Badminton 1st timers - top tips & helpful hints needed

[Nic]

Right fonts of all knowledge, myself Figjam & team Flyingcoo are off on #Roadtrip2013 to Badders.

We are Glamping & driving down on the Thursday for 4 days. We're seasoned Blair attendees so have event camping previous, but all Badders specific info would be most welcome.

Also Badminton Radio Q- can we use any FM tuneable radio or only the radios provided by the event?

And for the radios provided at the event, can we get them when we get there instead of online pre purchase?

Thanks & Tunnocks tea cakes in advance

 

[measles]

No advice but how exciting!

 

[ester]

Well for a start you could come say hi to the TLW gang ... we'll be the ones with the bar and lots of tents/gazebos.

Any radio is fine, yes lots of them available there. Def worth having.

small grub shop on camp site for milk/eggs/bacon sarnies etc.

I'm sure there is other stuff I know...

 

[bounce]

You can definitely buy the radios on site but I'm pretty sure you can tune any radio in to 'radio badminton' also.
I'm sure you will have a great time. I'm too close to bother with camping so I just visit on a few days. I do hear that the camp site parties are rather good though.

 

[FlyingCoo]

Yey roadtrip!!!!!!!!!
I've been told to leave the gazebo & all my usual extras I require for my event parties as we have to fit everything in one car
Roof rack it may have to be
Any tips or inside info much appreciated people!
Look forward to meeting new faces!

 

[Nic]

Yey roadtrip!!!!!!!!!
I've been told to leave the gazebo & all my usual extras I require for my event parties as we have to fit everything in one car
Roof rack it may have to be
Any tips or inside info much appreciated people!
Look forward to meeting new faces!

MEEEEP!

I have a flat single ring hob & mini canvas tripod stools which shouldn't take up too much space?

 

[Nic]

No advice but how exciting!

Yup!!!

 

[Nic]

Well for a start you could come say hi to the TLW gang ... we'll be the ones with the bar and lots of tents/gazebos.

Any radio is fine, yes lots of them available there. Def worth having.

small grub shop on camp site for milk/eggs/bacon sarnies etc.

I'm sure there is other stuff I know...

Ooh on site shop is v handy. Do they have ice, essential!

 

[Nic]

You can definitely buy the radios on site but I'm pretty sure you can tune any radio in to 'radio badminton' also.
I'm sure you will have a great time. I'm too close to bother with camping so I just visit on a few days. I do hear that the camp site parties are rather good though.

Brilliant, thank you. We are up for parties!

 

[Lanky Loll]

You can get radio badders on the car radio so definitely tune-in-able We'll be there Monday doing some serious shopping

 

[teapot]

Don't shop on xc day, not worth the hassle and walk the course backwards

 

[Always_A_Moody_Mare]

Don't shop on xc day, not worth the hassle and walk the course backwards

^^ This

We went two years ago and are going this year too. Really looking forward to it

 

[Nic]

Don't shop on xc day, not worth the hassle and walk the course backwards

Nah xc day is all about the action! Shopping gets crammed into the other days

Good tip about the xc course though, thanks.

 

[Jango]

I'm a first timer too so watching this with interest! We've got a hotel rather than camping but this Badminton radio sounds good, I've never even been to a big event before! So is it worth buying a portable radio? And if yes where do you get them from!?

 

[Nic]

I'm a first timer too so watching this with interest! We've got a hotel rather than camping but this Badminton radio sounds good, I've never even been to a big event before! So is it worth buying a portable radio? And if yes where do you get them from!?

You can pre order Badminton ones or it sounds like any FM radio will work.

 

[Nic]

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-value-rad-211sc-pocket-scanable-radio/213-3655.prd

Figjam found these ones

 

[Joss]

Ohhhh, you monkeys you will LOVE it. Radio Badminton is good, worth having although the adverts will drive you nuts.

You will need a very comfy bed for Figjam considering her 'condition'

I do hope the weather is kind. I have been to Badminton many times although not camped there. Dont think there is anything special to report of what to do or not. Have fun

 

[Chocy]

Another 1st timer heading from Scotland. Glamping not for me we r David Urquhart-ing so hotel!!
Why is it best 2 walk XC backwards? & can it b walked any day or is their specific times 'the public' r allowed?

Oh & any shopping hints? Where r the bargains 2 b had!!

 

[monkeybum13]

Another reason not to shop on XC day is because some shops put their prices up/remove offers.

Badminton radio is definitely available on any old radio, we use our phones. Alternatively there will be loads available to buy on the day.

