Camping - Your hint's and tips.

[wiggydiggy]

For dark skies I've stayed at Balloch O'Dee (Dumfries and Galloway).

 

[Hicky]

Dark skies, Kielder forest. The downsides are the midgies.

 

[potsy]

Our latest addition is an electric blanket

 

[fossyant]

Our latest addition is an electric blanket

That will be MrsF that asks for one - she's going to take additional blankets - I'll be sleeping on-top of the sleeping bag, like I did in a big storm back in September.

 

[Profpointy]

Make certain you can put the tent up before you leave home.
And that all the poles are still in a fit state to use.

There was a great story from my university caving gang going to France in a minibus. On the way down there was an unpleasant smell in the van and everyone was blaming everyone else's manky caving kit; not unheard of if it's not dried properly after a trip

Anyhow they get to the campsite and one guy tips his tent out of its bag and finds he has a set of pegs and poles wrapped in a load pf slime. Last time he'd used his (canvass Vango) tent he'd put it away wet and forgotten all about it and the cloth had totally rotted away

And on another such trip one of out
group had his small tent for him and his girlfriend but had brought a standing up height ridge tent as well for us to sit around in and prepare food if the weather was bad. A few of the group didn't own tents so slept in the big tent, albeit then had to stay up till the last person had gone to bed as it was understood it was the communal tent. One night it rained heavily and they then discovered why the owner was sleeping in a small tent. The big tent leaked badly, but the groundsheet was still totally watertight, so those sleeping in it had to take turns to bale the water out through the night. The only person dry had a lilo rather than a karrymat, so was actually floating at one point.

 

[fossyant]

I'd have a look at getting a tarp to go over the front of the tent to give the doorway some shelter.
Our fav camping item is easily EHU and a campingaz partygrill/cadac. They're amazing and not overly expensive.....it's all a learning experience and before you buy ask yourself "do I really need this?"....similar to n+1.....before you know it you're towing a 6x4 trailer full with a roof box full and you haven't brought half the stuff you own.
All my kids camped from 4/5 month onwards and loved it.

Tarp on the list and a couple of poles - we've a compact pop up gazebo (2mx2m) but a tarp would be better/smaller.

Got the Camping Gaz Party grill 400 - love it. Had it a couple of years. Nothing like doing a brew, BBQ'ing/ hot plate, griddle and wok'ing a stir fry on the beach ! Really versatile cooker.

 

[fossyant]

The tent is brand new, so I must check everything is there. If it's not, Wiggle have no stock, so it will be a begging letter to Nordisk ! Just not been the weather to put it up to check - I've done a quick rummage through the bag. Going to be a bit odd on this first camp - as it's EHU, we'll likely be pitching our tent near the camp-sites two glamping tents. Except our tent is a similar model to theirs ! There will be some confusion !

 

[Mburton1993]

I recommend Boots silicone ear plugs, they block out wind, rain and neighbor noise.

And not an immediate necessity as the tent's brand new, but eventually waterproofing tent spray.

West Hook campsite is quite nice (south west Wales).

 

[derrick]

We're embarking on more camping trips this year after letting our static go due to site license and 'age' - i.e. been there too long - you have to but new or go. TTFN then we said.

We're also going to go to B&B's etc more too, so no 'stay in a hotel' answers. please

Current plans are initial weekend in April with the new tent near Prestatyn where we had the caravan - we know the area well and my wife wild swims with a group there. Then we plan 5 days or so by the side of Bala Lake, then booked into a 'field' in Fairford to watch RIAT airshow (we're also going inside the show on one day).

Prestatyn site is fairly basic, but we are doing EHU due to time of year and wife doing the wild swimming (need to get warm if weather not favourable). Fairford will be in just a field with portaloos (we are getting a porta potti), and Bala will be a choice of EHU or not - thinking not as it will be warmer then, and there is ice block 'freezing' available (plus EHU is a rip off there and the non-leccy plots are next to the lake). And probably back to Prestatyn during June-August for a week.

