Idiots guide to camping

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

Where do you do your cooking? Is it ok to use a gas camping cooker inside the tent (big 8 person type)?

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Can I join?

How does an electric hook up work? My brain is envisaging a field with a really long extension lead and power points in the middle....

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

You can use the gas stove in a tent but ONLY if all the doors are open and stay open for a long time after. But it is safer outside or In a kitchen tent.

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

A 'kitchen tent'

Off to google.

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

It's just a separate tent, like a gazebo with sides, you can then keep the kitchen stuff separate.

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

With the hook up, there are points (a stake in the ground with socket). You plug your hook up cable into it which is like an extension lead.

These are normally in more formal sites with set out pitches rather than just random in a field.

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

Do campsites normally charge extra if you have an extra little cooking tent?

[poocatcherchampion]

tits that is basically what it is.

I would never use a gas stove in a tent. Especially not with small children
.

I do love a cup of tea especially in the rain but no way.

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

Some do some don't. Sorry, can't give you a better answer than that.

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

Some tents have awnings which are open (unless it's zipped up), you can cook in that if you are very careful, I wouldn't any further inside the tent though.

[littlemissneela]

We have portable camping gas stoves, the ones where you use small canisters, and have cooked in our tent with no problem How would it be any different to use a side porch to cook in? You are still attached to the tent. We always have the vents open and the doors open. I am now thinking of getting a carbon monoxide detector for when we go away next time. Just on case.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

I'd say a big no to cooking inside a tent. It's too much of a fire hazard. We had a little awning to cook under, it attached to the front of the tent. Don't bring BBQs inside after use either. There was an awful incident of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Electric hook up is great. You get a long specialised cable that attaches to an electric plug on the campsite. It feeds through a little hole in the tent and means you can have an electric light, electric coolbox, fan heater etc.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

X post!

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Can I get a little fridge to connect to the electric hook up, I've only found ones with car power connectors and surely that wouldn't work of the engine was off all camping trip, I'm currently working out how to camp with all DS's meds which are refrigerated.,

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

You can get an adaptor for the electric fridge / coolbox so that it can be plugged into the mains.

[MrsWembley]

Tits, do you have a Go Outdoors or something along those lines near you? Go and have a look at the camping fridges and the electric hook-up stuff there, then you might have a clearer idea. We recently went electric after years of calling others using EHU camping cheats - never looked back!

And please don't cook in the tent!! Use an awning or something separate. It's not only the CO, tents burn so quickly, it's frightening!

[Blu]

Personally I do not cook in the tent. If I did it would be a very stable set up, no children running past, not close to the tent wall, and no-one in the tent with the stove between them and the exit. I.e If I was cooking in an awning attached to the tent I would make everyone sit closer to the (open) exit than the stove.

I know many people cook in the tent, but there is a camping MN-er who was next to a tent fire and even if I had been inclined her description would put me off.

The little portable stoves with the aerosol style canisters are great because they are v stable, but you must not use a pan bigger than 21cms (I think - see the safety thread about them) and must not put two next to each other.

We usually cook over the fire, which is possible in light rain, or take to the pub or fish and chip shop in a deluge.

Also, we have a tarp and can put the stove under that.

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

So my nice new shiney kitchen tent arrived today. Got the stove sorted and all the gear packed (I hope).

So what do you eat while away? Straight out of a tin/pot noodle stuff? Or do you actually cook stuff?

[BluePitchFork]

never ever ever cook in the tent.
as everyone said co2 is a huge risk + tents burn/melt in seconds.
camping with ehu is not much fun imo

[UnGoogleable]

OOh how exciting, a first camping trip!

I usually cook up a big tub of something like Bolognaise sauce and freeze it before going, then it acts as an ice block in my food bag whilst travelling and when I get there our first meal is super easy - just reheat the sauce and cook some pasta.

Other camping food - Fry ups or pancakes for breakfast, pasta, stir fries, BBQ (with those disposable barbeque things). Basically anything that you can do with a max of 2 pans on the go.

Puddings like Rice pud or cake with a carton of custard that you can heat up are always good too.

My other top tip for camping is remember it gets cold at night, pack more warm layers than you think you'll need - including a woolly hat - and during the evening when you're messing around, put those layers on before you get cold to conserve your heat.

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

I'm terrified of being cold at night. We're in Sweden so it can get really cold, even if it's roasting during the day. I've bought sleeping bags that are safe down to -7.

[BluePitchFork]

hot water bottle and yoga mat under sim.

[InternationalHouseofToast]

LittleMiss, give everyone a blanket each to wrap around themselves and go inside the sleeping bags, so bottom layer of SB, layer of blanket, climb in, blanket on top then zip up SB to provide the top layer. It'll keep you warm, but include hats and socks for everyone as well. You can always add extra clothes layers if you need it. We went away a month ago and I was putting jeans on at 3am as the nearest extra layer to hand.

[LittleMissBossyBoots]

I'm beginning to think I'm not cut out for this. I've been going through an online checklist and there's stuff I never thought of. Like who needs a mallet anyway? While at the same time I see no mention of the essentials I have sorted, such as the mobile wifi router.

[UnGoogleable]

Ah give it a go LittleMiss camping is fab!

A Mallet is actually really useful for hammering in tent pegs. You can get rubber mallets from camping shops, I wouldn't go without one!

I forgot Hot Water Bottle is an excellent suggestion - as well as big fluffy bed socks. And some easy slip on shoes such as Crocs or wellies for those night time toilet visits when you don't want to faff about putting actual shoes on.

[BluePitchFork]

it will be fun!
you clearly have the priorities sorted :o

mallet is useful or you have to do the walk of shame to tent neighbours or campsite office

eating: if's the law to have tinned ravioli at least once. with the bottom burnt and the sauce slightly diluted by rain