Our first weekend away

[BenM]

This was our first proper trip for the bank holiday and clearly lucked out with the weather. Rivendale in the Peak District on the Tissington Trail. Great campsite, sadly being converted to lodges rather than camping.
New awning was an epic faff to put up, but putting the blame firmly with the users rather than the equipment. Amazingly it went back in the bag the same size as it came out!

Some questions we are thinking about:
1) extra stove. What do people use to cook outside. We are going to France in the summer and no Coal BBQs allowed. See Cadac do a stove that is also a gas bbq.
2) light in the top bed. Our daughter slept brilliantly (exhausted) but noticed it was cold on fri night and bright early. Do people use a cover for the top?
3) windscreen cover. Is it easier to get a wrap around cover that does windscreen and windows?
4) Drivers seat. Found it a real dance between handbrake, steering wheel and pillar to get the chair round.
5) outside light, any recommendations?

Thanks
Ben

 

[Sad]

View attachment 32943 View attachment 32942

This was our first proper trip for the bank holiday and clearly lucked out with the weather. Rivendale in the Peak District on the Tissington Trail. Great campsite, sadly being converted to lodges rather than camping.
New awning was an epic faff to put up, but putting the blame firmly with the users rather than the equipment. Amazingly it went back in the bag the same size as it came out!

Some questions we are thinking about:
1) extra stove. What do people use to cook outside. We are going to France in the summer and no Coal BBQs allowed. See Cadac do a stove that is also a gas bbq.
2) light in the top bed. Our daughter slept brilliantly (exhausted) but noticed it was cold on fri night and bright early. Do people use a cover for the top?
3) windscreen cover. Is it easier to get a wrap around cover that does windscreen and windows?
4) Drivers seat. Found it a real dance between handbrake, steering wheel and pillar to get the chair round.
5) outside light, any recommendations?

Thanks
Ben

1 - we have a little CampingGaz cartridge stove, but you'll find plenty on here about the Cadac with a quick search
2 - again search, we don't use but sleep downstairs
3 - we have a wrap around, is generally easier but if it rains it's then sopping wet which may be a pain if you're packing up
4 - Yup, just have to get used to it. Some people mark the base for the optimum rotation position
5 - We just use a torch

Happy camping

 

[sapto]

View attachment 32943 View attachment 32942

This was our first proper trip for the bank holiday and clearly lucked out with the weather. Rivendale in the Peak District on the Tissington Trail. Great campsite, sadly being converted to lodges rather than camping.
New awning was an epic faff to put up, but putting the blame firmly with the users rather than the equipment. Amazingly it went back in the bag the same size as it came out!

Some questions we are thinking about:
1) extra stove. What do people use to cook outside. We are going to France in the summer and no Coal BBQs allowed. See Cadac do a stove that is also a gas bbq.
2) light in the top bed. Our daughter slept brilliantly (exhausted) but noticed it was cold on fri night and bright early. Do people use a cover for the top?
3) windscreen cover. Is it easier to get a wrap around cover that does windscreen and windows?
4) Drivers seat. Found it a real dance between handbrake, steering wheel and pillar to get the chair round.
5) outside light, any recommendations?

Thanks
Ben

Sounds like a great first trip
Welcome BenM!

1.) We have a Cadac Safari 1.0 and use it for bbq. We cook everything else inside. I do have an MSR Gas stove but never used it.
2.) We use the calicap.ch/vwcamper.de one. Quite expensive but great quality.
3.) We have the Brandrup External Isolation matt. Is great, fits easily bwt top bed and roof. We fancy with one which also covers the drivers- and passengerwindows.
4.) Yes, so do we. But we only swivel the passengerseat.

Happy camping!

 

[altvic]

Today just happened to get this LED flex I light from Maplin for £20 (half price). Comes with all manner of fixings and is very bright when I tested on cigs lighter socket in car. The LED strip is just under 1 metre long and wires can be plugged in 2 meters away via 12v cigs adapted or uk plug/adapted. Appears to pull <0.4 amp so no drain on batteries or 150 watt socket by side of sink.
Hoping to use it attached to wind out awning or the drive away Vango Galli by plugging into the 'secret cigi socket by side of right hand bench seat.
Maplin are selling out of stuff fast.

 

[Bellcrew]

View attachment 32943 View attachment 32942

This was our first proper trip for the bank holiday and clearly lucked out with the weather. Rivendale in the Peak District on the Tissington Trail. Great campsite, sadly being converted to lodges rather than camping.
New awning was an epic faff to put up, but putting the blame firmly with the users rather than the equipment. Amazingly it went back in the bag the same size as it came out!

Some questions we are thinking about:
1) extra stove. What do people use to cook outside. We are going to France in the summer and no Coal BBQs allowed. See Cadac do a stove that is also a gas bbq.
2) light in the top bed. Our daughter slept brilliantly (exhausted) but noticed it was cold on fri night and bright early. Do people use a cover for the top?
3) windscreen cover. Is it easier to get a wrap around cover that does windscreen and windows?
4) Drivers seat. Found it a real dance between handbrake, steering wheel and pillar to get the chair round.
5) outside light, any recommendations?

Thanks
Ben

1) A small disposable cartridge hob, available at all camping shops, also useful when the 907 finishes halfway through a meal.
2) We use a Brandrup Isotop inner liner, darkens the space and does seem to help insulate the area. Can be left in place all the time.'
3) The covers do work but it is tempting to leave them on once fitted, makes the front of the Cali dark and of course the view is gone.
4) Luckily the optimum (for me) drive position is also ideal for turning, make sure you tilt the seat back a fair way forward of the vertical, lower the armrests and raise/retract the steering wheel, turns a treat.(door open of course).
5) LED lanterns available everywhere.

 

[Amarillo]

Some questions we are thinking about:
1) extra stove. What do people use to cook outside. We are going to France in the summer and no Coal BBQs allowed. See Cadac do a stove that is also a gas bbq.
2) light in the top bed. Our daughter slept brilliantly (exhausted) but noticed it was cold on fri night and bright early. Do people use a cover for the top?
3) windscreen cover. Is it easier to get a wrap around cover that does windscreen and windows?
4) Drivers seat. Found it a real dance between handbrake, steering wheel and pillar to get the chair round.
5) outside light, any recommendations?

We, as a family of four, have been living in our Beach more or less continuously for the past year ~80% of nights sleeping in the van.

#1 We have a Coleman double burner with grill, plus a Cadac BBQ and a 1000 watt electric ring for internal use. The gas appliances have quick release connectors which are brilliant.

#2 We have a topper to protect against the weather and for added warmth in cold weather. We don't use it to darken the top and have slept peacefully under 11 days and 'nights' of the midnight sun in northern Norway and Finland often with no topper.

#3 We use internal curtains but plan to upgrade to external covers.

#4 Experience helps. Tilt chair forward, move chair 3/4 way forward, let off handbrake, swivel.

#5 Vango sunbeam. Using the 12 volt socket in the boot, power comes out through the tailgate. The four strips can be Velcro'd where you like, under the wind out awning, inside the airbeam awning, or for an external BBQ area.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Velma's Dad]

Alternative on the stove options would be a Cobb (search the forum about it, loads of people use them including us). It uses a special solid fuel and is covered so arguably isn't a BBQ and if a campsite manager happened to take issue with that you could have an interesting, and lengthy, debate in Franglais... while your lamb chops gently grill to succulent perfection.

(The Cobb is almost completely cool underneath so you can use it on top of your camping table if you want).