New to Camping. All advice welcome please!

[Bookaholic73]

I'm in my early 40's and have never been camping before. My husband has been nagging for years to get a tent and go camping, so I've finally given in.

We've bought a 6 man tent, a gas stove, camping chairs, air beds and already have the pots and pans etc.

It'll just be the 2 of us and our 2 dogs.

So, I'm looking for any tips you can give me at all. How to cope if it rains, how ro get the dogs used to camping, the best campsites for couples (adults only would be a bonus), things we still need to buy etc.

Any and all tips/advice are welcome (and needed!).

Oh no to the duvets- they will take up half your car and won't keep you warm anyway. A good three season sleeping bag is a must! I would get torches and lanterns too- using your phone is a waste of charge time and effort 😂
Yes to foldup washing up bowl too- much easier than queueing up at the sinks. Really useful boxes are great for storage as you can put them in the tent and use as side tables!
Hard ground pegs are excellent and last longer even if you generally camp on grass. Fluorescent guy ropes are useful too if your eyesight is as good as mine in the dark.

We always keep one full spare outfit and a towel each in a vacuum sealed bag in the car. There is NOTHING worse than finding out that damp has seeped into all your clothes. Same goes for toilet roll. We keep ours in an airtight box. In fact we tend to keep everything in boxes.

I have a kitchen box with cutlery, dinner plates etc, nesting pans, a cast iron griddle, mugs, utensils, scissors, a sharp knife, tea towels, lighters, can opener, bin bags, washing line, pegs, duct tape, skewers, kettle, fairy , and a washing up bowl. Chosen all so that it fits together like nesting dolls to save space. The kids have a box each for clothes, a book etc of it doesn't fit, it doesn't go. The box doubles up as a table in the bedroom and helps to keep stuff dry. A box for wet suits and BAs. Then I have my folding tables and chairs, cooler, cooker, gas, tent, canoe and paddles, SIMs and sleeping bags. A pair of mega handy buckets that fit inside each other filled with lanterns, head torches and emergency stuff like gorilla glue, duct tape, plasters, medications, tampons, baby wipes, sewing kit, water proof spray. I have stacking/collapsible shelves that I got for food.

All that seems a high amount of stuff but we are a large family that love water sports. Is a miracle we can get in two cars AND still get the kids in.

Get screw in pegs and long tie out leads for the ddogs, they are Houdini's in tents! We managed with a 4 man hike tent btw, 6 is huge!

Book a site with a pub nearby or better still there's pubs with camp grounds, if they don't allow kids even better (kids get up far too early making a racket, my ddog likes to sleep in until at least 10am)

We have a large plastic box with a clip lid for transporting our kitchen stuff (which is stored in it at home). We use it for food once at the campsite and it doubles as an extra prep surface.

We also keep our matches in a small airtight box. Otherwise they get damp...

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15906278/outwell-posadas-xl-signature-slg-bed-15906278/?istCompanyId=c2ec8a5d-93c1-4850-a97a-f4d89d7c99c8&istFeedId=2755fba0-7dfe-46a9-bfd0-09b37aed8b93&istItemId=wapiripqx&istBid=t&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3uKB3Peh8AIVELLVCh1DoQAVEAQYASABEgK7LPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds camp beds! Essential!

Keep a list somewhere of things to take - then every time you pack, you can check things off.

A very random list of other things...

Electric hook up if you're going for more than 2 nights

A couple of camping tables

More than one lamp - we have one like this, which has detachable torches www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C5O7E2U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_D5DQ36A0W17S6DMXZ8HB?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

We have never been cold on an air bed - always have rugs underneath it, then a duvet on top of it (under the sheet) and a duvet to sleep under. They pack down small in vacuum bags, so don't take up much space. We have a blanket over the top of that, sleep in ski thermals if it's cold, and take a hot water bottle.

We take a couple of sheepskin rugs - they're lovely to stand on when getting dressed/changed

Crocs are perfect for when you're on site - easy to slip off at the tent door.

EYE MASKS! I sleep until my alarm goes off with a mask. Without one, I wake when the sun comes up. Earplugs too.

A folding BBQ - can double as a firepit. We always book sites which allow fires.

A groundsheet to go under your tent. Means when you pack up on the last day, the underside of your tent should be dry and pack away easily, and lessens the chances of you having to get it out to dry off when you get home.

We generally take a bolognaise or chilli, ready made, for the first night - just needs reheating with pasta. And sometimes take fajitas - take onions/peppers pre sliced in a tupperware, likewise the meat. A nice easy cook.

Big blue ikea bags. Lots of them. We have one for cooking things, one for utility/general camping stuff, one each for clothes - much easier than scrabbling around in a holdall, and we transport bedding, rugs erc in them too

Microfibre towels. They dry SO much quicker - trying to get normal towels dry is a headache.

Cans of g&t, mini bottles of wine.

I could go on... but that feels enough! We only got back into camping about 4 yrs ago, and we now have a camping corner in the garage. Everything we would need apart from food and clothes is on a shelving unit there, so we xan just pack the car (ticking off the list as we pack) and go! If you have to faff around finding pans, cutlery, crockery, washing up stuff, tea towels, bedding, rugs, chargers etc it becomes much more of a undertaking and feels like a big effort.

Earplugs.

Sorry pressed post too soon.
I couldn't face sleeping on the ground - these are so comfy and allow storage underneath too. We put sims on top. Super comfy and warm. I also sleep with a hat on

good quality head torches, for going to the loo block and for reading etc.