You can view the XC whenever you want and after the last horse you can get right up to the fences to see just how big they are!

 

[gingerlegs]

Watching with interest for hints and tips! I'm a regular for XC day but a first timer this year for stopping the whole weekend

We aren't glamping, we are stopping in my little red wagon! Gazebo, BBQ, deck chairs and a stocked up fridge at the ready

 

[Jenni_]

We used our phones for bladders radio, but you can buy them.

You're brave camping :O we stayed in a hotel. Best weekend ever. We got loads of pics in the ditches etc showing how deep they are and I almost fell in the lake!

 

[Nic]

Not camping, glamping:

http://www.podpads.com/

Joss we all have air mattresses, so Figjam should be comfy. She is still very neat so think we will only need the hill hoist for Blair

We thought of using phones but 2 of us are afflicted with iPhone batteries so wee cheapie radios are the way to go.

This evening I will mostly be ebaying everything I own to raise spending money!

Meeeeeeep!

 

[FigJam]

Ohhhh, you monkeys you will LOVE it. Radio Badminton is good, worth having although the adverts will drive you nuts.

You will need a very comfy bed for Figjam considering her 'condition'

I do hope the weather is kind. I have been to Badminton many times although not camped there. Dont think there is anything special to report of what to do or not. Have fun

Ha Joss, I am indeed the excuse for glamping rather than camping! We're in a podpad thing (glorified shed really!) with bunkbeds, light and a power socket- essential for charging iPhones at the end of each day!

Very excited about the trip

, never been to a 4* so will be a tick off the "things I want to do" list nicely. (and since Burghley will be out of the question, this is my last chance to do it with minimal additional logistics!)

Another question for seasoned Badminton camping experts from me;

How far is the campsite from the event? I notice they give you a parking pass which indicates it's a fair distance? Just thinking we might be better walking to avoid traffic on XC day if it's not ridiculously far?

Nic- good thinking, I need to get ebaying anything not nailed down (anyone want to bid for a hose rabbit, guinea pig or Mr FigJam?! ) to gather together spendy pennies.

 

[ester]

Not ridic far at all, easily walkable while you watch the queues of cars... (depending on your campsite position 10-15 min walk??)

we might come nick your plug socket

we do sometimes walk the XC on the other days so you can nose at the fences properly

 

[FigJam]

Not ridic far at all, easily walkable while you watch the queues of cars... (depending on your campsite position 10-15 min walk??)

we might come nick your plug socket

we do sometimes walk the XC on the other days so you can nose at the fences properly

Ah, that doesn't sound bad at all- what's an extra 20-30mins when we'll spend all day walking around the XC anyway! Will probably be a big time saver on Sunday, we can suss it out on Thurs/Fri when we get there. Although we might need to park closer other days to dump shopping in?!

Ha- watch out, Nic will command a Pimms fee for phone charging! Between us we have iPhones and Blackberries, all of which will no doubt need charged nightly so it's a nice addition. FlyingCoo was going to work some magic and see if we can borrow a mini fridge, now that would be ultimate glamping!

Chocy- walking XC backwards is a tip for Sun (XC day) when it will be super busy. Most folk automatically walk it the "right" way around, so means less crowds going against the main flow I think? We are spoiled not having big crowds to deal with at Blair and even the Olympics didn't feel crowded, so I'm sure that will be a shock to the system!

 

[stencilface]

Searching the badminton website, where are the prices for the glamping etc? Realise I'm probably waaay too late for this, but you never know!

 

[RunToEarth]

There is also a little shop in Badminton Village which sells a small selection of absolutely everything, when I was working there a couple of years ago I quickly worked out it was the only place in a 10mile radius that sold smokes.

 

[ester]

I think we have one of those magic super cool boxes for this year that work for days

stencilface ours including SJ tickets worked out about £100 for the whole thing (although we could halve that I think if we actually filled the big tent rather than having 2 pitches for more space -at a guess that's 5/6 people with 2 pitches- will be there from weds for the grass roots so bas see it as a cheapish hol with entertainment laid on

http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/index.php/tickets-2/camping-site-2/

yup standard pitch £195 including car and entry but no SJ seats

We usually just use the cars figjam I'll have to make sure to take my hho tlw flag again

.......

The rest of the gang love it

 

[HBII]

OMG those podpads look soo cool! All I can suggest is wine and spending money

 

[stencilface]

They still have camping/horsebox spaces left, now just to convince my friend we need to go.....