Camping dilemma since fire alert

[SaturdayGiraffe]

Off camping next week but been told no cooking stoves allowed now - so no hot water, no hot food.
There’s no pub or shops nearby either.

The site is saying we are inside 14 day cancellation so they are charging to move the dates back and we’ll lose full amount if we go elsewhere (although not even sure where else since the phone alert).

Camping with kids, with no hot food or drink - would you do it?

Does anyone know a site where we could cook still?

Are you driving there?

What ages are the DC?

Mine liked cold food.

I’d still go unless DC are tiny, take stuff, and drive to the supermarket. Or if not driving eat mainly non perishables for the week.

I’m in Scotland so not affected and would rather saw my arm off than go camping (been there done that when kids were small - though always with EHU) but not clear that the guidance applies to stoves or that the risk of those is similar to a bbq or fire?

I can see both sides. Your holiday is affected but equally the campsite can’t move everyone as they’ll probably be busy all through the holidays now.

Also most campsites we have stayed at both in England and Europe have a microwave in the washing up area, don't they have this? It's a pretty basic thing.

A formal complaint? I'm not sure they can control the weather! Would you do the same if the campsite was flooded from heavy rain.

Yes, they must immediately erect a shared kitchen. If only they weren't busy responding to complaints.

I feel like this is reaching the level of suggestions we had on COVID threads 😂 Not everyone who camps wants to completely rough it for a week. This might be the OP's main summer holiday - a cheaper alternative to a week somewhere slightly more luxurious. I'm camping next week and could just about manage without my morning coffee but if the week became about eating cold baked beans, I would rather just cancel. Even if the children enjoyed it, I wouldn't.

Thick as mince.

We went camping a couple of weeks ago. It was so hot, I think we boiled the kettle twice, and come to think of it, I don't remember the other four parties we were with drinking a hot drink. Admittedly we usually eat out once (usually have to drive) and get a takeaway once. The rest of the time we eat cereals, crossiants, brioche, fruit, yogurts for breakfast, mainly sandwiches/wraps and fruit for lunch, in evening everything seemed to be salad based and we did a mixture of things between us. I took loads of boiled eggs, and we had tuna, cheese and chicken slices, with salad. Other parties took some cold pizza and pre-made frittatas. You could cook some quinioa/coucous before living to add something to. Also, could take quiche. Others would buy a made salad in. I guess at some point you'll go out during the week, so you can pick up extras then, have a hot drink, if funds permit you could also have a hot meal then if it's essential.

Hope you still manage to go away and have a nice time. It's cooling down a bit, so should be much nicer.

Seriously? Just teach your kids a bit of resilience and buy cold food

Aren’t you going to be going out and about during the day? If you really need a hot meal can you not get a takeaway when you are out? Bag of chips etc not too pricey and ok for a short time to live like that.
I would still go, cold food for 5 days sing going to kill anyone and will be an adventure!!
(the thought of not having a coffee is the worst thing- maybe they could get one of those vans to pop round in the mornings!!)

Didn't everyone on the site die from carbon monoxide poisoning?

Yes, it's camping, you don't usually take a fridge. You just get on with it. If you want a fridge and a microwave stay in hotels.
If camping make sandwiches, picky tea etc. it's all part of the fun. Camping isn't for the precious.

Till it rains properly I would hope? It's the fact everything is so dry that's the main problem afaik

Thanks, yes we aren’t going away anywhere else, this is it.
As you know with camping, it does get cold at night and having a warm drink can make all the difference. But perhaps if the weather changes or there is rain (can’t believe I want rain for camping) they would ease restrictions.

And fwiw I think disposable bbqs should have been banned years ago.

I’d go but shorten the break if it became too much. I would take foods like packet brioche for breakfast etc. can kettles plug into the car? If so I’d take noodles etc to. I think you could make it work.

This is what camping has always been like in other hot Summer fire prone countries.
Take cold picnic food in an ice chest and water.

Do you have a kettle etc that could hook up a battery to boil water?

