My first camping trip.

[karen.488walker]

Have bought everything down to the collaspable kitchen sink. Arranged the practice night in a friends' garden. And am going camping in 3 weeks time for the first time ever. My husband will and won't be there (new job no holiday). Am massively excited but would love any tips of things to take that i haven't thought of or anything (kids are 6 and 7). Bit nervous as well. Also Halfords (Sevenoaks) have been brill for getting in accesories and stuff. Thought they deserved a mention! (wouldn't buy one of their tents though)

 

[Fnaar]

Always have spare tent pegs and ropes. And if your tent has a vent bit that clips onto the top, don't lose it.

 

[Joe24]

Pitch next to someone who looks like they have been tenting to years.
When me and my dad first went camping, we pitched next to this old guy and his wife who helped us put it up, and showed us stuff we needed to know

 

[Crackle]

Don't forget to take a lighter for the cooker.

 

[Fnaar]

Watch a good film before you go

 

[Wigsie]

Watch a good film before you go

Better that, than this!

 

[Joe24]

If you have a fire steel and want to use that to get your gas hob going, dont put the gas on, then take ages to get a proper spark.
I did this when not really used to the fire steel.
A mixture of no wind and the wind surround made a build up of gas that i lit
Was a laugh though

 

[fossyant]

We are off camping too in a couple of weeks - first time as a family but it's with 4 other experienced campers at school - so should be fine.

We've only got a large 3 man tent - will do for a couple of nights - 2 x adults and 1 x 8 year old and 1 x 6 year old..... manageable......

 

[Piemaster]

Took my 2 (13 & 9) camping for the first time last weekend for just the Saturday night. Had a great time. They even ate my cooking! The 3rd sleeping mat arrived this morning, so guess which one of us slept without one.
Take earplugs. I did get that advise on this thread but didn't get out to buy any. <Rant>So a big thanks to the group of campers who decided to break camp to leave at 23:30, running a rattly diesel Landrover to give themselves enough light to see and run a whining air pump to deflate their airbeds. . Had expected people up late drinking / talking but....</Rant>
A tin opener is a good thing. Leaving it on the kitchen worktop at home is not.

 

[Joe24]

Ahhh, thats not bad.
I was camping at a kayaking competition. It was a freestyle one, so it was a very relaxed one. There was a party after, but me and my dad stayed at the tent to relax, and spoke to the local drunk for abit. It was at the side of the white water course, which gets turned off at night but still has abit of water in at night.
My brother came back from the party and we were asleep. Then at about 2/3 in the morning, some other people came back from the party, drunk, and decided to go swimming.
Lots of shouting and laughing which woke everyone up. We were all pictched around the white water course so it woke everyone up, well, everyone that wasnt already up.
But, they were got back in the morning so it was all ok

 

[Noodley]

Always make sure you have the phone number of a good hotel nearby

 

[karen.488walker]

Thanks guys. am v. excited. bit worried about noise. am not v. noise tolerant.

 

[karen.488walker]

Always make sure you have the phone number of a good hotel nearby

Can't do that. If other half got wind of that he'd be gone before the first peg was in the ground. Bit worried about him. Me and the kids will love it

 

[Headgardener]

Don't worry Karen you will be alright. I am off at the end of the month camping with the Boy's Brigade company that I am an officer with to Corfe Castle in Dorset. Should be fun as I don't think any of the boys going this year went last year so we will have to see.

 

[Noodley]

Don't worry Karen you will be alright. I am off at the end of the month camping with the Boy's Brigade company that I am an officer with to Corfe Castle in Dorset. Should be fun as I don't think any of the boys going this year went last year so we will have to see.

Boys' Brigade camps were always great when I was younger. The days just seemed to go on forever....early rise, late sleep. And loads in between.

Well done Headgardener.