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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

First ever camping trip- 3 weeks in france- what do we need?

58 replies

krisskross · 05/04/2014 21:18

We are newbies to camping...some of you have replied to my previous posts asking for advice.

Now we have taken the plunge and bought a mahoosive tent (saw it up in the shop today after buying online, its bloody enormous!!).

What do we need now? I know we need sleeping mats and bags, cooking utensils etc, but i'd love it if a clever mumsnetter could give me a checklist of what we need.

Neither of us have a clue of how to cook when camping, use the electricity on site etc etc. Advice about a stove and whats best would be great.

Thanks!

OP posts:
Karenblixen · 05/04/2014 22:43

OP I am going to start a thread about the rodent question I think. I need clarification.

Original poster
krisskross · 05/04/2014 22:51

Thanks Karen- have you been camping before? did anything happen, rodent wise? are you phobic about them too?

Thanks

OP posts:
Methe · 05/04/2014 22:51

We never had rodents :)

Original poster
krisskross · 05/04/2014 22:54

Thanks Methe. phew.

OP posts:
TeaAndALemonTart · 05/04/2014 22:59

We didn't know it was a cat and thought it was a rat until DH got up to check.

YouAreMyRain · 05/04/2014 23:04

Never had rodents, camped in France too, no rodents (had a hedgehog in the tent in wales tho)

Jux · 05/04/2014 23:09

I have been camping most years since I was 4 or 5 so about 50 years. I have never, never ever, seen a mouse while camping. Spiders and insects yes, mice and other rodents, no. If you keep all your food in containers and chuck the rubbish every night they have no reason to come anywhere near you.

Bring shoes which are easy to get on and off and preferably which are weather proof, like crocs. Also gumboots and thick socks - the weather is likely to be OK in France, but they can have sudden heavy downpours.

I would enforce a couple of rules from the beginning:

Shoes off in the tent.
No drinks in the sleeping areas.

I hope you have a fantastic time. Camping is my holiday of choice.

Fedupnagging · 05/04/2014 23:12

This

HthGrin

Original poster
krisskross · 05/04/2014 23:13

Thanks Jux.....makes me feel more hopeful! I really want to go as I know the DC will love it....,but the thought of mice running up and down outside of the the tent is gruesome.

OP posts:
wohmum · 05/04/2014 23:17

We camp loads, probably about 30 different campsites here and abroad over the last few years and I've never seen mice or any other rodents near the tent. Doesn't mean they aren't there, but I've never actually seen one.

Original poster
krisskross · 05/04/2014 23:20

Thanks Wohmum...have you heard them running up your tent???

OP posts:
Ledkr · 05/04/2014 23:32

You can hire fridges in French campsites.

Karenblixen · 05/04/2014 23:35

Hi Jux reassuring as always!

Erroroccurred · 05/04/2014 23:39

No rodents here. We only cook pot noodles, fried egg/sausage, the odd BBQ and eat lots of great fresh fruit and veg and eat out once a day.

Good chairs, alcohol and ear plugs would be our top tips

smugmumofboys · 05/04/2014 23:40

We camp loads and have never seen or heard rodents in or near the tent. We did find a small toad in a saucepan when we were in Anglesey though. Grin

Take loo roll. French campsites don't seem to provide it.

Karenblixen · 05/04/2014 23:49

I have been camping once last summer when my exP bought me a brilliant tent by way of paying for his sins (unsuccessfully) and we still have our tent and are planning camping trips for the spring / summer whenever possible.

The kids absolutely loved it, even though the weather was not great.

I have not seen or noticed any rodents then, only seagulls who pulled bags of food out from underneath a neighbouring tent and made a huge mess. I think too that it is important to keep all food in closed containers or a fridge / car fridge and keep the tent as tidy and clean as possible.

I am terribly phobic about rodents and was not even aware of the possibility about them going near tents, but it seems that this is nothing to worry about and we will still go camping.

Jux · 05/04/2014 23:53

Hey there KB! I've been thinking about you Thanks

No rodent has ever run up my tent either.

Keeping things dry is generally the hardest aspect of camping. Remember the reality of morning dew!! Anything touching the ground will be wet in the morning no matter whether it has rained or not, so make sure everything is off the ground before you go to bed. (Our tent has half an integral groundsheet, but the other half is a separate groundsheet. Jumpers left with a bit of sleeve touching the grass, inside the tent, will be wet in the morning.)

BingoWingsBeGone · 06/04/2014 07:17

We camp loads (including 3 weeks in Europe last summer) and I have never seen or heard a mouse. Our food is kept in the fridge or a plastic 'trunk' and bin emptied every night.

fernley · 06/04/2014 07:26

I would definitely go for a couple of nights closer to home first. Oh and a washing line is helpful.

YoniMatopoeia · 06/04/2014 07:27

I have been camping in France and Spain for nearly 40 years, and never had rodents in the tent.

RonSwansonsLushMoustache · 06/04/2014 07:50

Camped for many years, the last two in France, and never saw or heard a rodent.

A stick insect hitched a lift from the South to the North last year though.

Top tip: We saw loads of campers with potted Basil plants last year that appeared to deter mosquitoes. They were sold in the salad section of most supermarkets.

IDontDoIroning · 06/04/2014 08:03

A cadac - like a cross between a barbecue and a stove
www.cadac.uk.com

potbellyroast · 06/04/2014 10:39

I've also never seen rodents in all my years of camping but I'm obsessive about keeping food in boxes with lids.

However, I stayed in a huge (there were 18 of us) house in France - very, very nice house with swimming pool etc and the biggest rat I have ever seen ran across our bedroom floor. So tbh you could end up deciding not to camp because of them and end up seeing one anyway!

Jux · 06/04/2014 13:59

Lots of clothes pegs, too! Immensely useful for all sorts of things.

badger21 · 06/04/2014 15:50

We've camped a lot - all over Europe including some long 3-4 week trips, and I was about to say that I'd never seen any rodents ... then remembered that there was a tiny mouse that appeared under the hedge near our tent a couple of times at meal times last summer in Carnac. It never really bothered me though as food and crockery etc all kept in clipped plastic boxes. Kids thought it was cute and probably scared it half to death chasing it away.

I definitely support head torches - for all, chairs, waterproof picnic blankets - for inside and outside tent, 2x small cooking stoves and moka coffee pot, wine, wine, wine ... and agree with no shoes, food, drinks in tent.

You'll have a great time if you accept that you WILL change your usual daily routine - slow down, let kids do as they will and stay up until they're tired, talk to lots of people, eat local food and drink local wine. If you try to stick to everything you do at home, you'll find it much less fun.