We've got most stuff and a nice big 'traditional' bell tent (Wiggle sales - got a fantastic bargain). Already have gas cookers, fire pit/bbq and various battery lights, camp bed and self inflating mattresses. Small solar panel to recharge battery packs.

We're not doing 'basics' as MrsF might not be too chuffed.

Any of your favourite tips/campsites ?

Get yourselves a little micro camper. lots of pub car parks to stay the night in, plenty of free parking around, we use campsites aswell with EHU.

 

[Profpointy]

A few random hints:

If car camping, as you are, take proper saucepans, plates, cups, washing up bowl etc. You're not carrying it on your back so use decent kit for cooking.

Even backpacking I take a proper sharp full size kitchen knife and a small plywood chopping board. I managed to buy a nice leather scabbard for the 8" but have a cardboard and duck tape one if I take the bigger knife. You absolutely need a scabbard and do not keep a sharp knife loose in your food box. I cut myself quite badly once when I had a knife loose in a cardboard box which it sliced through into my finger whilst carrying it. Annoyingly I'd dumped the old scabbard which had got manky but not yet made a new one. Also take sharpener for the knife; small diamond if carrying it, or normal kitchen one of in the car. Learned this after my idiot climbing partner used my best Sabbatier to cut a nylon pan scouter in half utterly blunting the knife, which I had no means of sharpening till I got home; I'd assumed the edge would have lasted a week of light cooking prep

 

[fossyant]

Get yourselves a little micro camper. lots of pub car parks to stay the night in, plenty of free parking around, we use campsites aswell with EHU.

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It's on the cards - possibly in 12 months. Looking to change my rarely used car and looking at either a 'used' run around leccy car for use at home or a used Rifter/Traveller type vehicle (traveller being a van). - Going to see how this year pans out, see how we manage, then consider something we can shove everything in, then possibly just sleep in for a night or so.

 

[Hicky]

Waterproofing is a good shout, as a canvas/polycotton, it will need weathering in(tell me to hush if you already know this).
All of ours leaked slightly on the first soaking, after that they've been grand. The current one I don't like has seen us through some horrendous weather, our toddler slept through it all.....if at all possible I'd always plumb for canvas rather than nylon.

 

[fossyant]

A few random hints:

If car camping, as you are, take proper saucepans, plates, cups, washing up bowl etc. You're not carrying it on your back so use decent kit for cooking.

Even backpacking I take a proper sharp full size kitchen knife and a small plywood chopping board. I managed to buy a nice leather scabbard for the 8" but have a cardboard and duck tape one if I take the bigger knife. You absolutely need a scabbard and do not keep a sharp knife loose in your food box. I cut myself quite badly once when I had a knife loose in a cardboard box which it sliced through into my finger whilst carrying it. Annoyingly I'd dumped the old scabbard which had got manky but not yet made a new one. Also take sharpener for the knife; small diamond if carrying it, or normal kitchen one of in the car. Learned this after my idiot climbing partner used my best Sabbatier to cut a nylon pan scouter in half utterly blunting the knife, which I had no means of sharpening till I got home; I'd assumed the edge would have lasted a week of light cooking prep

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We've a load of stuff left over from the static, so the little pans I previously used will be spare - got some decent pans/knives/chopping board.

 

[fossyant]

Waterproofing is a good shout, as a canvas/polycotton, it will need weathering in(tell me to hush if you already know this).
All of ours leaked slightly on the first soaking, after that they've been grand. The current one I don't like has seen us through some horrendous weather, our toddler slept through it all.....if at all possible I'd always plumb for canvas rather than nylon.

This is canvas/poly cotton - I do have some waterproofing spray (proper stuff - used on our canvas/polycotton sun awning) - so should I take some with me on the first camp, just in-case ? Unfortunately, first camp in it will be the first time we really get it out - it's too big for our garden.

 

[Hicky]

Another tip which my Ms needs reminding of when we go....pack in the order you need things out...ie first thing out of the car should be the last thing in.....beer and bottle opener.