NATIONAL MEET 2014... (FRI),SAT.&SUNDAY 11TH/12TH/13TH JULY

RubyBlueZ4MC said:
Stark said:
Craig can you put me down for this please, with a plus one (I may need to convince her to go!) Now I have never been camping before, so not sure what to do.....what do people recommend? Hotel or camping?

I think you should camp

Camping.
Hotels are for old people and 2.0l drivers :rofl: :fuelfire:

You can get a basic tent, sleeping beds, air matresses, cooking equipment and a nice bag to stuff it all in for less than the cost of a room for two nights :thumbsup:
My advice - get a cheap three man tent from Argos (three man, so you get some space in the tent - two man tents are too "close" for comfortable tenting!)

(example: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9275719.htm - £24.99)

You can also pick up a double sleeping bag, but if you want to save cash, a set of sheets from your laundry cupboard, plus a lightweight duvet or a blanket or two would be perfectly fine considering the time of the year.
(example bag: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Redwood-BB-SB162-Double-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B001BIN0F2/ref=sr_1_12?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683478&sr=1-12&keywords=sleeping+bag+double - £12.99)

Airmatresses - now, you dont NEED one of these, you could just get some foam to lie on, but trust me, for the price, they're worth it.
(example: http://www.amazon.co.uk/OUTWELL-CLASSIC-MATTRESS-CAMPING-EQUIPMENT/dp/B007IUY0Z6/ref=sr_1_20?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683553&sr=1-20&keywords=double+airbed - £8.99)

That's the sleeping taken care of.
Cooking and eating next!

My advice would be to check out a military surplus shop and get a hexamine stove, some fuel and a set of mess tins.
In total, that shouldn't cost you more that £15.

However, you can get them online too:

stove and fuel (although you may need more fuel) : http://www.amazon.co.uk/HIGHLANDER-COOKER-HEXAMINE-TABLETS-CAMPING/dp/B0049AAF70/ref=sr_1_3?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683661&sr=1-3&keywords=hexamine+stove - £3.98

basic mess tins: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hi-Gear-Aluminium-Mess-Tins/dp/B004RN3LY8/ref=sr_1_33?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683708&sr=1-33&keywords=mess+tins - £4.99)

You can go with a gas stove if you prefer, these are a little more expensive, but some people prefer.

example stove: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Gas-Stove-Red-Black/dp/B003F0CKDW/ref=sr_1_7?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683932&sr=1-7&keywords=gas+stove - £9.96

fuel: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-of-four-gas-canisters/dp/B003B499D6/ref=sr_1_46?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1400683843&sr=1-46&keywords=gas+stove - £6.99

I assume you already have a couple of mugs you could bring, as well as a set of knives, forks and spoons, and a can opener, so no need to buy all those.

And that's all the BASICS you will need.

Extra stuff you should consider are:

Lantern (to see s**t with) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone-Set-3-Camping-Lights/dp/B001W7GJC8/ref=sr_1_8?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1400684013&sr=1-8&keywords=lantern - £7.99

Seats (to sit on) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonnington-Plastics-FC102-Folding-Camping/dp/B002NQOFSW/ref=sr_1_2?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1400684078&sr=1-2&keywords=collapsible+seat - £9.99 each.

Table (to eat off) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone-FT014-Backpacker-Table/dp/B0037CF6DY/ref=sr_1_3?s=camping-hiking&ie=UTF8&qid=1400684121&sr=1-3&keywords=table - £7.99

And that's about it.

Total cost, if you buy ALL of this: £83.91 (tent, bag, matress, hexi, mess tins, two chairs, table, torches)

Pretty sure that's still cheaper than two nights in the hotel, plus it's all reusable.
So if it turns out you like camping, you can expand / replace the items as you go, eventually ending up with quality camping gear, rather than the "basic" stuff I've listed here.
This is exactly what I do. All my "basic" stuff ends up dieing a horrible death at Download Festival or Sonisphere anyways.. :thumbsup:
 
Just to add to this, the cheapest double room at the Hotel is £94 for B&B.
So, two nights would cost £188.

Take away the breakfast (guessed at £7 per person, per day), we're at £160.

Take away the cost of the camping space -(£14.50 per night, for two), we're at £131.

Take away the cost of the above camping equipment, and we're at £47.

Gives you nearly £50 to "improve" any of the above camping equipment choices, or to pocket and convince the missus you're being prudent with your money :thumbsup:
 
wait.. my posts were too sensible.
Let me resolve that:

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plus.... everyone loves a campfire :thumbsup:

[youtube]4smK07I_zlI[/youtube]


just be wary of cowboys...
 
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
My only concern re camping is getting the tent, air bed etc in the boot along with my suitcase :)

trust me - there's loads of room.
My other half packs just about enough to get to the moon... with a BIT of compromise, she gets half the boot, whilst I am more than happy to share space with the camping stuff :thumbsup:
 
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
My only concern re camping is getting the tent, air bed etc in the boot along with my suitcase :)

Just send it all up in advance via courier!

