From toasting Jaffa Cakes on the campfire to heading up, what felt like a mountain to such a great view.
This was such a wonderful camping trip away in Daisy.
Am so lucky to have stayed in touch with about 40 gals from a birthing board, which started out on BabyCentre. When first finding out your pregnant, this is a great place to meet other women, who are all due around the same time as you. Being one of the first people out of my friendship group to have a baby, this was a huge support to me. The first facebook group I joined from this baby due month club, am still in, 5 or so years ago I joined!
A few off us, who liked to babywear and co-sleep, created a small little group of around 30-40 of us. We all meet up for days out and camping trips. This was the second trip which I have managed to make, and wow, am so lucky. Its like meeting up with family, some I have only ever known through facebook but we all know each other so well, its lovely to meet in real life. All our children are the same age, and some of us have older or younger children around the same age as well.
This time there was, 8 families in total and about 17 children (hope I have counted right!)
A huge field, (we had almost taken over the whole campsite) and children running free, with kites, footballs and having the best time with all their new friends. A huge family!
It was really nice to get away with friends who have children the same age, as they understand that bedtime may take longer etc. It was great, someone would get the camping fire going while others played with the children, we shared out little jobs without having to think about it. We all worked as a team, picking out places to go or leading the way on a hike.
This was only about our 5 time out with Daisy, and we are already all planning a trip to France next year! It was great to see the mix, of tents, campervans and caravans.
The campsite:
Lovely area, really nice owners (let me use their WiFi) big field for the kids to run in. The electric hook up was really handy to run Daisys new fridge on. They also had a supply of logs if we ran out for our campfire. The washing up bit was well laid out, small but everything there and got to chat to people while I waited for the sink.
I nice little campsite, with a small farm, pigs and horses, which the kids loved! It was very windy, this was a bit of a shock for me, having come up from the coast to a windy hill!
The only downside to this lovely campsite was the showers. 50p per coin was fine, I didn't mind paying extra. My first shower ran out while I had shampoo in my hair, I was sure it wasn't 6mins. The second, I took all 3 children, I know, and used two coins - 12mins.
I spent most of that trying to get the temp down from boiling! I, who likes hot showers, felt burnt and the kids where screaming. It was not fun and the shower was still powering away while we all got dressed. Am sure the second one lasted way over 12mins. This did really put me off but I would still go again, the area was lovely and the campsite was a nice size. The owners where welcoming, friendly and nice!
Day trip to Chatsworth Farmyard
I've not been to Chatsworth before, and thought the £22 was ok price for a family day out (parking on top.) I always have really mixed feelings about farms, even before changing our diet I found them hard. I once walked out of a lambing barn, our friend had arranged the trip and it was horrible. Being a new mum, with my baby in a sling feeding, seeing a mother shaking with shock and fear, being podded by children/adults (very busy loud barn, full of people) was hard. I asked the farmer, if she was ok, I said that animal is in shock. He replied with 'its normal' no its not normal to be in a pen, being shuted and puded by people, then to have your baby taken off you, where you don't know where your baby is. Anyway, a farm was picked as our outing so off we went.
It wasn't to bad, for a mini farm. I liked that the chickens where just roaming about the place, I did stay well away from the petting barn.....
It has a nice little barn to eat lunch in if raining. I loved the mini trackers, with so many children waiting for a turn, more would be good. It was packed, the climbing frames where amazing! So many different things to try.
When we first got there, all the children ran in different directions, and it was really hard work. It was so busy and easy to lose sight of them. So after lunch I said, lets take them all on a big walk.
You can get your hand stamped and head out to the forest (this is free, so after parking up you can head to the woods for no extra cost.) It was such a beautiful woods, the waterfalls where breath taking.
It was a real hike getting to the top, I wouldn't do it after rain as the steps where scary (there are other paths to the top) but wow, it was worth it for the view!
We got separated from the main group, and we found these arrows-fab and fun, way of finding each other!
It really was a beautiful wood!
Am not great with heights, and this rock pool, with huge drop to a waterfall. Was beautiful and a little scary.
It was just what all the mini people needed, a good run, walk and explore.
When we returned to the play park, they all stuck together and played in one area. So much calmer! If am ever that way again, I would return.
It was worth the entry fee for the amazing play park, I've not seen such a packed one before. There was so much for them to try, from pulling water out of the river, to the huge climbing frames!
We drove through this, wow! I love bunting but this town had gone all out! Wonderful!!
I know some people hear 'camping' and think some how it's not as fun or nice as a hotel. I would pick camping over a hotel, three loud busy mini people. Having their own space, which I don't have to worry about them playing in, the a huge world of space outside is the perfect balance!
It was such a wonderful trip, I feel so lucky to have Daisy. Yes I know we could do all these trips with a tent, but there is something really extra wonderful about pulling our little home somewhere new.
When we return back to the campsite after a day out, all the kids shout - theres Daisy!! Hello Daisy! Our friends had lovely huge tents, which some cost the same amount Daisy did! But we went off to get petrol, and food for our next stay, they where still getting them down and the car packed. It look me no time at all, around the three mini people, to pack things away to travel, dry out towels and chairs and then hook up Daisy when we where ready. Yes ok, we couldn't go out for the day and take Daisy with us, maybe some places, and others could pack up and head out for the day. Where we went out and returned for Daisy. Still its lots of fun going slow towing her - Who would have ever thought 'car mad' me would like traveling about, under 50! I get to see the places where are driving through, its a big change but its really nice.
We all want to return to the Dales, it's beautiful! Expiring in the Uk makes me think about truly beautiful the land we live in is. So many people save all year to jump on a plane heading off somewhere hot. But as longs as you have your raincoat and wellies, there are some amazing places on your doorstep! Yes we all need a week on a hot beach everly now and again, but our life with our little family is much more suited to an expore through a woodland!
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