End of summer camping

End of summer camping at Hillfoot, fast becoming my favourite site. It's only 10 miles from Coleraine and in stunning countryside, a towering mountain just behind us and a very relaxed atmostphere on the site. I have a few pics of our latest camp there, when we met up with some of the Northern Ireland Campsite Forum people and had an absolute ball. We also made some new members of the other campers, and enjoyed a lovely evening having a beer with them all in the awning of two of the forum members, Lynda and 'Swiper'. Thanks for the hospitality guys!

We used the Vango Icarus (2010 model) with the Vango Premium Extension. We brought a school friend of my sons, who had never been camping before. He didn't really know what to make of the pink tent that I gave them to sleep in, as a pup tent. The tent was a cheapie purchase one autumn, and has never been used before apart from being put up in the garden in order to check it had all it's bits. Its a Gelert Rocky 3 in Raspberry and was really bought for me as a lightweight tent to bring on a bus, plane or other form of public transport. I'm toying with the idea of taking it to France sometime, flying in and heading to the nearest Decathlon for a sleeping bag and a stove, and travelling around on a train. I missed my Gap Year, can't you tell! 

Mervyn, the campsite owner, has quite a few benches and tables built by his good self and laid out around the site. It's just a matter of getting what you need, and as there were plenty of us I used two benches, my fold up table, and a collection of chairs some mine and some belonging to others in our group. 

The weekend Homestead

My son, right, and his schoolfriend who had never camped before

This two little girls had polka dot matching dresses, and were adorable.

Baby Mia with her new rain suit

view from the top of Benbradagh