Orpington Astronomical Society

Society => Announcements, Meetings, Events => Topic started by: Roy on Dec 23, 2019, 17:30:24

Title: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Roy on Dec 23, 2019, 17:30:24
If you are going to either of the Kelling Starparties in 2020 (i.e. April and/or October) and you have booked any of the pitches 311 - 320 in the Red Squirrel Area with the intention of pitching a tent, you will need to contact the Kelling Campsite as soon as possible as these pitches have changed status from grass to a hard standing and will no longer accommodate a tent. We discovered this purely by chance when trying to extend our April stay by a few days and then wondered why we had been charged so much (£155 instead of £125). Kelling were unaware of the issue until Sue called this afternoon - they said they will now be contacting all affected in the near future.....

Roy and Sue
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Carole on Dec 23, 2019, 21:12:38
Oh dear, I am on 311. 
This won't matter for my campervan, but it will matter if I wanted to put up my camping observatory. 

Trouble is I would have to take pot luck on what other pitches are available, so might just have to forego the camping observatory.  I'll see what they say when they contact me.

Hope they have fixed the hook up on that pitch as it failed at the weekend and I had to have a really long hook up extension cable to a different hook up point.

Carole

Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: ApophisAstros on Dec 24, 2019, 10:29:07
Quote from: Carole on Dec 23, 2019, 21:12:38
Oh dear, I am on 311. 
This won't matter for my campervan, but it will matter if I wanted to put up my camping observatory. 

Trouble is I would have to take pot luck on what other pitches are available, so might just have to forego the camping observatory.  I'll see what they say when they contact me.

Hope they have fixed the hook up on that pitch as it failed at the weekend and I had to have a really long hook up extension cable to a different hook up point.

Carole
Couldnt you use heavy weights and tie it to them for stability?
Roger
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Carole on Dec 24, 2019, 12:33:11
QuoteCouldnt you use heavy weights and tie it to them for stability?
Crossed my mind, but where do I get the heavy weights from?

Carole
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: doug on Dec 25, 2019, 09:22:45
Bricks.... large tins of Baked Beans ...
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Mac on Dec 27, 2019, 06:45:54
QuoteCrossed my mind, but where do I get the heavy weights from?

could have a look at argos for dumbell weights.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8196026 (https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8196026)

Thats all i used to use for counter weights on the EQ6.

Should work for the tent.

Mac. (http://icons.iconarchive.com/icons/custom-icon-design/flat-europe-flag/24/Spain-icon.png)
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: NoelC on Dec 27, 2019, 10:23:53
Mac- won't they tend to roll around a bit if the wind blows?
Perhaps kettlebell weights would be the thing:-
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71M-S9m3b9L._SX679_.jpg)

Or better still wait till the end of Jan and put a wanted ad up to pick up all the unwanted New Years resolution weights.  Of course you could just cut out the middle man and make a new years resolution.... (Sorry, still stuck in justification mode) I'll shut up now and go and play with my weights.

Noel
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Carole on Dec 27, 2019, 11:50:37
Thanks for the suggestions every-one.  Am having a think about it.

Also want to see what Kelling Heath come up with as an alternative.  If they offer me a pitch in the trees, I will stay where I am and then decide whether to NOT use the camping observatory, or get some weights.

Carole
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Carole on Dec 27, 2019, 14:20:13
Annoying thing is a made some weights for our past gazebo our of concrete, but since we don't use a Gazebo any more, hubby has integrated them into a low wall to get rid of them!!!

Carole
Title: Re: Kelling Starparty Camping - Important Alert
Post by: Carole on Dec 28, 2019, 14:33:57
Have spoken to Kelling Heath and it appears that only half the pitch is hard standing and the remaining half is grass, so plenty of room to pitch my camping observatory. 

I like to use it particularly at Kelling for wind protection. 

Phew!

Carole