what are the top tips for a successful camping trip?

[Wolfcub]

After nine years I've finally convinced dh to try camping. He's discovered modern tents and has been very excited buying a tent and things to go in it. He has real issues with public loos so for our first trupr I've booked a site that won loo of the year! ds and I are very excited and I'm not worried about us but I want to make sure the trip is a success so that we all have a great time. what are your top tips for a great family camping trip?



Hello. This thread is a little old - for more up-to-date tips, take a look at our round-up of Mumsnetters’ top camping advice or check out this list of their 10 favourite UK campsites. MNHQ.

[noseymcposey]

Comfort and warmth a priority. I persuaded DP to come camping for the first time a few weeks ago and our 3 night trip was a success. 4 man dome tent for DP, DS (aged 2) and me. We took airbeds, duvets and pillows and were very comfortable.

Tons of layers and/or blankets for sitting outside in the evening and table and chairs.

A windbreak was absolutely essential! We bought one on the second day and were much warmer and more comfortable sitting outside with the windbreak up.

[PeppermintPasty]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the life-saving-no-need-to-go-to-the-smelly-toilet-in-the-middle-of-the-night TRAVEL JOHN!!!!

Behold the website op, and be amazed: //www.traveljohn.co.uk

Changed my whole attitude to camping.

Mind you, if you're taking as much wine as has been suggested, your aim might be a bit off, so practice before you go

[turnipsoup]

Watching this avidly as I am taking two DSs (3 and 6) camping for two weeks tomorrow on my own, leaving DP to work on house. Eeek.

I would suggest a tupperware box where you keep all the really useful stuff like savlon, matches, suncream lotion, bite spray, pegs, rubber bands, scissors, duct tape, plasters, calpol, string. Ours gets packed at the start of the camping season and replenished at the end of each trip.

[MERLYPUSS]

Keep the wee bucket in the central part of the tent with a glow stick nearby so you can see it. Someone I knew used to put sawdust cat litter in theirs to absorb the wee.

[sheridand]

Onesies for kids.
Earplugs for the twats in the tent next door.
A really long knackering day out so the kids sleep.
Campbeds not airbeds ( my kids slide off airbeds like butter).
A small box of Lego.
Waterproofs.
And, i know it's awful but: my husband is a caterer, and a selection of his disposable cutlery, plates and bowls always comes with us every year camping so there is NO WASHING UP AT ALL. It's bloody lovely.

[sheridand]

Oooh, and I've always found that a tent in which we are all in the same pod ( ours is a Nevada XL, we all sleep together) is warmer than tents with separate pods.

And it's worth investing in a really GOOD coolbox. As DH is a caterer, we have one that keeps food fridge fresh for a week. It cost about 100 quid, but it was well worth it. It sits there as a fridge all week and we can have yogurts, bacons and so on without hassle. Plus the wine stays cool. The wine is REALLY important.

[MinimalistMommi]

sher what brand is your cool box?

[Wolfcub]

I can see myself making a shopping list from this thread before I head out to wilkos tomorrow morning - key items: sacrificial towels, octopus, bath-door-mat, flip flops, risotto-in-a-box, wine

[MinimalistMommi]

Crocs or fake ones are a MUST for the camping field!
I have a pair of PoundLand flip flops for the camping showers.

[Clarella]

thermarest!

[MinimalistMommi]

Ciarella I have the 5cm Thermarest (Basecamp) and its not quite fat enough for me

[Clarella]

two thermarests!

[Capitola]

I have worked out wearing I am going wrong.

Not going for long enough

[pussycatwillum]

Wow. The Traveljohn would have revolutionised my camping experience too. Thanks, Peppermint.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I bought the traveljohn last year but amazingly haven't used it yet.

[PeppermintPasty]

God I was like a woman possessed peeing into my travel johns last time I went camping.
Did I really just write the above sentence? Ummm....

