Essential Camping Tips

[wiggletastic]

We are virgin campers and are picking up our tent on Friday . We have bought loads of gear, mostly inspired by Mumsnet camping threads , so we think we have that bit sorted, but since we have never done this before can all you seasoned and expert family campers please give me your essential camping tips on avoiding any possible camping disasters and any tips on what you do for entertainment of an evening . We are going to take scrabble and a wind up radio . Anything else?...

Good tip supersal, we were thinking red probably better than white as no need to chill?

i am loving the military precision of the sally's wine regime.

chocolate
biscuits
wipes
carrier bags
pegs
little dustpan and brush (tesco)
travel washing line (1/2 price in millets atm)

headtorch.

can opener

I also make a list of the meals I think we're going to eat and make sure that I've got all the basics for them/ all supplies for them.

screwtop wine.

can opener

socks

can opener

I have the pegs and the little tesco dustpan and brush but now think I must be off to Millets for a travel washing line....

Can opener (and many other bargains) purchased yesterday in Ikea.

Screwtop wine, of course bramble, very good tip.

I presume socks are for wearing on my feet and there isn't some other secret camping type use for them??

A proper, mug for your morning coffee, not plastic or tin, PROPER!!

I admit to a liking for bone china for my tea Goober so at least one is going in the (newly purchased for camping) roofbox. DH can have the plastic insulated thingy.

when it rains don wet weather gear and get out anyway

Never understand appeal of sitting in tent all day waiting for it to stop!

can I also suggest

beer

as a nice change from wine

yyyyyy to proper mug

and plastic washing lines in poundland atm.

a further useful tip:

before you go, google closest supermarket and camping store to the site, that way very little is more than a creit card dentaway from being solved

Good tip re supermarket Peachy, and rain not a problem for us hardy Scots!

Wellies.
The grass is usually wet first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Also, if you love real coffee take an espresso maker (the sort you use on the hob). They are reasonable to buy and give a bit of luxury ie turning camping into glamping ;)

Thanks for welly tip marjorie, I will get mine out of the garage. We have a Moka pot type coffee maker so will be packing that.

If you intend to cook:

Sharp knife and/or peeler. (I like buying fresh veg so a must for any trip)

Kitchen roll. ( I use it for everything)

If you buy the little plastic ice things you put in drinks (the name escapes me) you can put them in your wine and it won't dilute it but will cool it down.

Lantern of some kind. (just bought a cute wind up one for DS1)

Ah yesew

poundland for batteries, stupidly cheap

Put the wellies beside the tent door. Experienced though I am I allowed Dh to talk me into leving them in the car last trip meaning a traipse through the wet to retrieve them- doh!

As well as wellies, any waterproof shoes will suffice: flip flops, crocs etc. The big problem in summer is not wet feet so much as soggy shoes.

Nights in a tent are usually cold. Pop a blanket or even clothes under the beds to give extra insulation. Makes a big difference. IN emergencies even newspaper will cut it.

Take more pegs than you think you need, some will bend on stones.

Freeze food for first night (we just bought yummy fresh kebabs from the local decent butcher) and take along as t will defrost on way. Saves shopping once you are there.

If you go to touristy attractiojns (very MN but we do LOL) check the websites for deals- got several pounds off paulton park and £8.50 off the oceanarium at Bournemouth this way.

I saw the most BRILLIANT tip somewhere...forget where but I latched onto it quick smart.

To keep warm at night, eat FAT before you go to bed. The metabolism of fatty foods produces more heat than the metabolism of anything else. So eating 7 hob nobs, a packet of hula hoops and a large wodge of cake is very sensible practice before retiring to bed.

There is something about the consumption of alcohol having the opposite effect but I reckon that is bobbins.

So my beer and pringles routine is at the very least balanced then Sluber????

You will indeed be neither be hot nor cold . There is the other consequence of shovelling down those sorts of foods every night for two weeks but we wont talk about that.

You know, I always lose weight camping- partly becuase the only food you have is what you planned to eat (no store cupboard raids) but also the exercise walking everywhere

Wow. Quite the opposite here. I consume my own body weight in biscuits and hardly walk anywhere (loo, sink, car, beach etc). My dds are RUBBISH walkers moan moan moan etc. I can't wait until they have a bit more stamina and oomph so we can go on some proper walks.

It's certainly a handy trait,losing weight on hols pmsl (don't mention the honeymoon cruise though, a bloody stone gained!)

ohh that is baaaad

I have another tip.

I use these wipes quite a lot whan I can't be arsed to trek up to the loos and go and wash my face properly. They sort of clean and moisturise all in one go.

Eat fat before going to bed?! Yay!

I never lose weight on holiday but maybe this is the one. On honeymoon I put on the whole stone I had lost before the wedding. (it was a 4 week honeymoon though)

The wipes tip is a good one Slubber but I cannot buy Loreal due to them being evil animal testing monsters.

Boots botanics do a version as well, same sort of wipes.
I presume they still are anti animal testing?

As do a brand stocked by holland and barrett (cant remember name, thinking aloe vera though) and normally that means animal friendly also

Oh I didn't know they were still evil sorry. I thought they had all cleaned up their acts by now [head in the clouds].

OK after I've used up my evil-but-nice-smelling wipes I'll get some body shop ones.

Thanks slubber!