Holiday in the UK this Year

So with the current economic state as it is and more and more people feeling the pinch on their purses or wallets going abroad this year isn't looking like a feasible option for a lot of families.

A family holiday is something everyone needs, just to take that break from work and just get away from the stress and strains of home life and have a good time. This is why more and more families are turning to camping holidays this year. Whether choosing to stay in Britain or hitch a ferry over to near by France a camping holiday can be a cheap alternative and a lot of fun for the whole family.

The camping industry has already taken a notable rise with new families popping into stores to get some advice on a purchase for their first family tent. Helpful advice is out there and the Internet is a great place to pick up some good reviews of family tents.

Names you will notice get consistently good reviews are tent brands like Outwell and Vango. Outwell make some very durable family tents with plenty of living space for the whole family. Most Vango and Outwell customers are more than happy to gush to you about how their tent is a great holiday accommodation and rather than paying for that accommodation every year they bought one tent which lasted a few years. Money saving at it's best.

Another brand that have appeared on the scene just this year is the recently re-ignited Hi Gear brand, that have brought out a range of festival and family tents ideal for any kind of camper. Pop up Tents for the inexperienced, some aesthetically pleasing family tents which are of a high quality and for tents made in the same factories as Outwell and Vango you can see some of the same sort of craftsmanship in the seams.

You may have noticed a lot of these big name brands have upped their prices this year but you can still pick up some fantastic tent deals; so be sure to compare prices before purchasing.

So remember when thinking about your holidays this summer, why not try your hand at camping? It's cheaper in the long run and it may just save you that bit of cash that you could spend elsewhere. Don't let the credit crunch get you down this year - take that holiday break and relax.

That's all for now

Brandon

Handy Tent Guide

Hints and tips for Tents

With the countries financial issues this year more and more people are expected to stay in England rather than head abroad. This could mean that you take the family on a camping holiday to one of the hundreds of Campsites over the United Kingdom, or maybe you're just a first time festival goer and you've just realized you have to come to grips with your tent now that you've spent all that money on a ticket.

So below you'll find some helpful hints for pitching and caring for your tent.


Before Your Trip

• It is advised to have a few practice's pitching your tent if you haven't before. This will allow you to familiarize you with the tent and to check if the tent has come with any major defects or has any pieces missing.

When Pitching

• If the tent pole jams when being threaded into it's sleeve it is likely one of the metal joints will have snagged on the material, check for where it is caught and release it.
• If the zips on the tent become difficult to close then move the tent pegs to ease the strain of the fabric.
• In warm temperatures the fly sheet will tighten, loosen the guy lines to prevent over-stressing the material.

Condensation

• Condensation is commonly mistaken for a leak in the tent but this is not the case.
• To minimise condensation roll up all storm flaps unless needed.
• Shake or wipe any moisture from the fly sheet, don't worry this will not impair the waterproofing.

Pole Care and Repair

• Start from the centre when folding poles, this will prevent excess strain and bending.
• If your shockcord fails it is possibble to still pitch. Replacement shockcords are available from most stores.
• Replacement pole sections for most tents areavailable from most GO Outdoors stores.

And possibly the worst bit about any camping trip is the prospect of getting the tent back in the small bag it came in. Well for most tents if you follow these simply rules you should be able to do just that.

• Fold the inner & outer into a long thin shape the width of the tent bag
• Roll the tent around the poles to help out the air
• The tent should now fit snuggly inside the bag

If you are staying in Britian or heading for a festival this year then don't forget GO Outdoors stocks a variety of different tents for different occasions. Pop up tents, Back packing tents, Family tents are all available online and in store.

Thanks

Brandon

Mountain Marathon Musings

Amid talks of a credit crunch, a recession and Britney Spears day to day activities i have to wonder whether good old mother nature felt a little....left out. I say that because every time we stop complaining about the weather or our lack of a summer long enough to focus on something else - nature rears it's attention seeking side. Personally i think mother nature just likes the media attention, as seen with her full blown attack on the OMM this weekend.

The vast over-exaggeration from the news today stating that the lake district nearly became a 'morgue' was just the comic relief i needed to cheer me up after all the new equipment i bought for the mountain marathon went unused because for the first time ever it was cancelled due to the weather.

My new North Face Waterproof Jacket was really put to the test this weekend and I'm happy to say that despite the odds it did keep me dry and that's probably why I'm not one of the unfortunate people who apparently left the Lake District with hypothermia this weekend.

I'm disappointed more than anything because this year i went all out. I did a lot more training than previous times, was looking to test in view of reviewing a lot of new equipment and was ready for a tiring but fun weekend. The pocket rocket camping stove will have to remain unreviewed at this point. Setting up my tent in the living room and running on a treadmill for hours ready to settle into some dehydrated food delights and a bag of Romney's fudge just didn't have as much appeal as enduring the rigors and sheer beauty of the Lake District.

I have to say though most of us out there this weekend were blissfully unaware of the epic over-exaggeration the media was making of things to the point of me strolling back in the house a little disappointed and slightly soggy and having to explain to my partner that i hadn't just come from the worlds most disorganized event and England's worst natural disaster as the news would have you believe, but instead I'd come from a well organized, well taken care of event where the organizers had full control and made the right decision to start the marathon and to cancel it when they did. Another great testament to the hard work of the Mountain Rescuers.


Roll on next year i say.