Boggy is an understatement its dire
Are we talking boots, wellies or waders ?
Is there any ground firm enough for a tent?
Are there any dry spots for tents please?
Spoken to the guys at the field. The field is a 'quagmire'. Only dry places to pitch tent are the gravel track. Nearby church has a spotlight and it is directly under the flight path to gatwick.
I could say more but I'd better not.
Hmmm, not ideal then :-?
I'm about to take a drive down there, sans tent, to have a beer with the guys and check out the conditions. After all, it is a clear night.
If I think it's worth it then i'll come back tomorrow and stay overnight.
Well the guys are pretty miserable in the field and not having a lot of fun. The field is like The Battle of the Somme never mind a quagmire. The so called hard standing is not even wide enough for a vehicle so one set of wheels is on the grass anyway. Hence, there are huge ruts everywhere from the previous occupants. Anything left on the grass would be about 12 inches lower an hour later. Mark set his tripod up on the grass and rescued it just before the scope went under. There is no drainage whatsoever. The access road to the field is also heavily potholed and in a bad state. The local church has a 20th Century Fox style searchlight on top of it that sends a highly visible beam right across the sky and the aircraft coming into Gatwick are so low you can read the serial numbers on the side and work out the shirt size of the pilot. Basically it is a total disaster.
I stayed till about 10:30 then came home. Nearly hit a Stag and a Doe that jumped out in front of the car on the way back. Also saw 3 voles, 2 foxes, a cat, and 3 dead rabbits, one minus a head.
Anyway... If you are thinking of going tomorrow then don't bother as most of the guys are coming home tomorrow. Needless to say we won't be going back there.
I am home now, Mick, Tony & Carole will also be home. Mac, Mark, Chris & Duncan are still there.
This morning was the thickest frost I have ever seen, quite pretty but the sun will soon melt the hard ground & make it really boggy again.
We parked on the hard paths, although told not to & were supposed to park in another field, which would have been impossible, it was hard enough as it was.
If anyone else had been there, strangers, we would not have been able to leave the cars on the narrow gravel paths. Very small field, one step up from Tuesnoad.
No one got any images last night, except Chris got a few Rosette subs. They are hoping for a good night tonight.
Quote3 dead rabbits, one minus a head
Cool, any photos ? :twisted:
OK, home now and happily sitting on the outside of a bacon sandwich and cup of coffee :D
I think all that could be said has been said, but just out of interest, it was so cold and damp that my bottle opener froze to the table :o
I may need therapy after an ordeal like that :cry:
On a positive note, it's near Pooh bridge :roll:
Which seems rather appropriate considering what a sh#t hole it was ;)
Quote from: mickw on Feb 20, 2010, 13:18:05
Which seems rather appropriate considering what a sh#t hole it was ;)
:lol:
Well what can I say, except it was fine when I went to see it in the summer, and I had thought that an elevated site would not have had trouble with drainage, but was obviously wrong there. I missed the light from the church beaming up into the sky, it was very faint and had to have it pointed out to me, However it was not far from polaris, so not much imaging going on there.
I think the fact that the other camps are currently closed speaks for itself and perhaps we should give up trying to camp in February. I do think the owner should have warned us about the conditions BEFORE she took our booking, should have smelt a rat when Mike reported to us that some areas were "marshy". The moles hills did not help and made the grass very bumpy.
I came home purely because of the sub zero temperatures at night and the fact that I have no dew heaters and so imaging came to a halt anyway.
I do agree that the gravel paths are too narrow.
Only good thing was getting hook up, I had to have the heater on all night it was so cold.
So sorry folks, was trying to help.
Carole
Some images, looking out of my tent at around 9am. The white grass is frost.
I had ice on the inside of my tent.
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10047/normal_Stairs_farm_Frost_to_the_left.jpg)
Mac Duncan and Mark's tents.
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10047/normal_Stairs_Farm_Frost.jpg)
As you can see we had to set up the scopes on the hardstanding.
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10047/normal_Stairs_farm_right.jpg)
Carole
I like the fact that non of those scopes are level. They are all leaning in different directions.
