Last year we popped our Camp Bestival Cherry and as it is fairly local to us went for just the day. It was clear then that a day wasn’t enough to see everything, so this year we went for the whole four days of fun and it still wasn’t enough to do everything!
We don’t do things by halves in this family, and this was also the first time we have camped with the kids too. I had been stalking lots of blogs in the run up to Camp Bestival about what and what not to take and apart from not having ear plugs we got it about right.
Camp Bestival opens its doors on Thursday morning, but we decided to head down after lunch which, in hindsight, was a mistake as all the flat tent pitches had gone in the main camping field, so we ended up on a slope. The older kids and us were fine, but poor Sebastian really struggled as he wanted to crawl around and kept sliding down to the bottom of the tent!
There is a vast area to choose from and you have to weigh up how close you want to be to your car versus the festival. Upon recommendation we headed for the dip, which is approximately a half way point between the two and is also where the facilities are.
Erecting a tent is a challenge, especially when the kids want to help, but we managed with no real problems as the instructions that came with our tent were easy to follow and clear.
Our tent came with three rooms and the kids chose which ones they wanted whilst I packed everything away. Our tent can sleep 8 although I am sure we could have fit 12 in it with no issue, although we would have no storage!
Camp Bestival also provide portaloo toilets and urinals which are emptied twice a day, hot showers, sinks with running water and even fresh water and all for FREE! There is some queuing involved, especially for the showers but it is to be expected with so many people on site.
I did hear some grumbles about the toilets, but personally I cannot complain. They were a little smelly, especially just before being emptied but that is to be expected and the toilet roll that was provided ran out very quickly, but we took our own!
The kids took to camping brilliantly, although on the first night Eliza and Sebastian did end up in our bed. The weather was hot during the day, but did get quite chilly at night so I am pleased I took some extra blankets as well as our duvet and I found that lining Sebastian’s travel cot with the picnic blanket helped him sleep better the following night.
The one thing I wasn’t expecting was quite so much noise and next year I am taking ear plugs, although the kids slept through it all. The live music finishes at 11pm but the dance music continues until around 2am and the main campsite is fairly close to the action so it can get loud. Sunrise gets the kids up at around 5.30am too, so don’t expect much sleep. There is however, lots of opportunities for them to make friends and play whilst you relax and hubby’s genius idea to take a skateboard kept them amused for hours!
The kids dressed up everyday and reveled in the attention this brought as they played outside. Isaac was Spongebob Squarepants and Eliza was Elsa on the Friday and all we could hear from the tent was people singing the Spongebob theme tune or “let it go” as they came down the hill.
The other piece of equipment that made our lives easier was our Outwell Transporter. We used it to get all the camping equipment to and from the car and then “pimped it” with an Ikea leaf, bunting and fairy lights and used it to transport the kids and any other bits we wanted to take into the festival.
I have to admit the hills were a killer but we didn’t hear any “my legs hurt” from the kids and it provided some valuable shade too.
We did take some food and a camping stove, but only cooked sausages one morning and mostly used it to warm Sebastian’s food and to boil the kettle for tea. There were plenty of food and drink stalls close by and even a Halfords tent which was selling pretty much all the camping equipment you may have forgotten!
We thoroughly enjoyed our first camping experience as a family and cannot wait to do it again – Roll on Camp Bestival 2015!!
Looks like you had an amazing time! SO jealous of your tent!! 🙂
It was amazing, the kids loved camping too but my feet are still killing me lol
We would love to visit but it is the wrong end of the country for us
Love your collages of photos and I’m definitely packing a skateboard next year! I didn’t have any loo complaints – just always take your own loo roll is an unwritten rule! Great write up and lovely to see you. Oh, I heard a rendition of Let it Go on the hill – we must have been close!!
Oh I’m sure I saw you then…I saw a wagon with the leaf over it and thought it was a great idea! A great round up of camping here…I always forget how much cod comes from what you’re laying on so the picnic blanket under the travel cot is a great idea! Love your tent.
A tent with three rooms, ooh… used to get a 2 man tent when I was younger and out family of 4 would squeeze in it. It looks as though you have had a fab time x
We have been to Camp Bestival before and had a great time. We were offered the opportunity to stay but with all my health issues at present decided it probably wasn’t the best idea! Boo.
Taking a skateboard for the hills sounds like a fab idea. Lots of beautiful happy faces there.
x
What a fab time it looks like you guys had! I would love to do camping at a festival – it’s firmly on my 40 before 40 list!!
It sounds fab. I saw lots of pictures on instagram and the atmosphere seemed amazing. I love you pimped out trolley.
Looks so much fun – and i love the pimped up wagon thing!
Looks so much fun – and i love the pimped up wagon thing!
It’s not a proper festival without a few smelly toilets! Glad you had a good time. That transporter looks ingenious – what a great idea.
Wow, this is one giant tent!
I love all this space.
What an amazing tent and brilliant idea with the IKEA leaf. You are so brave camping with so many kids! Glad you had fun x
It looks like you all had a great time! I’ve heard so much about this festival. I’ve never been camping but would love to one day. Your tent looks amazing! Brilliant idea to take a skateboard-and loo roll 🙂
Love those costumes – you all embraced it so well which is lovely to see. We did pack ear plugs which does help SO much as you say. It’s not always the noise from music that’s a bother – we always seem to end up camping next to a tent with a baby in!
We camped for the second year in the purple camping in the edge of the teenage bit, opposite the tipis and it was so close to the entrance that you missed out trying to lug kids /trolleys up and down the big slopes – would deffo recommend that spot for next year if you go!
Thanks for the tip Annie – we loved the fire pit that way so will definitely consider it next year
What a successful first camping trip – your stalking paid off! The children looked like they had a fab time and I love the video the skateboarding fun. The transporter was also a great idea – especially for the little ones when they were tired. Thanks for linking up and sharing your camping fun with Country Kids.
I’m pretty sure my little girl saw your in her Elsa dress, as we saw your leaf wagon as well, she then spent most of the festival asking to be Elsa herself. Great idea with the skateboard, I considered riding down the hill in our wagon at one point as we were camped so far away. Glad you had such a lovely time, and nice to meet you, briefly, at the bloggers meet up.
I’ve heard so much about Camp Bestival it sounds like such a fantastic time for all the family.
Love this post as it’s so helpful, we took the caravan and had an amazing time, we’ll definitely be going again next year too
That is an AWESOME tent! We need a bigger tent next year as ours was a bit too cosy. Was lovely seeing you. Looking forward to meeting up again soon.
fantastic photos and very happy faces. xxx
Sounds like you had a fabulous time camping! I thought we’d found a pretty flat for our pitch but Milo did end up rolling down to the other end of this room on the first night! Also your tent looks great!
It sounds like you had a great time! Ear plugs do sound like a good plan though
What a great festival experience, although I’m not sure I could cope with the lack of sleep 😉
#countrykids
I’ve never really wanted to go to any festivals but all these posts I keep seeing recently is making me want to go!
Glad you all had a good time 🙂