Oh that's such a shame. I think I'd go take a cool bag and you could also buy a bag of ice cubes to keep food cold that you buy from the supermarket, put it in a plastic box so they don't make the food wet.
Also take some tins etc to make a meal and buy from a bakery and eat straight away the rest of the time. You might find a local cafe who would refill hot water flasks if you paid them and went at a quiet time say late afternoon.
Ideas for lunches or teas from tins or ambient food so that you can avoid having to eat out quite so much.
Sandwiches tuna sweetcorn and mayo (buy a small jar then use it the once)
Fish paste and sliced tomatoes
John west do those tuna meals mixed with beans and pasta etc which would be great with salad and a roll.
Bean and tuna salad
Sorry can you tell I like fish 🤣
Fish alternative - peanut butter spread on a wrap and then wrap it around a banana, always fun for kids. You could add chocolate spread.
Hope you manage to have a super time despite the challenges.

I would take it as not allowed to use a bbq or anything ground level, however a gas stove on a table well clear of the ground to boil a kettle for cups of tea and a pan for cooking would be ok?

It’s so easy to knock over a camping stove, many of them aren’t very stable. Camping equipment is all nylon and other flammable fibres, and the grass is desiccated as are surrounding bushes and trees. I could see a major fire taking hold in a few minutes on a campsite in England until we have had significant rain and the grass has greened back up.

Fire is terrifying and fire on a campsite would be doubly so. I would be over over cautious or making other plans.

I found one - Car kettle - https://amzn.eu/d/0dee4EPh at least you can have a cuppa.

Is electric hook up available on the site at all? Could you buy a small, portable electric hob (single hobs are about £36 on amazon and doubles are about £75).

It doesn’t look as if it’s going to be anywhere near as hot next week but unless it rains, the ban will likely still apply. In my area it looks to be 22 in the day and lows of approx 10-12. One night showing 8. I’d certainly be more inclined to want to cook in those temps. And I’m in the SE, where it has been unbearably hot. I’m glamping the week after, luckily with a full kitchen available but I will be disappointed if we can’t have a fire of an evening.

You can get cooking stuff for your car.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/397538807105?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339155387&toolid=10044&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:1ee6QKmmHTkS0ECBZGpEyAw23&ff=11&customid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSvHSemQmkhe3SWfuJS1YiSf3xUVUE4a9dRrkXP1RLF-EYSkeUZ5WZ0aAhzsEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSvHSemQmkhe3SWfuJS1YiSf3xUVUE4a9dRrkXP1RLF-EYSkeUZ5WZ0aAhzsEALw_wcB

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/198483120690?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339069422&toolid=20006&customid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSvntvDG0HFMrgOM9NCJ73L177kRiACGfiE7OVFVM29aOpyowOP-e48aAgF-EALw_wcB%7Cnull%7Cnull&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSvntvDG0HFMrgOM9NCJ73L177kRiACGfiE7OVFVM29aOpyowOP-e48aAgF-EALw_wcB&loc_physical_ms=9045664&adtype=pla

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/800235280411?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338365712&toolid=20006&customid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSshgzywzED-meidtR_URiqqL5VX7QHHqklhh_EoLaDM99sYl56z7kMaAn_VEALw_wcB%7Cnull%7Cnull&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnIDUBhDrARIsAJDGwSshgzywzED-meidtR_URiqqL5VX7QHHqklhh_EoLaDM99sYl56z7kMaAn_VEALw_wcB&loc_physical_ms=9045664&adtype=pla

And if you don’t have a cigarette lighter then this one uses a USB https://amzn.eu/d/0iJGS5tx

It’s a shame that the site aren’t being proactive and providing communal hot water urns, microwaves etc.

it would be doable with cold food, it’s just a matter of whether or not that would be acceptable to your and your family.

With young kids, a lack of hot water would be pretty unhygienic. We always had a bowl of hot soapy water to wash hands before eating and for a quick wash before bed when they were young.

Not sure if it’s worth it if the site fees were reasonable but would your travel insurance cover the costs as there’s been a significant chance to the t’s and c’s?

Go and have an adventure. It's probably too hot for hot meals anyway and you can easily have cereal, salads and sandwiches for a few days and maybe go out for a meal once or twice. I know you said there were no pubs nearby but surely you'll be exploring the area and there will definitely be one in a 10 mile radius.