Camping at Badminton Horse Trials

[Finlib]

We have now booked to take our caravan up to Badinton horse trials for the event (3 -7 May)staying on their camp site.
Does any one have any advice on what to take what is easy to get on site .
The caravan has battery power as well as gas cooking and heating and we have a generator.
Just interested if any one has any tips .
Looking forward to being able to get around the shops when they are not so busy as we have ony ever been up for the day before on cross country day and every where is packed.
With the caravan I should be able to do a bit of shopping as plenty of room to bring stuff back!!!!

 

[Shazzababs]

Hi there,

We've been every year for a few years. Here are my tips:

Things to take (in no paticular order after 1!):

1) Wine, more wine and Corkscrew :->
2) Ear Plugs - you never know when you will be next door to someone really noisy, or with that dog that barks all the time (although they are cracking down on this somewhat, we saw someone getting thrown off last year for the first time ever).
3) Flip flops for the showers - They are good and hot, but the floors get very mucky.
4) Pieces of wood for your caravan legs, to help level them, you aren't allowed to use bits of the stone wall.
5) Clothes for every weather for arctic, to tropical. Sun tan lotion, woolly hat, thermals & full waterproofs are a must.
6) Make sure you have decent pegs and tie down for your awning, it can be a windy site.
7) If you want to go to trot up, a fold up chair.
8) Decent walking boots, its a mile hike (uphill) to the show ground.
9) Loo roll & torch.
10) If you want to watch TV in your caravan you will need Digital, and an Ariel on a pole, the TV reception is pants.

Tips:

1) Camp site gets VERY wet if its wet (I mean knee deep mud wet), a 4x4 means you won't need to wait for a tow when you want to get home.
2) There is always a sausage and chip\burger van and an ice cream van on site. The queues can be long, the bacon butties are great though!
3) There is a little shop selling the basics, bread milk etc., and some fresh stuff, we always take most of our own, but its great if you run out, or need extra chocolate.
4) There is a gas bottle guy, but the one time we ran out he didn't have the right sort of bottle for us. Unlucky I know, but try and start with a full bottle.
5) Best day for shopping (and wine tasting) is the first Dressage day, and straight after trot up on the Monday. don't forget you have to lug it all back to the campsite though!
6) You can normally pick up the days results sheet from the campsite control people a couple of hours after the action has finished.
7) There is a post office in the village, it has papers & a small amount of groceries, the queues are always huge, but you might end up stood behind a rider or groom in it :->.
8) I've never joined the 'club', so can't comment, but there are several nice pubs in short drive from the campsite, but I would either book a table or eat early or late (don't do it on XC day, just lay back in your van looking at all the poor people stuck in the traffic).
9) If you want to go to Monday trot up you need to be in your seat at least an hour before it starts. It gets earlier and earlier every year. I think soon we will be spending the night up there!
10) Showers are lovely, but can be cold early in the AM, and have long queues in the evening. No advice, you either come back to site at an odd time, or stand in the queue, they move quite fast. As above, bring flip flops and a bag to keep your clothes dry.

Think that's everything!

The atmosphere on the campsite is generally very friendly, we always have a great time, and have expanded from a couple of us in a tent, to 6 in 2 caravans!

 

[Finlib]

Brilliant !!!
That just the sort of info needed.
We will tow the caravan with a Landrover 110 so mud is usually not a problem.
Will probably stock up with basics (wine chocolate cake of course etc)
Will pack pooh bags for the dog pooh (are there dog bins provided?
Wellies and boots and torches live in the Landy as well as wet weather gear
We have got some heavy duty pegs for the awning as we use the caravan for overflow visitors and we are in West Wales (It can sure blow sometimes!)
Thanks for the tip on wood for levelling the legs wouldn't have thought of that
Looking forward to it.
Thanks

 

[Ibblebibble]

I'll be there too, my first year but going with friends who have done it plenty of times. I was going to take our generator but friend advised against it as there have been thefts of them in previous years, i'm going to get a trickle charger for the battery which is only going to have to run the lights so should last, everything else can run on the gas

 

[becky_mouth]

il second the windy comment and loo paper by night 2 lots of fun though x

 

[Finlib]

If generators are being stolen then maybe we will not bring it.
We need it a lot at home as prone to power cuts up in the Welsh hills and wouldn't want to have to replace it.
Probably not bring a TV if reception is bad (bring a radio and ipod instead) so only need to run lights we have a spare battery and can trickle feed from a port on the Landrover.
We have a loo and shower on the caravan for when there are long queues at the facilities.

Thanks all useful stuff there is nothing like being prepared.Keep it coming.

 

[xxbrubblexx]

That sounds wicked have fun sorry I'm no use at all! : P

 

[Shazzababs]

We normally lock our generator to the caravan with a bicycle lock.

 

[Twiglet]

Great advice from Shazzababs, nothing to add other than:

The farm shop on the campsite does lovely stuff but it's bloody expensive, so try and get supplies in the village shop rather than there (I once had a lovely chat with Clayton Fredericks whilst in the queue )
Take a radio for Radio Badminton!
The quickest time for shower queues is normally just after the dressage or jumping finishes for the day....so about 5-6pm. Either that or 5am....nothing like a field full of horsey people for getting up early!
I always take a stool for trot up, so I can stand and watch over people's heads. Is one of my favourite bits of the weekend, makes you feel so close to the action.

 

[derynw]

We are going again this year in 3.5t horsebox with no living plus tent plus gazebo. Bit of a mix but should be fun. Myself, daughter and 2 dogs with some others joining us for sat and sunday.
Think advice given already covers it. Just be prepared for all weathers, went one year with all the wet weather gear and ended up buying shorts, t-shirts and sun cream.
The food - especially meat - in food tents in shopping village is amazing. so suggest BBQ - disposable ones are easy, and they will keep meat for you until end of day if you ask. But don't try to get there late on cross country day as crowds are too much.
Just remember to take sense of humour and blister plasters and you will have great time.
We are on pitch 595 - come by and say hello.

 

[KarlyHT]

Watching this for an tips. We are camping ... In a tent ... God help us! Any tips greatly appreciated!