What exactly do you need to 'go camping'? Cos we've never been...

[sorkycake]

and we are going this July, in this country.

There will be 5 of us, 2 adults and 3 children under 6.

My brother has a tent we can borrow that has two rooms and a funny bit in the middle, but what else will we need?

The campsite is v. basic, a field with loo's I think.

How will I have a cup of tea?

Shall I have to borrow a copy of Ray Mears' book?

Nope were off to camp in Moomin valley, a grand adventure will be had by all!

Yes, yes I see it all now ( it obv doesn't involve rain or dc's)

I would buy a plastic type tarpaulin/groundsheet to put on floor so muddy feet aren't getting into your bedroom area place in the sitting room.
Decent tent pegs, the pegs that originally came with our blacks tent were pants, so replaced with titanium ones! FANTASTIC esp if camping at Coniston Hall in the Lakes! Or any other v.stony site! Camping lights (can buy good battery operated/wind up ones) www.blacks.co.uk/Tents-and-Camping-Gear/Micro-Ultralite-Lantern/product/094457.aspx
Airbed.
Knives, Forks & spoons! Have a look at blacks/cotswold outdoors.
Coolbox-which is only beneficial if you're able to re-freeze your ice blocks.
Re food if we're away for a w/e, we make a curry, spag bol or something similar during wk before we go, freeze then place in cool box, & buy time we come to eat on an eve they're defrosted.
HTH.

A bucket with a lid is essential - you don't want it knocked over in the night and spilling everywhere

II'd avoid places like cotswolds and blacks as they are expensive. You can get perfectly good stuff from Asds and Wilkinsons.

wine in screwtop bottles.
chocolate

I bought asda smart price cutlery and we use an old pringles tube to carry it in along with a sharper knife for veg chopping.

We also bought melamine plates and plastic glasses from tescos and asda that we keep in the camping box. I have a spare chopping board that we keep in there and an old non stick wok.

We also make food and freeze it before putting it into the cool box so that it keeps other things cold but it will be defrosted by saturday night if we go on a friday.

We also have loads of glow sticks from glowmania on ebay - the kids love them and if you make them a necklace with the connectors then you can see them in the dark.

sorry no links to shell fillyjonk. as if you can link to moomin valley!

dh was in the moomin museum a few wweeks ago and was buying dd a jigsaw. he refused the plastic bag as he normally does but the lady behind the counter said 'not even a moomin bag?' and he had to put his environmental scruples to one side.

Forget the screw-top bottles and get a wine-box!

Cotton towels are a pain to get dry when camping, micro-fibre ones are brilliant (but pricey I'm afraid).

Now't wrong with a bit of Moomin-obsession!

lol moominpapa - we get a box too

Wow at some of the stuff on this thread!

sorkycake, I guess you need to decide what you class as essentials and how comfprtable you want to be.

I've never bothered wiht chairs and tables, most important thing for me is to be warm, dry and be able to make a cup of tea and drink wine!

full waterproofs and wellies are essentail in this country

swiss army knife

a lighter

torches

Well I'd consider GHD's essential personally, but I don't think there's anywhere to plug them in!

I'm a bit worried about how much we'll need versus how much you have to lug with you.

I thought camping was a relatively simple pursuit, but this has got me wondering.

I'm thinking our list goes something along the lines of

Tent
Little stove
Moomin cups
Wine/beer
Quilts/sleepybags
Blankies etc
clothes
food
torch for shadow theatre
matches for fire

Get yourself one of those stove lighters sorky. Sometimes matches get a bit damp. As for how much you take with you that really depends on what sort of camper you are. Fillyjonk likes to take the bare minimum and probably thinks people like me who have a carpet are a bunch of woosy psuedo-campers If you are that attached to your hair straighteners I don't think filly's style of camping is for you tbh.

Really?

But the patchwork flags....and the moomin cups!?!

Is it really camping if you take a king size duvet with you?

Not for everyone no I love camping but i like to be comfortable too. I like a chair to sit in during the evening as its cold sitting on the floor and I get backache. I like to be warm at night as otherwise i can't sleep. The carpet i admit is a definite luxury and we don't really need it during the summer but when we go at easter it is really cold and will make a big difference.

We don't have EHU though and there are plenty of regular campers who wouldn't dream of camping without it. If you think you'd enjoy the more basic type of camping then go for it

Have a practice run for one night somewhere close to home!!! And please try to use an independent retailer rather than t'interweb or millets/blacks etc as the staff are more likely to actually know something about the kit they're selling you!! Most independents pride themselves on customer care rather than "how much money can we screw out of these novices"!!

oh nowt wrong with kingsized duvets or ghds

where are you camping? do you have a toilet block? you might have electricity there and they are often more relaxed about you using it.

have just sen dusty's post

you have a CARPET?

seriously

what, a fully fitted one with an underlay and everthing?

You could use some waterproof backed picnic blankets instead. I'm on the look out for some really cheap ones at the moment to make the bedroom pods warmer.

I've been thinking about buying hookup this year so that I can use a small fan heater or an electric kettle (we have managed to break so many camping kettles).

lol filly I knew you'd be Its just a glorified picnic blanket really

if you are a true camping virgin, i highly reccomend this book:
The Happy Campers by Kat hayes and tess karr.

i always take the entire house with us on camping trips, but i have got the essentials down to a fine art. Think one for each person ( adult or child) plus one toy/luxury item aswell.

bed:
air bed
sleeping bag
blanket
pillow
pj's
hot water bottle

Eating:
plate/bowl/cup
cutlery
chopping board & Knife
tongs
oven tray ( with high side as you can cook in them on the camp stove)
camp stove & fuel
1 big pan
1 small pan
1 frying pan
kettle
washing up bowl & liquid & tea towel

Fun:
blankets
football
inflateables ( beach stuff like lilo's crocodiles etc)
tarpauline & string & pen knife ( let the kids have the lot an dthey will make a den)
elastic bands & bin liners
wet wipes
1 towl each
liquid soap

other than that its clothes, books, booze and food!
We all have our own camping chairs ( no on dares sit in mine) and head torches. I also take about 3 sets of solar garden lights and a big lantern.

i was thinking of going camping next week, i might not now!!