over inner or outer pitch first.

I used a hot tent on the last trip (it was January and cold!), but I don't have that luxury this time around as there's no room for a stove. Any suggestions please?