More snaps - the Friday evening
Are we having fun yet ? :(
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP8t2wBSI/AAAAAAAAAxE/FWpBcZ04IgI/s720/IMG_0018.JPG)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP9h24i2I/AAAAAAAAAxI/lmGAwEcFJIo/s720/IMG_0019.JPG)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP-MEo2mI/AAAAAAAAAxM/kw-X1iUQ4bY/s720/IMG_0020.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP-kj_gJI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/tNrxWJ6TOM4/s720/IMG_0021.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP_eq4rdI/AAAAAAAAAxU/dE6ZwBFXt3M/s720/IMG_0022.JPG)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EP_1F0-6I/AAAAAAAAAxY/ZAGY9vgLRFk/s720/IMG_0023.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_VTfcx7bG__M/S4EQATYIdEI/AAAAAAAAAxc/zJtVkqJ8Mi0/s720/IMG_0024.JPG)
Look at that last image. That track was what she expected us to park the car on. It's just big enough to park a motorcycle on never mind a car. What was she thinking?
Did she come and collect the money this morning?
QuoteDid she come and collect the money this morning?
Yup, in full.
As every one has said before. I wont be going back there.
On the plus side.
Last night was fantasically clear. The Hatfield searchlight was a problem but we have photos of that.
Even at -7 and perfectly clear we all finished at 2am. some assisted by weird french stuff ;)
Here's a couple just so you know how wet and muddy it really was. and that we are not just exaggerating.
Take one 4x4, with low range box, add a small amount of soil and a lot of water and you end up with
A STUCK 4x4!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4375298515_3f743e6461_b.jpg)
I believe mark has the other photos.
The result.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4375298969_232e9853e3_b.jpg)
Mac.
Sitting at home, feet up, dry and warm. :lipsrsealed:
waiting to see all your images, Mac!
Why was it on the grass in the first place? Last time I saw it it was parked on the so called 'hard standing'.
QuoteEven at -7
Blimey, glad I went home.
Glad you got some imaging done despite the awful aurroundings.
I won't be sussing out any more potential sites.
:oops:
Carole
I was the last to leave - I left at 1pm after packing up in the rain :-(
Everything else has already pretty much been said. One good thing is that the spotlight for the church steeple actually switched off at 10pm both nights.
Sky last night was fantastic and that makes all the mud and cold worthwhile!
I post some pictures later - once I've slept off my hangover a bit more.
Mark
Well what can I say, I know Tuesnode was a complete mess, but the lady who owned the site still charged full price. I'm going to put a posting up on a couple of the camsite forums to explain not to use this site if it has been raining for any period of time.
But, for those who missed last night (MarkS included) we did some really funny photography, all looked good on the little SLR Window, hopefully the images will come out well.
My caravan is now desperate for a carpet steam clean.
:-) still thought it was a good weekend.
Did any-one say anything to the Owner about the state of the field?
If not, do you want me to tell her what we thought of it?
She shouldn't be letting it when it's like that, let alone charging full price.
Plus she needs to be told that the hardstanding is too narrow, not that we'll be going there again.
Carole
If she can't see the problems, she's to too stupid to understand or too greedy to care.
She's had the first instalment of the "build a f#cking proper road" fund.
She'll have to find someone else to pay the rest of the costs.
She was having a laugh calling it a campsite, it was like arriving at one of those dodgy holiday hotels that are nothing like the brochure or Google view!!!
What the ones where you pay by the hour?
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Here are some pics.
I still think we had a great time :P
Mark
Frost:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0052-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0055-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0056-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0064-01.jpg
Breakfast:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0070-01.jpg
Church Steeple:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0079-01.jpg
Church Steeple + laser:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0075-01.jpg
Mac (through misty lens):
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0084-01.jpg
Images at -7C:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0091-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0139-01.jpg
Some arty fun:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0110-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0112-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0118-01.jpg (my favourite!)
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0124-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0131-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0134-01.jpg
Mac's stranded 4x4:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0147-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0153-01.jpg
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/OAS/Feb2010/DSC_0157-01.jpg
:-)
Great pics Mark
I'd forgotten how interesting frost actually looks :o
Didn't forget how cold it felt though :(
The beer I left on the table overnight - the bottles had frozen together.
The webbing tying the awning down was about 6mm thick with frost.
I had to let the awning thaw out before I could wind it back in.
Although it was a bonus packing up while the ground was still frozen
I had a look again mark and your fav and also multipe Mac's came out well, the question is do you remember pressing the shutter?
Looks excellent Mark - great pics & looks like as usual a great time was had by all despite the conditions....
A few more images.
