Holiday

Practice makes perfect with trailer tents.  I watched someone pitching theirs at a festival we've just been to and it was so quick that if I'd blinked I may have missed it

Friends have one and I was surprised to see them throw the awning canvas over the trailer part, build the frame and then pull the canvas back over it.  It's the opposite with a caravan awning

We had a trailer tent, and it took several 'holidays' in it, before we got it right - the tension, the awning, and poles..........  It's a learning thing, and when you do get it right it's a good feeling.  However, it's much nicer in a caravan where you just arrive and everything is already in place!  We're in the sun at the moment, and everything is outside and we don't even have an awning or a sunshade up!

We came to a trailer tent from a large frame tent.  In comparison it was a breeze to put up - ours was a Conway.  The worst weather we had was at a site (no longer there) called Blue Channel, between Folkestone and Dover up on the cliffs somewhere.  It was so windy, folks in tents were packing up half way through the night and going home.  In the morning we were one of only a few units left - the rubbish bins were full of bent poles and torn 'canvas'.  We managed to get away with one tiny tear in the canvas which we got repaired straight away.  All in all, this was out worst experience by far, but we had some lovely holidays in the trailer tent - especially in France and Germany.

David 

We came to caravanning after 30 years under canvas, like Valda said, it's nice to have everything in place, but our canvas holiday home was much more spacious! With practice we could have our 6 berth fully set up in under two hours, so keep going Dec2203. Practice makes perfect. It'll be even better when your youngster is big enough to help

Our daughter has just bought her first tent and we went with them on their first short trip to be there as `back up` as we have a motorhome.  I am pleased to say they had a great time and really enjoyed themselves and they are now looking for somewhere to camp with their two children aged 4 and 7 in the October half term holidays. 

I have looked at different sites that take tents but none of them seems to have any availability for the half  term and I am wondering whether this is because they are already fully booked or don`t cater for tents at that time of year.  I will be ringing head office to check on this.

I also wondered whether anyone could recommend anywhere particularly with interestinglocal places to visit for young children.  I have a few sites in mind, Ferry Meadows, Burford and Longleat which I am going to contact but would welcome any recommendations.

Well Longleat takes tents but their pricing for tents ends last day of September.

Try Trewethett Farm or Hillhead the pitches are open till later. Hillhead has EHU and good extra facilities for families.

It is worth remembering, with all this talk of the heat wave continuing into October, that October half term weather can be very variable. Probably less so in the south west, but night time frosts are not unusual. So a decent sleeping bag, not a lightweight summer one would be a worthwhile investment. Alternatively some extra blankets or a duvet. 

Personally I would avoid Trewethett in October. Our sons joined us there in Mid September in a tent. The tenting area is great, but very exposed to westerly winds. At only 4 and 7 high winds could be quite frightening. They have certainly frightened me on occcasion when we tented.😀