[UptoapointLordCopper]

[ARealDame]

Portable urine bottle is the way to go! More compact and safer than a bucket (I was always terrified the bucket would fall over). Of course if you have a larger family, you may need something more substantial. I just couldn't bear those trips to the lavatories in the middle of the night.

www.amazon.co.uk/Unisex-PORTABLE-URINAL-Guaranteed-Travelling/dp/B002UDRETK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375477442&sr=8-1&keywords=urine%20bottle%20camping&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[ARealDame]

Sorry, I always fail at links

[Everhopeful]

Phew. Have been camping for years and managed without most of this stuff, but admittedly we're all warm people by nature. I found taking a fleece nighty in May is handy, but otherwise main problem is keeping cool enough! If you want essentials, most you can get after you arrive. For taking with you:

• mallet for knocking in pegs (some sites you can push the pegs in with your feet, but most this summer will have baked hard. You can nearly always find a flattish rock, but that will knacker your pegs pretty fast and isn't as easy to use anyway)
  
• duct tape/insulating tape (even new tents sometimes have issues where you don't need them and this is a simple fix to avoid your holiday being spoilt. Also, without wanting to be rude, sometimes things get forced in a bit hard and poles snap (been there), so it's good to have a quick cure)
  
• managed without sleeping bag liners for years, so not really essential, but give extra warmth if you need it and can be slept in without the bag if you don't. I'm now a convert!
  
• you don't have to have a fridge or cupboard, but you do need something you can seal (even a coolbag with ice blocks in it will do for a while) to keep wildlife out of your food. It's also nicer not to have to pour butter on your bread in the heat though I mostly value Lack of Ants in anything.
  
• I'm a fan of large plastic bags, lots of uses
  
• Kids love being given a torch and finding your way to the loo in the dark is more exciting than tedious when you have one
  

I think what I'm slightly bothered about is that, if you need an artic truck to go camping a) you've kinda missed the point and b) it'll be so stressful to pack/unpack, you'll lose the benefit of a holiday. Won't you? I would anyway. We take loadsastuff nowadays, so I can't say we travel that light, but we don't take all that's been mentioned here and seem to do fine. We'll be doing it again shortly for our second trip of the year (and the main one).

[Mumzy]

Insulated mugs so drinks stay hot and don't spill when dcs knock them over

thermos flask which you fill with hot water at night and can use to make first cup of tea in morning. Lifesaver esp when p*ssing it down when you wake up

Disposable paper plates, cups, bowls to save on washing up (the plastic crockery always seems never to dry and smells of mould)

Marshmallows and wooden barbecue sticks, glow sticks, ball & bats good way for dcs to make friends

Eat out every night or at least other night. Easy stuff for breakfast ie cereal and milk or go to nearest supermarket cafe for bargain fry ups.

Go to bakers daily for fresh pack lunch ingredients and store in cool bags

Loads and loads of towels

Golfing umbrella by tent entrance for rainy trips to loo etc

[troutsprout]

Oh EVER stop being so sensible.... You know you want that snack stand
I mean ... How can you snack

[Sahmof3]

I'm about to go on my first camping trip and the tips here have been invaluable! Just wondered whether it would be worth buying a chemical loo? Also, I've bought a camping mains hook up lead with RCD and have been told that our European campsite has 3 pin sockets. Does that mean I'll be OK to use my lead without any kind of adapter? Read something about reverse polarity on some European campsites. Would the RCD protect us? Thanks!

[Sahmof3]

Even though I've never been camping, here are some of the things I'm taking. Tesco has a household section selling loads of usual stuff for £1 (the 'Keep it handy' range). I bought tarpaulin, velcro (in case tent zips fail, to attach sheets to air beds/sims etc as apparently sleeping bags just slip off), rope and sink plugs (I read that these always seem to be missing on campsites). Tesco also sell their own Everyday Value Duct tape for less than £3. I'll be taking a laptop to watch DVDs and a wind up torch with a radio. If cold weather is forecast, the halogen heater will come too! Bought a low wattage travel kettle from Argos for 9.99 and thinking about buying a mini oven (is that totally over the top?). I'm also bringing flip flops for us all to wear in the showers as remember from my days travelling in Asia that it is possible to catch diseases such as hepatitis in showers if you have any small cuts on your feet...so will wear just in case.

[CoffeeandChocolateplease]

All these tips have been fantastic - thank you everyone! I have really enjoyed reading them all. We are hoping to go on our first camping trip soon, once the rain that's been forecast has disappeared.

We have all the gear ready - I was wondering if anyone had any etiquette type tips? Mistakes to avoid? I am clumsy socially at the best of times so am hoping to avoid anything that makes us unpopular with other campers (we already have two children who wake up loudly at 5.30 so possibly not off to a good start )