Camping

metherer

Hi All

Just rallying round for ideas for this thread: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=199806

Going camping to an eco aware festival, and as camping is quite an OS way to spend your holiday time, thought I'd ask you lovely people for any contributions.

Thanks

Metherer
x

Carnwaj

Hi,

Good luck taking the camping plunge. We've been camping for about four years now and have loved neary all of it.

We went through about three phases-

- Camping newbies (what to buy, where to go). I'd reccomend Alan Roger's good camps guide. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0954527178/qid=1147981039/sr=8-3/ref=pd_ka_3/202-5549107-4684643

- Getting good at camping and trying to make it a home from home. End up taking to much stuff and it becomes a real hassle.

- Back to basics - Ditch all the 'home from home' and get back to travelling light.

Last year we had three weeks in France - Excellent.

Have a look at http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/cook_index.html

for some good ideas!

Kazonline

I think I have to agree with carnwaj - 'basic' camping is great fun - get too expert about it and it's more hassle than it's worth.
I cook for 4 on a single ring stove , placed on an upturned crate (that is used for storage inbetween).
Fried bacon bits (asda value), beans and tin spuds is one of the family fav meals - real easy & one pan to wash.
Don't forget a tin opener!!!
An extra groundsheet can be thrown over a tent should it leak (good old festival weather) and used as a picnic mat.
Just a few to get you started - I'm sure the links in the prev post will help a lot more, but good luck, and enjoy!
Kaz x

well-medicated

I love camping with my DH and two kids. Definitely get some roll-mats to sleep on. Make sure that if you get a modern nylon-type tent, that your sleeping area has an additional skin which can be zipped closed.

The best thing I bought for our trips was left-handed and right-handed sleeping bags - which means that two bags can be zipped together - very cosy when you're listening to the rain.

metherer

Hi guys

Thanks for the responses so far.

Metherer
x

dolly_day_dream

Went to my first festival in 1998 at the grand old age of 43! Loved it and have tried to go to a festival every year since then. If you are unsure of how you will like sleeping in the tent have you thought about having a practice in the garden before you go? Perhaps a friend could lend you a tent to see if you like it? Personally I have to have an inflatable bed and a space blanket. Check out the sleeping bag to check you can fit into it. I only say cos I am a little on the larger size and one year the 'mummy style' sleeping bag was more than a little snug! Wellies are a good idea as anyone who survived Glasto last year will testify. Our festi bag is a plastic wallet in which we have - basic first aid kit, scissors, string, duc tape - best thing in all the world when things go wrong - lighter, wet wipes, antiseptic wipes, needle and thread, safety pins and pegs. I concur with taking an extra groundsheet - you can use it over the tent if it is really wet. Make a sunshade with it if it is hot, and lie on it generally. I also take bin bags, loo roll, a single burner stove and a billy can type thing (army surplus) so that I can get my morning cup of tea. But the one thing that you must take is a hat! You are exposed to the elements all day and the sun (think positive) can do funny things to you. If you go with the right frame of mind I am sure you will enjoy it. I hope to get to the BGG as well so maybe see you there.

culpepper

We bought camp beds as we found the roll up mats were very hard by next morning.We each take a blanket too to line the sleeping bag. A woolly hat is very useful if it turns cold and spare socks to wear in bed.
We have a windbreak as it helps with privacy,especially if the camp is non formal and people walk over to chat when you are in the middle of getting washed. read up on a few easy one pot meals as you dont really feel like cooking huge meals after a days activities.

rainbowkanga

We camp too with our three children and I think its a fab way to spend a holiday. Usually do a couple of weeks in UK and then couple of weeks in France. Must admit tend to adopt slightly different tactics! In UK as the weather more often than not rains (at least the week we go) I do tend to use "convenience" foods, as I don't really like standing in the rain cooking - tins, pasta and tomato sauce, smash etc.. which supplemented with lots of fruit I don't think is too unhealthy for the odd week here and there. In France where we have generally had brilliant weather I cook very similar to at home and of course can get lovely locally produced products...

As for equipment I am not minimalist!!! We have a large Khyam tent which is brill and airbeds and a 3 ring stove. Bucket is really useful, and I would go for the best quality sleeping bags that you can afford - it really isn't worth scrimping on them - nothing worse than being freezing!

Have fun

gizmos

Aldi, Netto and Lidl are all offering deals on camping stuff at the moment

juno

Take Handy Tooth Cleans or those Oral B things! They're great for brushing your teeth!

Bin bags can be turned into a cool and sexy rain mac if necessary.

You need a hat, as it hides your hair and no one can see you haven't washed it for days.

kittiwoz

Used to go on camping holidays when I was a kid. As I recall the real essentials are tent, groundsheet, mallet, sleeping bag and big plastic water bag thing with a tap. We had airbeds too. If you take an airbed make sure you remember to pack the foot pump. Spare tent pegs are good to have also carrier bags for putting wet clothes in and enough changes of clothes in case you do get wet. We had a Calor gas stove and used to cook baon and eggs on it or omlettes. We always used to take powdered milk, cocoa and sugar and have hot chocolate before we went to bed. If you like milk in your tea powdered milk is a must for that too but if you drink coffee you can used condensed milk for all-in-one milk and sugar. As Kazonline says, remember the tin opener.

Camping sites are obviously different from festivals and so I don't have experience of limited washing facilities. I would guess that will be your situation though so maybe a packet of baby wipes and a can of deodorant so you can freshen up a bit would be in order. I think even if there are limited washing facilities I would still take a toothbrush and toothpaste rather than use those Handy Tooth Cleans since they're not nearly as effective. You can brush your teeth with only a cup of water and I'd just spit the toothpaste out on the grass once I'd done bushing. I'd take sunblock too if there is event the remotest chance of fine weather. Getting burned is no fun and it gives you wrinkles.