Camping Top Tips!!!! Come on over and fill this thread with your red sock knowledge!!!

[Nixz]

This thread may be a total killer but I could do with a load of tips myself and think it would be fun!

I have so far learned that sites will freeze ice blocks for you!

Please feel free to leave questions or advice on anything to do with the great outdoors
Thanks!

Weirdo.

You mean you don't take a windbreak?

pmsl

is that for putting up round my tent to simulate a picket fence?

take a ball. best toy we took.
We camp very light so suspect some of my other top tips will be OTT for you.

1 liquid soap to do every thing, shower gel is fine for washing plates and clothes as well as people.
Plastic sealable boxes are handy for storing frit and also using as bowls and the lids as chopping board or plate. If you get the right size you can keep the whole kitchen in one.
A folding pruning knife makes a good campact safe ish sharp knife.
Keep dry clothes dry, don't let dry and damp or wet clothes mix.

It's to cordone off your territory. You place your fold up chairs and one of those tables with the seats attached within it. Ideally two windbreaks.

pmsl

what happens if someone steps onto your territory. do you need a gun? oh and a fold-up attatchment to affix it to the tent wall, i suppose...

I make a chile/spag bol before we go, and heat it up & cook some rice for first night tea.
we always have a cooked break in morn, its the best bit - never do that at home!
Have elect hook up and take a kettle and a toaster - so much quicker than heating water on a stove.
Take lots of plastic beakers for kids drinks - saves washing up all day long.
pack teabags/breakfast/biscuits in a plastic crate .
gloves/hat/scarf/ blankets for sitting out at night with!

Take a headlamp for reading in bed at night.

The cold comes up from the ground so put blankets or carrymats underneath you as well as on top.

We have played endless games of Uno.

Take frozen chilli for day 2, it will have defrosted by the time you need it and will act as a cool block in the meantime.

Take a carrier bag to the shower block to put your clothes in while you shower, so they don't get wet.

Take an old towel for standing on after your shower.

Take full waterproofs and wellies.

Oh and we have a 2 ring cooker and a gas barbecue!

I'm sure there's a special camping rifle which folds up quite small for transport and can be stored in a special pouch attached to aforementioned windbreaks....

I don't know why I'm saying all this. We have a windbreak. . It's true. We scoffed loudly at those others with them but we ended up buying one to go round the cooker - as one year the wind was blowing out the gas. I know you're concerned about the cookers - and given your experience I'm not surprised. It's sensible to be especially careful. DH keeps DS well away from ours whilst I'm cooking. And I could not survive without that first cup of coffee.

KELLY FKN KETTLE

eh?

We play uno too!
we also took a windbreak last time, but found it was a pain as stopped the children running where they wanted to go..

oh uno, now you're talking

Have you got a Kelly Kettle Filly? Are they as good as they look?

no but i really want one, does that count?

I started this thread and i am beaming with proudness ( is that a word?)

What a great thread!

well they might be one of those things that doesn't live up to expectation, mightn't they?

sorry for hijacking a bit, Nixz - it is a great thread

I would suggest wind up torches for the kids, means if they fall alseep with them on you just wind them up in the morning.

Poundland and other places have them for em.. £1 .

I'm not really a camper, I am a relunctant caravanner this year, I inherited one for nothing, its ancient but dry inside and the kids are desperate to go away in it.

Folding colander, I know its not a nescessity but if I drain pasta with the pot lid I lose half of it. Matalan and they are funky pink about £4.

ok now i want a plastic cafetiere and all the other things and the car was so full last time we went. eek. we are planning a months touring trip in a few weeks - how many changes of clothes would you take? loving this thread...

My plastic camping cafetiere came from a little shop in Coniston village. We used to camp near there and I kept walking past it in the window til I just had to buy it.

Freeze any food that isn't going to be needed on day 1, it'll have defrosted in time for day 2, and probably still be good for day 3 too.

In the morning once you've made coffees and bacon butties boil a load of water and fill a thermos flask (or 2). Then when you come back at night and are feeling a bit chilly you can make hot drinks without having to get the stove out again. I'm another one who couldn't cope without the stove, outdoor cooking is the best bit of camping.

Kids can have sleeping bags, DP and I get a duvet, much cosier

ok

WHY does it need to be plastic?

is it a Rule of Camping?

EVERYTHING must be PLASTIC?

what is wrong with a GLASS cafetiere? You just have to be careful with it. Surely you don't use all plastic plates/mugs etc?

we take that much stuff with us, that to be honest we struggle to fit the kids in the car!