Camping - havent a clue!

boo81

I have never really been camping and havent a clue where to start so please help me!

1) How much would you expect a pitch to be, what do you look for at a good campsite?

2) What equipment would I need for me and my OH and where can I find this cheaply? How much would it set me back?

3) What kind of things can you cook while roughing it?

zappahey

Today, Lidl have loads of cheap camping gear. A 3-person tent is £25 and it's High Peak brand so not some complete no-name. they also have sleeping bags, mats and other odds and ends. i just bought a 2-person tent for £10, which is perfect for my motorbike trip.

MKwife

The price of the pitch would depend on where the site is and what facilities are on the site. For example, a site without facilities in Norfolk is about 11 pounds a night. As for what you would look for on a campsite, it depends what you want. Some campsites have toilets and nothing else, some have a club house, sports like tennis, mini golf etc, pool, playgrounds, shop, etc etc.

As zappahey above says, you can get camping stuff pretty cheap now - just make sure you buy decent sleeping bags or you'll be cold!

You can buy a camping stove from about 10 pounds (if you shop around) and we eat all sorts, soups, pasta in sauces, noodles, and cereals, sandwiches, etc, you can even buy a stove with a mini grill so you can have toast!!

I would suggest buying a decent lantern though as there is nothing worse than coming back to your tent after a few drinks and falling over everything in the dark. Buy a couple of cheap camping chairs, pots n pans set and plastic plates/cups etc.

Hope you have a lovely time, I love camping and can't wait to start!

mr_mallon

MKwife wrote: »

just make sure you buy decent sleeping bags or you'll be cold!

AND A MAT TO SLEEP ON!!!!! You would be amazed how much heat can get absorbed by the ground! (I was! went and bought mats the next day)

Also important: take waterproofs and good warm clothes (incl hat) and insect repellant. A long (5-10m/15-30') peice of nylon paracord (available cheaply from camping shops) and some clothes pegs always come in handy.

We bought all of our camping stuff one year instead of going to a b&b for a week. The savings pretty much paid for all of the camping gear and the holidays we've had have been fantastic.

You can cook all sorts of things - like has already been said "Just add water" things are great - not gourmet stuff, I admit, but you are camping...

When buying a tent, make sure you take into account the space both of you and your stuff will take up - you don't want to be too cramped! (if you have a car, that will help!

Camping is fantastic fun - prepare for grubby clothes, things getting wet and fuzzy hair and you'll be fine!!!

mr mallon

peterbaker

Actually it is currently possible to get a pitch with electricity for as little as £8 a night in Norfolk on a quiet but "few facilities" site (apart from the village pub 50 metres away!), and less than £11 on some weekends for a "full facilities including pool and cabaret in the evening!

As for what you can cook, it all depends on your ingenuity and whether you have a BBQ and one or more stove rings. Very acceptable "roast beef" can be done in the pot but I haven't yet worked out how to do the Yorkshire Pud yet - I guess pre-cooked frozen ones could be done in the BBQ with the lid on though:-)

Have fun!

BillScarab

Aldi also had a lot of camping kit in last week, still plenty in my local store. Also try https://www.gooutdoorsco.uk they have some bargains as do https://www.wildday.co.uk. Argos also have some reasonable stuff.

A lot depends on what sort of campsite you're looking for, when I go walking I use a site which is basically a field with a toilet block, that costs £3 per person per night. Posher sites with better facilities, a small shop etc. are more like £10-15 per tent.

My top tips after many years of camping are in no particular order

1. don't use airbeds, get self-inflating mattresses. They offer more insulation and I find them more comfortable. they were £10 in Aldi last week or Go Outdoors have branded ones for £12.50

2. Tent sizes. Tent manufacturers describe their tents by how many people can fit in them, e.g. 2 man or 4 man. Tkae these figures with a pinch of salt, they seem to work on 70cm of space per person which is tiny. For two people I would buy a four man tent as a minimum, for two adults and two children we use a six man tent. Also make sure the tent has lots of storage space, such as a large proch.

3. It's worth spending money on a good sleeping bag. Mummy style bags tend to be warmer but are more restrictive. If you're camping out of a car take proper pillows with you.

4. Get a headtorch each for late night trips to the toilets. These were £3.49 in aldi a couple of weeks ago, they may have some left. Alternatively these are cheap and good http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16150&category_id=253 (alpkit's sleeping mats and bags are also good but more expensive).

