Making camping fun

[Ginismyfriend]

In a couple of weeks I’m camping with my family at a festival for five nights, which is five nights more than I’d choose to camp usually. I have old lady hips and I like to be clean. Beyond the tent/air beds/chairs, what can I take that will make it better? All tips welcome!

Do you park beside your tent? Or do you need to get everything from a carpark to your camping area?

No we’ll be far away from the car. But I don’t mind trips back and forth if it improves things.

Use a SIM (self inflating mattress) not an air bed. They are, counterintuitively, way way more comfortable and warmer.

Will there be showers? Cheap dry robe to travel between tent and them. Pillow, duvet, lantern. Baby wipes, portable camping loo.

Five nights

Five days of porta loos and no or minimal showers?
grim

Id have to find the most distant showers etc on site and insist on using one daily

Aside that. It will be pretty grim no getting away from it.

Oh and ear plugs.

Less is more.....but I do take my small stove and a kettle for hot drinks. And a decent large mug. A blanket you can use at night and morning. A few pegs. A pair of crocs for using in the showers and across the wet field. One small fry pan for bacon rolls. Freeze a small milk or 2 and use as ice packs. Don't open the cool bag or it gets warm. Have a small second one for things like the milk you are using, butter etc. Don't forget washing up liquid and I pack my plates, pan, mug etc in a small washing up bowl. Take a few cloths for wiping things. Wet wipes in case showers are scarce. A couple of bin bags. A waterproof of course!

Toilet - separate tent or a night time bucket ?

Loo roll wet wipes and sanitiser

Hat in case it's cold in bed at night

Drink heavily

A good under blanket and a stove to heat water for a hot water bottle (if you will be a little or a lot inebriated heat water before you start partaking and put it in a flask). Transfer on return to tent (put on silicon oven glove). That's always my plan but have yet to follow it through and it's sheer luck I've not been scaled or set my tent on fire yet. Dry shampoo and if there are showers always wear flipflops! Have fun!

Thank you this is all really helpful. Things I’d not thought of! I’m starting a list.
There will be showers yes, but festival showers. I did look at self inflating mattresses but they seemed a bit out of my budget range and I’m going to need my money for alcohol. It will be good though. The bands will make it worth it. Won’t they…

I would expect so !

Is it forecast to rain?? If so, don't go

If you do go, you need them spongy mats for underneath your mattress

Also, batch cook food, freeze it, take that and eat it. Acts as an ice pack too

Comfortable and warm sleeping is essential. What are you sleeping on?
I'd say an insulating layer, an air bed/SIM, sleeping bag (and maybe a liner) or a duvet and a pillow would be better for 5 nights. You will get used to not showering daily. Take baby wipes.
Slip on shoes/crocs for going to the loo. Dry bag for bathroom stuff. Layers. Gin. Chocolate.

Several lanterns and torches plus spare batteries

A few lightweight fleece blankets (wrap up in a blanket inside your sleeping bag - makes a big difference)

Comfy shoes/boots and twice as many socks as you think you'll need

Fairy lights and a flag so you can find your tent

Hugh protein cereal bars so you aren't forced to spend £10 every time you're a bit peckish

Loo rolls, wet wipes, dry shampoo

I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Camping for the first time soon so I'm following with interest

A proper cool box. Nothing worse than curdled milk in the coffee that took 20 mins to make

Hot water bottle is a must! Decent sleeping bag and can also recommend a Teddy fleece fitted sheet to go over the air bed if you're using one

Loads of filling snacks that don't need chilling- fruit, cereal bars etc. Baby wipes. Those power things you can recharge phones with.

Ear plugs, alcohol

Head torch - you need two hands camping, lantern for the same reason + it will light the whole of the inside of the tent not just one spot.
Ziplock Sandwich bags are handy for everything.
Dust pan and brush for sweeping inside the tent.

A foil blanket on top of air bed, fitted sheet over top. Remember to add extra air to the bed at night when the temp drops.

Oodie and/or hot water bottle, fluffy socks.

A proper camping chair.

Wash every day, even if all you have is a bucket of cold water and soap.

Get xl zip freezer bags and separate one set of clothes for each day into each bag. Makes mornings easier.

Small cartons of UHt milk for teas and coffees.

Ready made porridge pots, instant coffee and tea bags.

Ready meals that just need hot water.

Wet wipes for 'baths'

Bucket for night wees, esp if you're drinking a lot!! And loo roll

Eye mask and ear plugs x10 in case you lose

Flip flops for in and out of tent

PJs that pass as clothes

Fleece

Mirror

Torches and batteries.

Plastic crockery and cups

Refillable water bottles

Good sleeping bag. Never a duvet even in May as it can still be frosty at night (seriously, this is the most important item)

Brioche multipack
Soreen
Smoothies in small cartons
Juice in small cartons
Take more blankets than you think you need
Crocs
Beanie hat for bedtime
Blanket for between floor and under mattress as the air inside the mattress gets cold in may.

My best advice is insect repellent wipes. I used these last May and I wasn't bitten. DH, DC and friends thought my wipes were hilarious and uh, suffered from huge horse fly bites!

If you have an outdoor rug at home for the garden, take it! They're fab for camping!

In the morning, when there’s nothing much on, take yourself down the nearest leisure centre for a proper shower.

Bin bags. You can fold one up in your back pocket and it’ll be a dry clean place to sit.

Bog roll. Wad a load up in the other back pocket for when the loos inevitably run out.

Loads of food/snacks or a substantial budget , you burn a surprisingly large amount of energy keeping warm and walking miles.