What I used to do when backpacking round the world.




p.s. or you could just stick your +1 on the train and meet him there!!!
 
xedbot said:
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
My only concern re camping is getting the tent, air bed etc in the boot along with my suitcase :)

Just send it all up in advance via courier!

What I used to do when backpacking round the world.




p.s. or you could just stick your +1 on the train and meet him there!!!

He's now contemplating bringing his Zed too so we may just about manage :)
 
Steph and I found we could get everything in our Zed - large (stand up room!) tent - double airbed, two chairs , table, small gas cooker, pan, plates, mugs ,spoons, fork, supplies (inc. water storage) personal stuff in a medium size soft bag. We we're able to use the spaces in the cockpit and wrapped the sleeping bags around the back of the seats. Wouldn't want to 'hoon' with all that weight and clutter but once we were set up at the camp site all was well. Had to return to the campsite after the finish of the Sunday hoon to repack all our stuff then backtrack to head home - never mind - all good.

Hope you enjoy your first camping trip! We we're amazed it was possible - the boot is far bigger than on our old MX5.

:driving: :thumbsup:
 
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
sk93, very good breakdown of camping, I'm pretty sure the OH has most of it but I now have a checklist - thanks :thumbsup:

welcome.

As said, it's the basics.. nothing really more than that.

There's a wealth of stuff you can look at getting / adding.
I managed to find a double sleeping bag that folds down to the size of a rolled up jacket, a double air mattress that would definately fit in the zed's glovebox (for size comparison only..lol)

there's also a 12v to 230v inverter, a 12v coolbox for food / milk etc, solar panel power supply, travel pillows, boot bag, tarp and poles to create an awning for the tent...
 
sk93 said:
Just to add to this, the cheapest double room at the Hotel is £94 for B&B.
I booked early, so got a deluxe double for £150 for the 2 nights.

The 'young' lady I am bringing probably wouldn't come on another trip if I took the tent (currently an inflatable Peridot Air-Tent)
large-3258-jpg-1.jpg
 
Stark said:
Craig can you put me down for this please, with a plus one (I may need to convince her to go!) Now I have never been camping before, so not sure what to do.....what do people recommend? Hotel or camping?

As said, camping is cheaper, but then I just borrow a tent from a mate (who has several of them) and I can pack a 2-man tent, airbed, sleeping bag, pillows, etc etc AND All the RAFFLE PRIZES, which last year in particular were ALOT, and into my M Roadsters boot, that has a battery in it, that my 3.0i didn't, lol.
Though this year there will be less Raffle-prizes, as limiting it this year.

Hotel is comfier and easier, but camping is okay, and tbh, the only time I camp is at this meet :D
Hope that helps.
 
sk93 said:
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
Stark said:
Craig can you put me down for this please, with a plus one (I may need to convince her to go!) Now I have never been camping before, so not sure what to do.....what do people recommend? Hotel or camping?

I think you should camp

Camping.
Hotels are for old people and 2.0l drivers :rofl: :fuelfire:

Really well i have a 2.0ltr and am staying in the hotel,hope to c u there then and we can discuss your findings in more depth. :poke:
 
I qualify under section one of your hotel guidance - not in the head though!

We camped last year and it was great - fun even. Remember to take an empty 2 litre milk container for the evenings - when you find out how far it is to the ablutions block and settle down to the gentle sound of the running stream you camp next too, you'll very quickly understand why - or is it back to section one of the qualifications for hotel use that makes me think this - no I worked it out after all the banter on the first night!

Looking forward to another great National - be good to catch up with yeveryone and you Mary Poppins with that immaculate 14000 mile black Zed!

:driving: :thumbsup:
 
paulgs1000 said:
Looking forward to another great National - be good to catch up with yeveryone and you Mary Poppins with that immaculate 14000 mile black Zed!
:driving: :thumbsup:

+1 on this Paul.
This is my 4th National and love every minute of it.
Hoping the Hotel isn't going to keep Steph from her Sat Night BBQ duties. :D

Looking forward to seeing all the regulars and the first timers. :thumbsup:
 
marypoppins said:
Really well i have a 2.0ltr and am staying in the hotel,hope to c u there then and we can discuss your findings in more depth. :poke:

Are you sure? I mean.. I'm likely to be sat in the campsite, drinking beer, having a good time in the dark... Hotel Dwellers aren't used to the outdoors are they? There's scary things out there in the night.. like ducks.
:poke:
 
For those of you who aren't in to roughing it, I stayed here the first time I attended the National. It was a post-divorce treat and it was a very good choice. 20 mins to Crooklands Hotel too.

http://www.hippinghall.com
 
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