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1185.jpg)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1188.jpg)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1340.JPG)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1341.JPG)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1613.JPG)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1617.jpg)
(http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1622.JPG)
http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1624.JPG (http://gallery.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/albums/userpics/10021/normal_DSC_1624.JPG)
Great pictures Mark. I never saw that laser on top of the church. I love Mac's interpretation of "The Thing".
Me thinks Mac was being naughty, when he got stuck in the mud, & it did not go as expected!
My closeup frost pictures were out of focus, I was too close.
Quote from: Space Dog on Feb 21, 2010, 18:27:49
My caravan is now desperate for a carpet steam clean.
Sorry about that, I thought the carton of Chilli Bean soup would take out any stains. Apparently I was wrong. :-?
Looks like it was a good night, last night, especially for Mark, as he seemed to be really enjoying himself in the background, while I was talking to Chris on the phone, well the slurring shouts sounded like him anyway. ;)
As for the campsite, I think everything that could be said, has been (except for the swearing bits).
The previous weeks weather didn't help, but nor did the description, describing Stair Farm as a campsite. (Chris I think we have found an Off-Road site for Patsy. :))
Sometimes this is the only oppotunity, for some in the society to actually get out and enjoy the skies, and so this is what makes it seem worse.
Still we are having more DSC's than ever now, whether they be official or not, and so we can look forward to them. with the next one only 3 weeks away. (12th March)
I think other sites should still be considered, but personnal experience or rekkies would be advisable, rather than word of mouth. :-?
Tony G
PS..........................Great Images everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Agree, Tony, & really love Mac's shots, very artistic!
QuoteMe thinks Mac was being naughty, when he got stuck in the mud, & it did not go as expected!
:roll:
Well i didn't actually expect to get stuck, not with a 4x4 and a low box.
when carol managed to get across, it wasn't as bad as sunday morning.
I thought i'd just turn the truck round and drive out to save mark moving his car.
but after the extra rain overnight the ground wasn't as frozen as when carol passed over it.
So Carol you were very lucky.
Quote from: Space Dog
do you remember pressing the shutter?
Just about. It was about the only thing I was capable of.
I left my laptop outside in the frost overnight - only for it to be rained on in the morning. When the rain began, I had to dash out of my tent and rescue it amongst other things. The ice made a very interesting noise as it slid down the canvas once loosened by the rain.
Mark
QuoteSo Carol you were very lucky.
Certainly looks like it Mac.
Carole
Mac - I love the one of Duncan peering into his scope - a very well composed image.
The sunrise over the frosty field looks great as well.
Mark
When Rose and I accompanied Carole to look at Stairs Farm, the ground was wet, but not as you saw it, Jim. (sorry ...star trek ....) and the gravel ?roads? were not quite as full of holes. The recent snow must have worsened the roadway, as it has all the roads everywhere. It didn`t look as bad as all the images have shown it to be, which must have been bloody awful for all those who managed to get down there, and tried to image the sky ..... which, according to somebody, was very good.
I totally agree that the prices were OTT and you should not have been charged the full amount, and yes, Chris, put a few disclaimers on campsite forums as a warning to others. As we are members of the Camping and Caravan Club, I will have words with them about the site, but it had only just been taken over by the owners, but is that an excuse?? And the site is what is called a "Certified Site", which means minimum facilities .......... I think that a lot of campsites would have been boggy this time of the year, but perhaps with better hardstandings.
Quick question for Chris ..... when you image, do you just image in black and white, or do you then add the RGB afterwards to give the color?? Showing my ignorance, you see. And what was the laser over the church .........?????
Rose and I felt twangs of conscience when we saw the photo`s, `cos we wuz there with Carole when we viewed the site ....
Doug.
Mac if you're going to play in the mud, you need some of these ;)
(http://ssl.delti.com/tyre-pictures/Firestone/SUPERALLTRACTIONII23R-1.jpg)
Just put a deposit on one of these, :lol:
(http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/images3/monster.jpg)
Cool - you can pitch your tent underneath it to stay dry :lol:
Don't be hard on yourselves (Carole, Doug, Rose). Since you visited Stairs Farm we've had one of the wettest and coldest winters for 30 years. To be fair, I think almost every campsite would be almost as bad (including Blacklands). However I don't think the owners were fully aware just how bad the boggy conditions had become.
