Family Camping Weekend
Greenhill Farm, Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire, England
Friday, 29th June 2007 - Sunday, 1st July 2007
The Event
This year's Family Camping weekend was run by Robert and Pauline Moore and was held at Greenhill Farm, Bletchingdon in Oxfordshire, on the weekend of the 29th June to 1st July.
This family run campsite (Paul and Sam Bagnall) on the edge of the Cotswolds, is close to Blenheim Palace and Oxford, and is located not far from junction 10 of the M40 and the A34.
Family Camping Weekend 2007
By Katie Bowen
We arrived at the Family Tandem Weekend early and yet it seemed to be in full swing with, for once, fine weather despite the rest of the country on red alert flood warnings. Some families like the Dees had cycle camped. We were provided with a scrummy dinner of 'hash' and tested out the play area, games room and farm animals whilst the grown ups talked about the weekend ahead, gear ratios and wine (whilst drinking lots of it).
The next day we rode a decent distance of 33 miles, our family on tandem and triplet. It was overcast, but didn't rain (that happens later). Morning tea stop was in a pub where we gorged on bacon sarnies, and the younger children played chess, before heading off to the wildfowl sanctuary, where we held cute little bunny rabbits. We then had our lunch that was interrupted by a marauding white peacock just before it started to r a i n (but luckily it was only a bit of drizzle). At least we didn't have too many hills to climb on the way back. That evening we rotted our teeth by drinking gallons of coke in the coke tasting competition, which Megan Davies won (even though she says that she is not allowed coke at home). Many people had to stay under various tarps and tent awnings however, due to the sometimes torrential downpours whilst some areas of the campsite became pretty muddy. Later however, it dried up a bit, and it became impossible to venture out into the campsite for fear of being attacked by wild bandits (a.k.a. as young stokers) with glow sticks, who had appeared from the games room having run out of money to play snooker.
On the Sunday morning we pedaled in the direction of Wendlebury, most of it in quiet country lanes. We played on the play area there, then, feeling hungry , we visited Godwin's Ice Cream Farm. After our sandwiches we devoured ice cream in many flavours - toffee, chocolate, cherry, chilli-pepper - you name it! We pedaled back (having totaled 17.3 miles that day) and packed up after a lovely weekend.
A big thank you to Robert and Pauline Moore for organizing the rally!
P.S. Dad says if anyone feels like organising the 2008 Family Camping Weekend, then could they please call him on 01604 647998.
Pictures
Click here for some pictures from this event, taken by Chris Bowen.
This year's Family Camping weekend was run by Robert and Pauline Moore and was held at Greenhill Farm, Bletchingdon in Oxfordshire, on the weekend of the 29th June to 1st July.
This family run campsite (Paul and Sam Bagnall) on the edge of the Cotswolds, is close to Blenheim Palace and Oxford, and is located not far from junction 10 of the M40 and the A34.
Family Camping Weekend 2007
By Katie Bowen
We arrived at the Family Tandem Weekend early and yet it seemed to be in full swing with, for once, fine weather despite the rest of the country on red alert flood warnings. Some families like the Dees had cycle camped. We were provided with a scrummy dinner of 'hash' and tested out the play area, games room and farm animals whilst the grown ups talked about the weekend ahead, gear ratios and wine (whilst drinking lots of it).
The next day we rode a decent distance of 33 miles, our family on tandem and triplet. It was overcast, but didn't rain (that happens later). Morning tea stop was in a pub where we gorged on bacon sarnies, and the younger children played chess, before heading off to the wildfowl sanctuary, where we held cute little bunny rabbits. We then had our lunch that was interrupted by a marauding white peacock just before it started to r a i n (but luckily it was only a bit of drizzle). At least we didn't have too many hills to climb on the way back. That evening we rotted our teeth by drinking gallons of coke in the coke tasting competition, which Megan Davies won (even though she says that she is not allowed coke at home). Many people had to stay under various tarps and tent awnings however, due to the sometimes torrential downpours whilst some areas of the campsite became pretty muddy. Later however, it dried up a bit, and it became impossible to venture out into the campsite for fear of being attacked by wild bandits (a.k.a. as young stokers) with glow sticks, who had appeared from the games room having run out of money to play snooker.
On the Sunday morning we pedaled in the direction of Wendlebury, most of it in quiet country lanes. We played on the play area there, then, feeling hungry , we visited Godwin's Ice Cream Farm. After our sandwiches we devoured ice cream in many flavours - toffee, chocolate, cherry, chilli-pepper - you name it! We pedaled back (having totaled 17.3 miles that day) and packed up after a lovely weekend.
A big thank you to Robert and Pauline Moore for organizing the rally!
P.S. Dad says if anyone feels like organising the 2008 Family Camping Weekend, then could they please call him on 01604 647998.
Pictures
Click here for some pictures from this event, taken by Chris Bowen.