Camping is one of those love or hate things (I love it). However, until last September I had not been camping for ten years. Somehow I convinced Mr D that we should camp in my ancient little tent for a couple of nights with mixed results. Fizz decided that my pillow was better than her bed, the tent leaked and we were very, very squashed. However, we did enjoy our first camping trip! This led me to source and purchase a six man tent off Ebay last winter.
Our first camping trip of 2014 was in August, and a repeat visit to the campsite we went to last year. Having a bigger tent with a 'lounge' and bedrooms made all the difference to the weekend as did having electric! We had chairs and a table and I could spend serious time on my crochet blanket right up until bedtime!
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| Camping tea with Mr D |
We tend not to eat out when we camp preferring to keep things as cheap as possible. We have a single gas ring to cook on which means you have to be a bit creative with meals! Friday night tea was couscous, lamb chops and green beans from my parents garden. Very tasty if I do say so!
Woodhall Spa is really pretty and has heaps of history as it was home to many military personal during World War Two. It is perhaps best known as the home of RAF 617 squadron and the Dambusters. The RAF continues to play a role in the town and there is a recent memorial alongside the dambusters memorial in rememberance of those that have lost their lives in recent conflicts. 
On the Saturday there was a parade marking the 70th anniversary since troops left the town to fight at Arnham in 1944. Poor Fizz was not impressed with the RAF band and their bagpipes and gave them a growl as they went past. Afterwards we had coffee and cake in a dog friendly tea rooms! There seemed to be several places which allowed dogs which was nice to see and gives us lots options for future camping trips.
As we were beginning to pack everything away on the Sunday morning we heard a massive rumble. Straight overhead flew the only two flight worthy Lancaster Bombers in the world! It was a fantastic site and the sound was incredible. Luckily they made a return pass and I was able to take some photos! Everybody on the campsite was buzzing after that!
So camping this year has been a great sucess - it's been very a very chilled out affair with wine and nibbles and I've really enjoyed working on my crochet blanket. Roll on next year!
Are you a fan of camping or do you prefer a good hotel?
Well, here I go, sounding like Mrs Victor Meldrew.... don't like camping, don't like hotels, don't like going away much either these days! Mainly for health reasons, we don't go away any more, but when we did, it was always to lovely romantic, remote cottages, somewhere quiet, as little traffic as possible, as little in the way of human life as possible too. These days I am just happy to go for the odd pootle now and then, a mystery tour with an OS map, and a picnic, any time of year.
ReplyDeleteA pootle is good! We also enjoy a quiet cottage holiday. We try to go to Northumberland every year for a week in the winter months but always in the same cottage. It can be a bit nippy but we love the piece and quiet and Fizz has the beaches all to herself!
DeleteLooks like you had a good trip, Isla. Poor Fizz with the bagpipes, they can be very loud, can't they. We've done lots of holidays in static caravans which have been great fun :-)
ReplyDeleteWe are off to Scotland in November so will have to stay out of the way of any bagpipers!
DeleteHow wonderful that you saw the Lancasters.
ReplyDeleteWe usually end up in a dog friendly self catering cottage ... no hotel will take 5 whippets hounds and keeping all of them happy in the more public environment of a camp site could prove difficult.
I know what you mean Fizz growls whenever someone walks near the tent! If they come too close they get a big WOOF! She is much better in a hotel as she can't see who is walking past the room. We also love dog friendly cottages and have a favourite cottage up in Northumberland we visit every year.
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