Make the one pot meal I. E. chilli, then freeze it beforehand. Put it cool bag-acts as a massive ice block and you have a meal when it's defrosted.

Keep your clothes in the car overnight, otherwise they'll get damp.

Wet wipes for all occasions.

You need high cal, snacky food. Anything easy to eat. If you eat tinned food all the trip its fine. Rice pudding is a good one

Use your car boot as a wardrobe, Bag up outfits and just grab what you need in the morning, Things get wet in the tent overnight due to dew.
Place all your shoes in a box in the car boot and just take out what you need for your feet, We used slip ons as someone said, and kept the rest in the car.
Lots of cheap drinks, so you can grab what you want from the car, Coffee mate, or the all in one coffee sticks are brilliant, as milk goes off so fast, and if your gasping for a hot drink you will be grateful.
Find out if your car will be next to you or not.
Leave as much in the boot as you can, and stick some spare cash or one of your cards in the car, a friend got robbed, but had locked her handbag in my boot over night.

Oh I forgot first aid kit.
Think for cuts and bug bites, those things can swell up fast.
Also if you at the beach Talc removes damp sand.

@ODFOx

The air in your air bed will get chilled by the ground unless you have something insulating under it. I recommend the silver emergency foil blankets which fold down to practically nothing but are perfect for the purpose. Heat yourselves not the tent. Wrap up warm in the evenings over your pjs so you can take off the over layers and get into bed already warm. Make camping the activity rather than a cheap hotel alternative and you won't compare so much. Embrace the outdoors. Find campsites which allow campfires, eat fire baked potatoes and sausages on sticks. You've done the right thing going for a 6 man. Remember lots of towels for the dogs in case of rain and a bed for them to lie on. Build your camp kit around how you camp, rather than buying lots of stuff before you start. Enjoy

This is all perfect advice. 👍🏻

Things shouldn't be getting damp IN the tent. If you close it up when the sun goes down, everything should stay dry (assuming no holes/leaks). And make sure you air it during the day - there will be vents/flaps you can leave open (but close at night).

Lots of good advice. I agree with PP that clothes shouldn't get damp in the tent but you do need to be disciplined about keeping wet stuff and dry stuff separate.

Keep sleeping/dry clothes in one section and anything even slightly damp never goes near the beds. If you get soaked get as much clothing as possible off before going inside the tent. Keep a spare set of clothes in the car just in case.

And yes to staying warm rather than trying to get warm. I've never needed hats and socks inside the sleeping bag but I do put my jammies on and then add layers during the evening so that I don't get cold.

Enjoy it though. There is nothing better than being up early, wrapped in a blanket, outside with a cup of tea and just watching/hearing the world go by.

Self inflating mattresses were a game changer for me. They have a thick foam pad inside and are so much more comfortable and warm than air mattresses (which are freezing). I bought 10 cm ones. Best buy ever.
Hot water bottles, head torches. Camping fire pit,
I pre cook a couple of meals and freeze them so they slowly defrost in the cool box.
Enjoy! I love camping. As long as you have the right gear and lots of warm clothes. It's loads of fun x

Save your money and stay in a B and B instead.

Much cleaner and more comfortable. Great showers. No sharing facilities with other freezing cold people pretending to have fun.

I must admit I was surprised to read about clothes getting damp in tents.

Oh I really want to go camping now. I might have to take DD for her first experience, perhaps pitching at the bottom of the garden is best for her first time 😂.

Oh and my top tip - a wonderbag , a super insulated bag for making stews without cooking (apart from browning and bringing to the boil) saves tons of gas and carbon free plus safer, and slow cooking means you come back to cooked food after a day of hiking

People are right, if your going campaign Ng a lot, it's worth buying it all, but if not add up all the bits you might buy and see if a hotel might be cheaper
Because the unloading and maintenance of camping stuff, and the food you didn't use, and the packing up and going home early because of rain, means sometimes it's worth £30 extra to have hot water.

@minniemomo Haven't seen those before and I'm intrigued. What sort of things do you cook in it?

Things shouldn't be getting damp IN the tent.

Yes, generally true - but after a horrific packing up of Cub camp 1 year (where it rained solidly for 4 hours while we packed, after a weekend with lots of rain so we were in a very muddy pitch by the end of it all!), I started putting a full change of clothes (from the skin out!), a pair of shoes I could drive in, and a towel, all safely in the passenger footwell of my car. They only come out if I need them at the end of packing up - and I can usually get at them there no matter how full the rest of the car is. And I have needed them a couple of times over the years (but with Cubs especially - where you can't pack up early, there is a lot to pack, and us Leaders can't leave until ALL the Cubs have been collected first whatever the weather).

Yes, camping is very different to a hotel, but great. And the enjoyment you get from that long hot shower when you get home is blissful. And if you are family camping rather than Cub camping, you can even drink wine and enjoy the peace and calm of it all

I always bring my duvet and pillows - never a sleeping bag - it’s nice to be cosy. Also, a sheet for the air bed.
Dog sleeps in his crate as at home. Cover it with a waterproof in case of rain. He’s always fine.

Things shouldn't be getting damp IN the tent.
If it's pissing it down outside, things inside will get damp. Even if you never venture outside, there will be condensation inside. Plus... dogs and rain means everything will be getting damp.

Which leads me to my top tip for camping. Swap the tent for a motorhome. We did, and haven't looked back

Chuck everything in the car and drive to France - lovely campsites and beautiful weather! It's how camping is meant to be