5. Take a couple of deckchairs or camping chairs.

6. Get a good LED Lantern

7. Take Insect repellent.

8. Check out the campsite reviews on https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk lots of good advice in their forums as well

9. The easy way to cook when camping is to go to the local pub!!! :T If you really want to the single burner 'briefcase' style stoves are cheap and good for basic stuff, Aldi again had them for £8 but they sell them everywhere for around that sort of money.

10. Take a cool box for you milk etc. Write your name on the freezer blocks as many sites have a freezer you can refreeze them in. If you take extra blocks you cna make sure your cool box is always cool.

11. Take a good sized water container, you don't want to have to keep going over to the tap to fill up a small bottle.


Something like this is a good,roomy four man tent

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/5709388004277

If you want something with a higher roof something like this may be good

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/5023518584836

HelzBelz

Friends have recently bought a sort of camping starter kit from Asda which included a dome tent, 2 sleeping mats, 2 sleeping bags, 2 chairs and a lantern, which I'm sure friend said was about £35.

If you've got transport take old thick blankets just incase it gets cold (I'm a complete wimp and even though hubby bought me an expensive sleeping bag that's supposed to go to -20º and he can't sleep in it becase he says its to hot I get cold and need at least 2 blankets) and if the weather's nice they give you something to sunbathe on.

Definately take suntan cream - even if it's not that sunny if you'rre camping you'll be out in it most of the day so will burn.

We always take re-hydration powders, you'd be amazed how little you remember to drink (other than booze). If you buy the sachets from shots they are really expensive (about £3 for 5 sachets that only make about 1Ltr in total), but if you buy one of the large tins of Gatorade from the States over Ebay (It's about £20 inc post that makes 6 gallons, about 22 litres) Lemon & Lime is the nicest flavour.

peterbaker

HelzBelz wrote: »

We always take re-hydration powders, you'd be amazed how little you remember to drink (other than booze).

That made me smile big time HelzBelz!

I agree that because you have to go to the tap to get it fresh, it often seems that after a weekend camping you haven't drunk enough H2O.

But what exactly do the powders do apart from flavour the water when you eventually get some??:rotfl:

mr_mallon

peterbaker wrote: »

That made me smile big time HelzBelz!

I agree that because you have to go to the tap to get it fresh, it often seems that after a weekend camping you haven't drunk enough H2O.

But what exactly do the powders do apart from flavour the water when you eventually get some??:rotfl:

The powders are isotonic - this means your body is able to absorb the water better and replenish some of it's salt levels.

It's a similar thing to what people take after having diarrhoea, but generally tastes nicer!

You can make your own re-hydration drink but they don't taste great! (1 litre of water, 1 level teaspoon of table salt, 8 level teaspoons of normal sugar... The solution should taste no saltier than tears. You can also add some orange juice (120 ml) or half of a banana mashed up to taste - this will help boost your potassium levels.

mr mallon

peterbaker

mr_mallon wrote: »

The powders are isotonic - this means your body is able to absorb the water better and replenish some of it's salt levels.

It's a similar thing to what people take after having diarrhoea, but generally tastes nicer!

You can make your own re-hydration drink but they don't taste great! (1 litre of water, 1 level teaspoon of table salt, 8 level teaspoons of normal sugar... The solution should taste no saltier than tears. You can also add some orange juice (120 ml) or half of a banana mashed up to taste - this will help boost your potassium levels.

OK I understand the general concept, but surely you would have to be in quite a state for a teaspoon of sodium chloride and 8 teaspoons of sugar to be a good thing to swallow?? Is that more or less what's in the powders? I think I'll just remember to keep plenty of fresh water to hand when I am camping - prevention sounds better than cure!

dianadors

I love camping. I use the ukcampsite website for checking out all the sites that I book (I use the feedback section to help me decide if it is for us.) We have a car, so carrying things is not a problem and I have a 2 ring stove and can rustle up delicious camp food (Stew and dumplings is a fave with the kids as is pancakes and chocolate sauce!!) Pasta and sauce is an easy option if you only have 1 burner. Tinned Tuna and corned beef are handy for sandwiches. Pot Noodles are good for snacks too. We have stayed on loads of sites ranging from the very basic (£15 for the weekend for 2 adults, 4 kids 2 tents and 2 cars) basic facilities but stunning location to very well maintained sites with luxurious facilities (£40 per night for 2 adults, 2kids, 1 car and 1 tent). I have never had to rehydrate myself after camping!!! I also take hot water bottles in case its cold and thick socks to sleep in.. I also remember someone telling me that when you are camping, 1 blanket underneath you at night is worth more than 10 on top and this is so true. This makes good reading http://www.coolcamping.co.uk/