For the number of people who suddenly descended upon it there was simply insufficient hardstanding for all the cars - since it was impossible to park on any grass.
I think the biggest problem was the number of aircraft passing over. If it weren't for that I would actually consider going back - even in the mud, as long as it's just a few people. The sky was excellent once the steeple switched off at 10pm - probably much better than Blacklands (I haven't processed my "official" measurements yet).
Given recent weather, we were also very fortunate to get two clear nights in succession. The overnight frost was beautiful and do remember, we were sitting in sunshine drinking beer and wine on Saturday - my face is still glowing from it (the sun, that is).
Mark
Great photos Marks. It's nice to have a photo of oneself in action (as it were).
Despite the conditions on the ground and aided by weird French and ginger stuff we had a hoot. I too have a glow from sitting out in the sun on Saturday. My chair only sank 3 inches while we had wine and crisps. We were so lucky to have had two crystal clear nights, the odds against it must have been enormous (but not as big as the ruts and potholes).
Today's activity is trying to dry the tent and scrape off the embedded molehills. Nobody has mentioned the blooming molehills, nasty hard obstacles at -7.
Oh yes - the wet molehills! They froze into concrete-like lumps at -7C - great for tripping over!
Thanks for your kind words Mark, I must admit I was feeling very guilty and embarrassed about the condition of the field, but as you say, the skies were good (after the light went out), and probably anywhere would have been very boggy just at this moment in time. I think if the society had visited at a dryer time of the year there would have been very different comments.
That being said, I now regret not having gone down there to check when the Owner told Mike it was marshy in places, but never dreamt it would be as bad as it actually turned out to be.
Carole
I think the only saving grace, was, that there was no one else in the field, except for the caravan, but they were ok.
If there had been more people, we would not have been able to park on the cinder paths.
Fay I am going to PM you, let me know if you didn't get the E mail as I know sometimes you don;t get them.
Carole
Here's a better version of The Thing.
- BTW who was it? I honestly don't remember!
(http://www.markshelley.co.uk/webdisk/TheThing2.jpg)
That's the picture I meant, Mark. The original "thing" was James Arness. Of course the latest version was entirely different
It's Duncan
Quote from: Carole on Feb 22, 2010, 20:17:24.....Owner told Mike it was marshy in places.....
The owner never did reply to my email regarding the conditions and that not everyone had stayed, etc. So it is clear to me they do not care about 'customer service' but just want a fast buck.
Oh did not know it was Duncan, a perfect rendition of "the Thing" because of his height :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Mike, i think if they were keen for the site to be a success, they would have stopped us going in those conditions, as it not only ruined their ground, we were fedup about it as well, & probably will not go back. Places of class, like Woodlands & Blacklands, do care & think about future custom & comfort.
Despite the size of the land as a whole, it is only the small field where we were that is the actual campsite.
yes, they probably thought it was a good idea to make a bit of money on this cut off piece of land.
A problem if a lot of people turned up.
Never mind it was worth a try & if it had turned out ok, a lot shorter journey
If you do a search on Google for "Stairs Farm" you end up with this thread on the forum. This should be enough bad PR for them to hopefully get themselves sorted out.
QuoteThe owner never did reply to my email regarding the conditions and that not everyone had stayed, etc. So it is clear to me they do not care about 'customer service' but just want a fast buck.
You're probably right, although I did find them slow to respond to E mails even when they thought we would be a potential customer.
I'd love to see what you said to them.
Carole
Mark,
I was the art director and Mac and Duncan were the models, your pressed the button (not everytimw, and sometimes too late). Boy you was smashed!
Chris
It was a great laugh!
A humungous long URL (http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.scifi.co.uk/news/the%2520thing.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.scifi.co.uk/news/2010/01/the-thing-prequel-gets-green-light/&usg=__2M-vQK5hpp22Yd57gMDjriW3S2c=&h=329&w=300&sz=25&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=AvFi87WIuktuwM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bthing%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26cr%3DcountryUK%257CcountryGB%26sa%3DG%26rlz%3D1W1GGLL_en%26tbs%3Disch:1)
it was the second making of Duncan's lookalike (only in costume Duncan)The Thing, that the picture came from, thought it was on the first one.
Our Duncan version looks much scarier!
You can't remake "The Thing". it is one of those excellent Classic horror movies that even in today's CGI spectaculars still stands up as an excellent film with excellent effects.