Our first true camp was quite an experience. We knew before hand that only going for a weekend was a mistake, but it was one that we had to make. The actual work involved remains the same camping for two nights or 14 nights.
The site (Gibraltar farm Silverdale) was fantastic with wonderful views out over Morecambe bay.
We arrived about 8:20pm but were still putting up tents as it went dark. We actually failed to put up one of the tents that night so five of the children shared a large frame tent. Supper was soup and a roll. Yet another problem, we had bought two new tin openers and neither of them worked! We wound up opening the tins with a Swiss army knife!
Nobody got much sleep that night. The children were excited and the five together kept going until the dawn chorus. In fact they only settled down when they were joined for the remainder of the night by one of the leaders.
The following day dawned to glorious weather. Breakfast went well but the adults were far too tired to consider driving anywhere. The children played on site and enjoyed a card session.
With plenty of time we managed to pitch our recalcitrant tent and mark the poles to avoid the problem in the future. We had checked the tide table and instructed the children that they were not allowed on the beach without an adult, having said that we were lucky with the time of the tides and there were fewer risks than there would have been on another day. The woods had woodpeckers and at the edge grouse not to mention the odd swing that proved very popular.
One of the children developed the runs and had to be sent home (we suspect the change in diet). Then the Children did what children do and fell out. Working party’s were set up for lunch and tea. We had few complaints about the food, but then everyone is less fussy when they are hungry.
We borrowed the drum from an old washing machine and had a "contained" campfire, Site rules precluded an open fire, and we sang until 10:30. Again site rules required quiet after 11 so the children all went to bed.
By this time it had started raining. It continued raining all night and was still raining when we got up for breakfast. Children who had larked about and paid no attention to how to they pitched their tents were wet. Breakfast was a hit again and the rain stopped. Another child had developed an upset tummy and was sent home.
We made packed lunches for later, then everyone packed their personal stuff and working party’s were set up to clean the kitchen equipment. By this time the tents were beginning to dry so we gave the children a lesson in how to take down their tents and pack them. After that we took down all the tents and dried them in the sun.
Finally, and it did seem to take too long, we loaded up and went to Carnforth so that the children could spend their money on sweets before returning home.