Camping Marathon Over

Last Weekend - Second Camp

So I am searching for the perfect campsite that we can go to every year that has everything one could ever need.
Perfect showers (they don't have those at Wowo and those respiratory issues should be advised to stay well away), campfire approval, good views and nearby attractions (by this I mean some kind of village with museum or foodie joint) and a good camp shop. There must also be room to swing a cat.

I think that this place will be found in Northern France in a few years when the girls are a little older and won't mind a chunk of the day traveling. I will also be thin enough then to carry off cotton slip dresses that take no space in a bag.
In the mean time we are looking for our idle within an hours drive or so.

I thought that I had found this in the Witterings near Chichester so paid a deposit and got my hopes up but it turned out to be a false alarm because all the reviews that I read for the site that I had pinned my hopes on were of condemnation.

Whats a girls to do at the eleventh hour ? Hang the cost - search the internet for an alternative for somewhere different but in the same direction as we were meeting friends......again, but a different set this time.
The man of our companions had recieved a tent for his 30th birthday and had been itching to erect and there was no way that tent wasn't being pegged out this weekend.

A quick call to a farmer who had booked out his pitches till September on the off chance that he had a cancellation secured us a corner at Mellow Farm Adventure near Farnham.
Luckily for us there was to be a 100 campers on a works do with a sportsday on the Saturday but they cancelled the camping and just came for a BBQ in the evening.
Lucky for the farmer they paid so he was easy with the sudden change in our arrangements

So it was us and 3 other tents in the Oxbow and it was perfect.

I love her face even more when she is happy

This year I decided what our tent needed was carpet and it did make a difference

Hours of fun - I couldn't believe it could be this pretty

P couldn't decide if this was a good thing but we all went in at some point

Gas canister refill and ice cream at the garden center. Its a posh cone near Farnham

Playtime before conking out

Always waking up too early. Vintage linens and Cologne&Cotton pillow cases - odd choice

This was T's personal swan

We were in that thicket a bit of a walk to the loo if you are a girl

I can make anything but it doesn't mean that it will last. More fun sending it down river

View from the washing up station.

You can hire these for a fiver!

We will definitely come back here and see what its like when there are more people booked, its reasonably priced you get the most enormous amount of wood for a fiver even if its a bit wet and difficult to burn. The facilities are clean, 50p for a shower but so what and there is plenty of hot water to wash up with.

No camp shop as such but you can buy eggs and sausages from the farmer.

We drove past a place called Frensham Ponds. It could have been the weather and the foliage, misty damp and olive green but the place looked like a dream or somewhere in a Jane Austin novel. There was a wedding going on in the pub the bride was having a pint next to the lake and you can swim in there too. Providing the algae count isn't up!

Would also like to see Farnham which will be on the list for another time.

We had another friend join us on Saturday Eve for dinner and he stayed over. In the morning whilst P slept on the tent floor and we packed away he Sat in the car and read Bramly Hedge to T. I love that when I said to the girls do you want to bring toys they packed books.
Unusual first choice but a good one.

So I think I am happy
The camping stuff is washed aired and in the loft ready to be stowed and there is a toad in the hole in the oven for dinner this eve.

I am off to help a friend sort through her wedding decorations this eve.
All good
CM