What do I need, where should I get it and how much should I budget? If the family doesn’t like it I don’t want to have spent loads. We have glamped before as a family and so we have a rosy view of what to expect. We like the idea of escaping for long weekends with little planning. In laws are looking at getting a decent camper van and so the future is looking sorted for this kind of thing.

Seconodhand from some else selling gear after a wet trip from a pissed off family.

Or go outdoors / decathlon. Just don’t buy too many extras that you don’t need. Keep to the minimum of stove, tent, sleeping bag and mats, take cooking stuff from inside / wilkinsons for plastic bowels e.t.c. Forget aobut chairs fold up tables and special camping salt shakers if you are trying to do it on the cheap.

Buy 4 mats from Alpkit and have a look at the tents in decathlon. See what you think suits you.
Take duvets and pillows from home.

Have you no friends with the gear? Obviously under the standard ‘mates-rule’ of lose/damage=replace with new

Did 2 man tent sleeping bag and mat for 60 quid on Thursday, not bad…

Have a look here;

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/camping-caravanning/camping-equipment

It’s mostly cheaper and cheerful stuff but it’ll get you going for fair weather camping and you can replace bits that break/wear out with better quality once you know what you want and want to commit the money.

If you can make it to Hertford I’ve got a 2007 vintage Outwell Montana 6 (big heavy tent) looking for a new home, I’ve the tent, footprint groundsheet and sun canopy, it’s getting old and the polyester on the roof is getting a bit “crispy” so obviously towards the end of its useable life but might last a couple more seasons. Oh there’s also a patched hole on the side which happened in a big blow last year in Dorset. Free to a good home.

I have taken the plunge early in the summer never having been a camperist……all in including comfortable flack inflatable beds and very comfortable chairs and a dearer than average multi fuel double burner as I wanted all the creature comforts that would otherwise have put me iff camping, £800, this was for a five man tent deal which included carpet etc from GoOutdoors and buying bits along the way….I am converted, nothing that put me off doing it for the rest of my days to be honest. Not even one cross word between me and MrsS. Things certainly have improved since I last spent a night in a tent 40 odd years ago!
I should point out no children were included in this so we had masses of space and no irritations from any 😆

Ebay – I just got pretty much everything I needed for £155

2 large (6-8 man) tents
Dining table
Cooking table
Multi-ring stove
Second stove
Gas heater
Gas canister
4 inflatables
Electric hook-up
etc etc etc – and all in very good hardly used condition

I doubt we’d lose much (if any) money come the time we sell

There’s always loads on Ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Camping-set-up-/161794578010?hash=item25abb5565a

New to be comfortable:

Tent £250
Bags 4 x £40
Mats 4 x £30
Chairs 4 x £5
Stove £20
LED lights 4 x £5
Table £20

Make do with household stuff for everything else(blankets, pillows, pans, candles etc. .

Don’t get a £20 table – it’ll be in the campsite bin by the end of your first stay.

I had one of these in mind, I got it for £16 perhaps the exception at this price but quite a sturdy little table.

http://www.hawkshead.com/matano-camping-table.html

Thank you for the ideas and links. I think I am going to borrow some kit and do some garden camping with the kids before making any big purchases. I guess the campsites themselves are going to vary massively too. I love the idea of a remote glen or woodland but less the idea of a hair matted shower block surrounded by caravans. Time to do some reading.

Most of the folding ‘suitcase’ tables eg Hi-Gear from Go-Outdoors or the Regatta Cena from Hawkshead (both £30) appear to come from the same factory in china. There seems to be two basic designs, aluminium screw in legs and steel extending legs. Look around and you will find cheaper non-branded versions. I got one from Aldi when on offer for £20. Apart from the leg style the rest is identical construction to the £30 Hi-Gear form Go-Outdoors, and the Aldi one is longer too. I find these perfectly acceptable for camping.

Re: Tables – after my cheap one broke (the one that came with the Ebay set-up I bought) I got one of these – will comfortably take my weight standing on the table (and is stable enough to take any flex in the legs with me on it), really heavy duty and will probably be still working when everything else has broken. I got it off Ebay for £25. I was annoyed because they had them new in Asda for £30 but I forgot to go in then they had sold out.