Turns out all my super lightweight camping gear hasn’t gone to waste since we had a baby – Rose (15 months) & I went off on an adventure with the bike trailer this weekend and had a brilliant time.

We started from home (Belper, Derbyshire) and rode out to Newhaven in the Peak District via the High Peak Trail, camped overnight, then rode to Matlock because there was a bike event on there on Sunday. Oh and then back over Cromford Hill via Alderwasley, because I wanted to do the brilliant road descent from Alderwasley to Blackbrook – several miles of no pedalling joy.

Pics and (rather twee) story here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150381323769388.408411.635999387&l=07049df796&type=1

Other than normal camping gear, I took a travel cot, as Rose is a bit of a monster in terms of escaping, climbing around in her sleep, jumping on people and turning over travel cocoon things. The cot weighs 2.5kg, which is more than my big 2 man tent (<2kg) and sleeping bag (440g) combined!

It is surprising how little difference 7kg of camping gear does to the handling of the bike trailer too – although I guess I do have 30kg or so of trailer + baby, plus 15kg of bike already so it isn’t a massive percentage increase. We did feel a little unstoppable (in a good way) on the way down the High Peak Trail inclines though – I was glad for my fancy pants disc brakes!

Joe

Cute kid 🙂

They’re great at that age, when they’re behaving.

How did the other campers react?

That’s really cute 🙂 I am envious of the kid, and the adventure she will be privy to (even if she sleeps through them)

Ha ha, great story! It’s now got me wondering “what lightweight travel cot?” for adventures next year 😆

what lightweight travel cot?” for adventures next year

When they are very small (less than 6 months), you can get pop up cots that weigh about 1kg. Once they are bigger, you need a Phil and Ted’s one, which weighs 2.5kg, and is very very sturdy – our very wriggly and active 15 month old can’t escape it or turn it over.

The downside is that it is silly expensive. There are also super heavy cheap ones that are sturdy too, but weight about 10kg, or pop up ones which weigh about 300g less and cost half as much, but if you have a wriggler, they will escape them or turn them over.

I know mates who’ve done camping trips without a travel cot, just with a tiny roll mat for the baby – it depends a lot on how violently active your baby is, and how much you mind have babies jumping on you at 3am in the morning!

How did the other campers react?

The kids there all wanted to have a bike trailer! I reckon I should get commission from Croozer – I know at least one sale that is directly my fault, and you meet so many people who ask you about the trailer when you’re out and about with it.

I’m not sure about the adults at the campsite – they were probably mostly relieved that they weren’t the one constantly chasing down a marauding toddler, and were in their great big marquees drinking wine instead!

I was towing my 3-month old girl in a croozer on the same trail last week!

That’s brilliant! Thanks for sharing, and what a GREAT way to go camping with a toddler! That would ahve been a real adventure for her! 🙂

Bugger, should have got the crozier kid for 2. Bugger bugger bugger. Why didnt I think of that. Bugger.

Brilliant, love the photos and the story – looks like you had a great trip.

Bugger, should have got the crozier kid for 2. Bugger bugger bugger. Why didnt I think of that. Bugger.

I reckon I could have fitted everything except the travel cot into a single croozer – the boot wasn’t super full. You can always do without the cot and just take a rolly mat.

Having said that, from my years of not having a car and doing lots of camping I have some *very* light & small camping kit and I don’t take much extra junk, it is probably easier if you have the gear already. I hate to think how much I’ve spent over the years on ludicrously light camping gear and stuff sacks to squeeze it down in.

I think this is a list of everything I took:

Vaude Lightwing tent (<2kg)- decent sized 2 person tent, packs tiny.
Macpac ultralight sleeping bag, waterproof, down filled (440g)
Thermarest prolight 3 3/4 length (350g)
Travel Cot (2.5kg)
Extra clothes (2x fleecy jumpers for both of us, change of clothes each, pyjamas for Rose)
Food (pre-cooked dinner so I didn’t need a stove – in tupperwares that doubled up as bowls to eat from, plus snacks).
Nappies, wipes, nappy bags.
A soft toy rabbit (plus the bee that lives in the trailer anyway).
Cutlery (camping cutlery for me, spoon and fork for Rose)
Waterproofs (full suit for Rose, top for me)
Torches – alpkit head torch which doubles up as an emergency bike light with the red rear light and my bike light / monster torch.
Toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Rose’s baby rucksack / leash thing for wandering around.
Suncream and associated baby gubbins.
Minimal set of bike tools (tubes for every wheel, pump, puncture repair etc.)

One of my fleeces doubled up as a towel, to save taking that.
I know the words off by heart to one of her favourite bedtime books, so I didn’t bother taking story books.
I didn’t take any extra toys, as campsites are full of mud and other such gubbins that babies like playing with (plus I took my head torch which is the best toy in the world).

Joe