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?

Check whether it’s no stoves or no bbqs/campfires ( I would suspect it’s the latter)
you could bring a pacing slab to put your stove on, and make sure you have a bucket

Robably also bring wellies, cagoules and a good book… isn’t the weather due to break?

Is it possible to transfer your booking to a pitch with EHU? Or if it's a site in a chain maybe another site has EHU available? Otherwise cold food at each mealtime won't kill you for a week.

Thanks that makes sense

Ignore me. Delete

Things suitable to eat cold (assuming access to a decent supermarket)

couscous can be made with cold water and soaked for 15 minutes, add olive oil, lemon juice, and seasoning, leave for one minute then add water, leave for 15-20 minutes or until required adding fresh chopped parsley just before serving. Serve with ready cooked chicken, smoked mackerel fillets or similar plus tossed green salad.

for the first day make a rice salad and cook lamb koftas at home which are fine at room temperature.

Even if you can do noodles using a car kettle it will be hot if we're not already hot enough.
There are plenty of foods you just need hot water to heat up. Also huge selection of cold foods in the supermarket. What we used to do when we went rough camping was use a river or stream as a fridge. Food in freezer bags or whatever and keep them in a river. They stayed cold for ages and you can always use powder coffee creamer for drinks.

dd also camping with friends over the bank holiday
she thought camping stoves would be ok so i will set her straight.
it will make for an expensive holiday for many people
i bet there will be deliveroo
on campsites everywhere people will have exactly the same predicament

Too many think they'll be the exception. Saw it with lockdown. People can't follow basic rules because it'll never happen to them 🙄.

To some extent although if you are camping without a hook up you can freeze all the raw meat and pints of milk so that they stay cold longer if you have a decent cool box. I can just about manage 4 nights without needing to go to a shop in a normal British summer, although not sure about in a heatwave.

Coffee mate is so underrated! Bagged food in a river is a fab idea!

"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?"

It's not surprising the site is charging to rebook. Campsites will be taking a hit on this.
Suppose it partly depends how much site would charge - if you don't feel you can pay it I guess you could go anyway and see how long you can manage!
I doubt a responsible site would allow cooking fires - too much of a risk and even if some people wanted to do it other campers would probably complain (quite understandably).

Try cold tea - lovely in this weather, I have it in fridge all the time now.
jug of tap water add two tea bags (earl grey works really nicely) and leave 12-24h...fish out teabags...besta bit chilled if possible

Tinned tuna? Cold baked beans sandwich?
Refrigerators would have been an issue either way.

If OP isn't up for an adventure then she should just change the dates.
Fruit in a cool box, a few tins, crisps, picky bits etc.
Is it really so far they can't find even a village shop to buy a few bits?
It was always going to be tricky without a fridge and being far away from shops, pubs etc.

"Remember that time we had to go camping but fires were banned so we ate tuna sandwiches all week. It was such a laugh. I'm glad we weren't wimps about it."

Would a car kettle be a work around or a morning cuppa? They take a while but may be nice for a morning hot drink. Then cold food maybe?

Look at this sort of thing, you plug it into the car, we'd have to also get the adapter as we don't have cigarette lighter charger thing

There are also self heating drinks, they are fine. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

Absolutely. How terrifying to think people in the tent next door are cooking in their tent or other such nonsense. Could kill other campers if a fire goes wrong. I prob wouldn't go purely because other people can't be trusted not to be selfish.

I seem to be in a minority but I would cancel even if it meant loosing money. I mean, the money is spent now whether you go or not, so you're not more out of pocket by cancelling.

No way would I spend 5 days drinking instant coffee made with cold water and eating cold food out of packets.

I would call the campsite OP. Maybe some of your days are within the cancellation period?

I would probably get a car kettle and that will open up lots of possibilities, Pot Noodle (other brands are available), instant porridge, cup soup, camping meals, tea, coffee.

So the likely scenario is they got no advance warning of the alert and have panicked and sent out emails immediately banning everything. They're probably dealing with lots of enquires without actually understanding their liability.

Just give them a day to find out their legal implications and there'll be a clearer picture. It does look like portable gas stoves may be exempt but as you can see by a pp there a safety element to them that people can overlook. In theory they should prioritise replies by date of arrival but if they are bombarded by multiple emails from 1 client and then you cinder hiw many clients they have while if frustrating for you at the moment it's understandable. They are probably prioritising today's arrivals.

Having taken a fire safety course I own one but would never use it inside a small area. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer.

And we have a winner of the Darwin Award!

Not sure if people saying just use a car kettle, have ever used them
they are tiny, so you aren’t going to be making pot noodles for a family
they take ages to boil
and if the engine isn’t running you risk draining the car battery
not really a practical solution

Agree. A decent thermos flask would be better. Could get away with all sorts in there if not too fussy.

A gas stove in the tent? Are you for real?

We are camping next week and using the fire pit and a bbq is banned obviously, but not ordinary cooking stoves on a table. We will be beyond careful with water all around us. There is no ban on cooking stoves across the land? ( Im ready to be corrected) It is just your site I think.