i'm a virgin! give me your top tips for camping!

[chimchar]

ok. have bought the tent. have an airbed thingie and absolutly NOTHING else yet!

have 3 kids (age 9,6 and 3) and a dh.
what would you never go away without, and what are your top tips.

will be camping in the uk only (at the mo!) and only for weekends at a time.

all advice most welcome!

Hi there - I think there is a fairly comprehensive list on here somewhere already, but I would say:

sleeping bags
pillows
stove
kettle
matches/spare gas
torch/lamps
tea bags/coffee/sugar
fruit juice
cereal
cool box with milk, butter etc
bread
plates/cups/bowls/cutlery
biscuits/some kind of snacks
towels/tea towels
washing up liquid and cloth
folding chairs and table or a blanket for sitting on for meals.
If you plan on cooking, then some kind of saucepan or frying pan, plus oil for frying as well as food!

Pack of cards, football, tennis ball/cricket set etc.

Wine and corkscrew (also chocs for when the kids have gone to bed!)

Wind-up radio and torches are handy if you have them.

Really wish I was going sometime soon!

brill. thanks for that.

is the list here in the camping section? i'll try and trawl through and find it!

Big plastic bowl - like a mixing bowl
Kitchen roll - maybe a couple

Why?

On the occasions I've forgotten the big bowl its been a disaster, because if you don't have a shower block you can put hot soapy water in it and a flannel to wash your face, and you can was small things up in it.

Kitchen roll I always find a need for, wiping pans after washing up seems to work out better, when you stick your and in the dirt, when you spill beans in the tent floor etc etc, I'd die without my kitchen roll camping ...

If you are a virgin I suggest condoms.....

thanks battery....what should i do with them? buy extra large and use them instead of sleeping bags?

storm tether
rock pegs
big strong mallet
soup
hypothermia blanket

jeez frootshoot...don't put me off! ishall be a fairweather camper, i can assure you....if it rains, i'm going home! lol.

thanks all for your imput.

Im a camping softie so my essentials are:
Electric hook up
Electric radiator

Don't buy too much just yet, half the fun is
seeing what gadgets other people have got.

paper plates
paper bowls
a flask
hot water bottles for all

chimchar the list is here

Airbeds.

Camping without them = abject misery

Camping with them =

Get snaplights. You snap them and they light up dimly for about 12 hours! Great to attach to your tent to find it in the dark. Also good to provide dim light for kids during the night.

Double pump up beds x 2, one for you and one for kids, double duvets x2, so much warmer and cozier than sleeping bags, 1 pillow each.
Tea lights and empty jars to put them in.
I always carry a potty for kids (and for self :0), there's no way i'm trekking over fields in the middle of the night to take a pee, try pitching next to a hedge so you dont have neighbours all round to hear you. There is nothing more lovely than opening up the tent early in the morning and breathing fresh air, we camp as basic as possible and i love it. Good luck

thanks again everyone...you are fab!

we're going to pitch our tent this weekend on a practice run in the garden!

so cited!!!!

Essential items are our fat airics (self-inflating camping mats) my Wind-up radio to listen to comedy on Radio 4 once DD is asleep and red wine (doesn't need chilled)

Having a practice run of pitching your tent is a very, very good idea - saves hassle/arguments/impending divorce when you go on your first trip - take it from one who knows...

We always take a hanging torch, which we peg up inside the tent, similar to THIS as it gives more of a central light during the evening rather than one you have to actively hold in your hand iygwim.

Also, oil lanterns give out lots of heat as well as excellent light, although can be risky with young children around. We bring ours out after DC have bedded down for the night.

Double up your socks too, the night time can get chilly even during the Summer!

Could you maybe ask around to see if you can borrow some stuff to see if you enjoy camping before investing in all the gear yourselves?

Hope your garden camping is a success

Make sure you've got plenty of clothes to keep you warm in the evenings. In August last year in North Yorks we still had our winter coats on in the evenings...

I always nip into the tent after I've had my tea and put my PJs on and then put my clothes back on top. That way, when it comes to going to bed later you just have to take the top layers off rather than stripping off and getting into freezing cold PJs - the kids do the same too - Oh and if we're going particularly early / late in the year, we take a hot water bottle too I hate being cold....

Happy camping We love it!

old towels

i can't believe nobody has said midge repellent yet!!!

we take spray-on stuff and then a few of those candle thingies you buy in homebase on bamboo sticks that you stick in the ground.

but then we live in scotland, maybe it's not such an issue in england.

also, got to have slip-on shoes - i go for wellies AND flip flops..

i can't believe nobody has said midge repellent yet!!!

we take spray-on stuff and then a few of those candle thingies you buy in homebase on bamboo sticks that you stick in the ground.

but then we live in scotland, maybe it's not such an issue in england.

also, got to have slip-on shoes - i go for wellies AND flip flops..

midge repellent - it's so important i said it twice

A washing up bowl (useful for carrying stuff to the sinks and back)
sleeping bags AND a duvet (I hate being cold!)
hot water bottle
thermos
wellies
baby wipes (great for quick clean ups!)
books, knitting, games etc
pegs (pegging back windows and doors, and drying out socks!)

jeez! will i have to buy a trailer to carry all this stuff in too???

Yes, didn't anyone mention the trailer?

Just practise your car packing skills