So we bought a tent! More camping questions (sorry!)

[marthamoo]

We've bought a Vango Colorado 8 - on the recommendation of happymerryberries I'm very excited

So...more questions (and apologies if these have already been answered and I missed them). Lighting? I know a few of you said no to campinggaz lamps as they get too hot. Both my kids sleep with the light on - is there a battery driven lantern type doodah that won't get drained of power too fast? I'm thinking of something low level that can be left on all night if needs be. What other kind of lighting do we need?

Sleeping. We already have a double airbed and I bought the double sleeping bag sallystrawberry recommended (and I cannot get it back in the bag). We also have a Bob the Builder ready bed which ds2 will fit in. Will that be warm enough though or would he be better with a proper sleeping bag/airbed?

Keeping things cold? Mum and Dad have a rigid coolbox we could borrow. What sort of ice packs do we buy? My friend says most campsites do a swap-over with ice-packs so you can get fresh ones.

How are we going to fit all this stuff in the car? That ones's rhetorical actually.

We need a camping topic - I'm going to go and look at all the other camping threads now.

I've got picnicky type melamine plates and cups etc. Do we need proper cutlery or will plastic (reusable) do?

I'm not planning on going long enough (at first anyway) to need to pluck my eyebrows. Will take a mirror for spot squeezing though!

There was an article in the Times this weekend on camping, think it was Saturday, will try and link.

I think a Mumsnet camping meet-up is on the cards next summer! DH will definitely think I'm a saddo then - he doesn't "get" MN at all!

Got an enormous spot last year when camping. At least it meant I didn't need a head lamp.

at spot!

Do you think we would ask the wonderful people at mn if we could have our own forum????

I know they don't want lots more forums but at least that way we would keep out sad campinng addiction away from the sane members of the site!

Take your own knives and forks from the kitche (unless you dine with silver ) plastic knives are no good for adults IMHO

I've got a camping box now - keep it in the garage. It contains all the cutlery (got a spare set cheap), plates etc, torches (take the batteries out). It is an attempt to be able to go camping at the drop of a hat when the weather's good. I can say, yes DH, I can be ready within the hour! LOL

kbear - i too have a camping box in the garage, all cutlery and crockery/pans etc courtesy of IKEA. Just replenish it if needed eg with batteries and bits. keep all gear together when used that way you do not forget anything (especially tent pegs and poles!)and don't forget to take a bag for the rubbish!

Good point Fifi. Take zillions of carrier bags-- for rubbish, washing, rubbish, washing, and more rubbish and washing.

We had a rechargable lamp for when the kids were up (£14.99 down from £29.99 in Woolies, we bought it on the way down to the campsite ) , but I have to say that the Campinggaz lamp is brighter. We used it once the kids were settled in bed.

You were asking about being warm at night? You need to wear plenty of layers even in a sleeping bag. The kids wore winter pjs with a t-shirt underneath, and had fleecy blankets (£2.59 from IKEA) in their sleeping bags. They said they were fine, they were on camp beds which are off the floor which might have helped too. I wore trackie bottoms, socks, night dress and a cardigan and was still cold (freeeeezing at 3am!) but we had an airmattress and a quilt.

Definitely take something to wee into at night too. I had the pita of having cystitus whilst we were away, and trekking across muddy fields at 4am IS NOT FUN (although the stars were very pretty, and I saw a badger and lots of rabbits...)

We thought we were being a bit naughty taking out portable DVD player, but the tent opposite us had a 14" TV and X Box, and one of the others had TV and DVD player. It's changed a lot since I last camped a lot!

Have fun! and if it's damp keep a dedicated fork handy to chuck bl**dy slugs out of the tent.

I also have a camping box and it just gets plonked in the boot of the car. I also got my pans etc from Ikea.

Don't forget long matches of a gas lighter for lighting the stove!

We also take a PC for playing DVDs in case of awful weather.

Mine used it once in two weeks on holiday when they were over tired one evening and needed serious 'wind down' time.

Key to keeping warm is to make sure that you have insulation under you as well as over you.

We put a fleacy blanket over the top of the matress, then the sleeping bag and then putt the other half of the blanket over the top.

When we use camp beds we have a foam mat, then blanket etc. Keeps us toasty warm!

marthamoo, we forgot to take most of our essential equipment (including a map, but that's another story) and still managed to fill up the whole boot of our Citroen C5 plus most of the backseat, and that was just 4 of us. Everybody else on our campsite had topboxes on their cars and a lot had trailers as well.

We did a lot of camping when I was a child and I can remember having to sit on a pile of pillows and blankets with my head touching the car roof (in the days before seat belts) because even the huge boot of my dad's cortina wouldn't take all the gear.

we don't bother with matches - we have one of those bic candle lighter thingies from the supermarket - saves on soggy matches - also kept permanantly in our camping box. Anyway have to go - have to get ready to go camping in the the North of Scotland tomorrow - lovely 6 hour drive!

fifilala where are you going? we often camp in the north of scotland (near Lochinver). Very bracing.

I suggest adding ear plugs to the list especially with all those people who bring dvd players etc

we are going camping tomorrow in the lakes, last trip of the year. am packing lots of raingear.

I wanna come to Scotland tooooo - I can be ready in an hour - although it takes me 12 hours to drive there. I need to move further north!

going to fort william until sunday and then maybe just one night back in the lakes on the way back (go to sunnier places next week - Lanzarote!) Also taking rain gear.......

Where are you staying in FW fifilala? (I love it up there).

glen nevis camp site - a couple of miles outside F.William

Jea---lous.

camping stuff on offer next week at Lidl's