Had my first camping of the year just over a week ago. Nicola’s first one ever so we decided on a week at Shell Island. Well that was the plan.

Arrived nice and early on the Friday (well about 10.30am but we did travel through rush hour, no major problems luckily). Gorgeous day, warm, slight breeze, fairly quiet on site. Set up the pitch and had a lovely day generally (apart from big group of lads being noisy and singing a song about Scuba Diving at 2am next morning, oh well you get them everywhere). Saturday was a bit more cloudier, breezier and wetter so not as good but still enjoyed it. Sunday morning we were woken about (just after midnight by noisy lads singing that horrible Scuba Diver song again, at least I also heard a warden tell them off, and then woken again at) 4am with the walls of our Vango Venture 500 tent boinging about making sleeping uncomfortable.

Seeing as we were awake and the wind was getting stronger still we went and sat in the car. Looking round many other people were up, and some tents were really taking a battering. Some people were sleeping through it all I think. Eventually we made the decision to put our gear in the car for safe keeping, then disassemble the tent til it calmed down a bit. But a pole was snapped so we made the decision to come home. Tent might have been OK but not risking it if the winds remained up. By 7.30 we were leaving the site, and some 100 or so people had done so already I think I heard. Man on the gate said 60-70 mph winds were reported up the Welsh coast.

So although the trip was spoiled, Nicola was not put off and at least we got a little trip and will have to go back sometime. Here’s a pretty picture.

At least I have my other tent (Vango Omega 450) from last year, so I can use that until we can afford an Outwell Montana 6 or something equally roomy and stable.

I wanna be a scuba diver…

Found a great tent today, bargain price, a Vango Venture 500 for only £59.99 at Go Outdoors! Plus the Coventry store had a green one in stock, which I prefer against the blue. Luckily we got the last green one in the crate and there were only a handful of blue ones left. I’ve had Vango stuff before and they’ve always been great, and that particular tent is popular and well praised so definitely a good buy I think.

Put it up in Nicola’s garden this afternoon, make sure all was there and correct. Looks good, nice and roomy. Thought best to double check it was fine, always a bit dubious of the last one in stock. Hopefully will be able to put it to proper use soon. Thinking of taking Nicola to Wales as she’s never camped before.

Now to decide whether to keep my Vango Omega 450 from last year (as it’s smaller and faster to put up, might make a good spare) or sell it on.

Having a night in tonight; 1, I need to get to sleep at a decent hour as I’m off camping tomorrow leaving about 8am (on the Brum M6 at rush hour, ho hum lol) and 2, N needs to get an early night as she’s up at 3am so we can’t go out tonight, had another nice night out last night though

Yep off camping tomorrow until Saturday at Llyn Gwynant Campsite in Snowdonia. Inside a valley right next to a lake at the foot of Snowdon, 2 miles from civilisation (well a little village, also 5 miles from Beddgelert), went there a few years ago and it’s truly stunning. Hope it’s not full! Well with the latest weather forecast we may well have the site to ourselves… The car is pretty much loaded, just need to chuck my personal stuff and my Ikea bag full of food (big and strong, perfect for it) onto the back seat in the morning (cos the boot is almost full).

No I’m not taking my Macbook and the phone signal will be non existent on site so no blog entries til the weekend.

Take care everyone.

Firstly you may notice a few changes. New look with my dad’s jungle cat taking the part of the header image. I’ll drop the full image at the end of this post. And a matching green background. I call it the jungle cat because since my grandparents got the ‘lively’ new dog Sammy, the cat (Kenny) has been scared of going indoors lately. So often lurks in their front garden, amongst the greenery.

Been spending so much time out recently it’s unbelievable. Spent a lot of time with N over the last few days, eating out a bit and went to see Evan Almighty too (really good film). Great company, it’s been really nice. Tomorrow night we’re thinking of driving out into the sticks with a picnic or something to watch the meteor shower, depending on the weather also. Or maybe just stay in the garden or whatever. Would be nice if we can see them, only seen a couple of odd meteors over the last few years, hardly anything.

Been so hot recently, still need to get some sort of sun tan (finish what I started back in Ireland) but rain is forecast for tomorrow onwards, but who knows what will actually happen. Camping later in the weekend so no doubt it’ll be guaranteed to rain! Rain, sun, snow, does it matter camping will still be nice whatever the weather.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.

…Jungle Cat: