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Original poster

First time campers any advice ? things to remember etc

18 replies

april74 · 20/05/2006 08:57

Just about to go camping for a few nights next weekend, its the first time I have been camping since I was about 10.

We have all the obvious things like tent, sleeping bags, stove, kettle etc etc, just wandered if there was some things you wouldn't think to take but would be useful.

TIA

OP posts:
FillyjonktheSnibbet · 20/05/2006 09:04

we're off today.

don't forget

bunting-cloth NOT plastic, please
pot of basil and some nice flowers in a pot
curtains. A nice Cath Kidston print would be good.
40000 duvets

Kathy1972 · 20/05/2006 11:14

A couple of spare plastic bags to use for rubbish.
A few clothes pegs

Original poster
april74 · 20/05/2006 12:18

added to list thanks

OP posts:
tallulah · 20/05/2006 12:25

BLANKETS!!!!!! Grin

(and a torch)

...guess what we didn't take last year....

nannyme · 20/05/2006 15:30

Wind up mobile phone charger and torch.

That's what I just bought, anyway!

PrettyCandles · 20/05/2006 16:18

We managed to forget to bring soap the first time we went camping (too used to hotel bathrooms! ), and only brought one tube of toothpaste, one bottle of shampoo, etc, forgetting that we would be bathing in different blocks.

Loads of toilet paper - the sort in little boxes is good, as it can be difficult juggling roll, coat and torch (it generally rains if you have to go at night).

Washing line and clothes pegs.

If you have enough room in your tent, then a small clothes-horse is really useful to have somewhere to put dripping coats and wet towels.

If your kids are still drinking milk, then take a bottle of Dettox or some Dettox wipes, as mopping up spilt milk in the tent with a plain cloth may seem clean, but if you don't Dettox it then the next time you unpack the tent it will smell even worse.

amber5 · 20/05/2006 16:23

small hand towels or tea towels can be used for so many different things - we take a handful
i collect sample size bottles all year round - things like washing up liquid etc. it might be too late to start but you could fill some small pots??

spidermama · 20/05/2006 16:27

Hats for nighttime. It gets cold at night in a tent even in the summer. Laterns are nice to hang around in the evening. Jars do the job well with tea lights in them and string for handles.

Get a couple of good torches too. It's always a good idea to have cover (fishing umbrella, awning, tarpaulin which can be tied onto things) to increase your outdoor living space if it rains or if the sun is baking hot.

Original poster
april74 · 22/05/2006 17:48

some fantastic idea's thanks

OP posts:
Blandmum · 22/05/2006 18:00

Bucket with a lid. A loo bag to carry loo roll, soap and a small towel

ntt · 22/05/2006 18:01

credit card for a hotel

LucyCampCat · 22/05/2006 18:04

might just need that next week ntt Grin

Blandmum · 22/05/2006 18:05

OMG, I'm bricking it. N Wales in this weather! Shock

ntt · 22/05/2006 18:08

Oh dear - dp and I have the fight of our lives the last time we went camping a few years ago during a howling storm in Snowdonia with the tent half blown down....

Seriouisly nearly broke up!! Shock

MrsBadger · 22/05/2006 18:16

Just to balance, our tent collapsed last Thursday (at midnight, in a gale), and we had an Adventure and the time of our lives!
Make sure you pinpoint location of nearest early-opening caff so you can at least be assured of a hot cup of tea and a bacon sandwich.

(Did we really nearly blow away, mummy? Would we have blown all the way home? Would it have been like in the Wizard of Oz with the chickens? Would we have landed in Oz, mummy?)

ntt · 22/05/2006 18:20
Grin

dp was in the first week of the Atkins at the time. So no sense of humour. And we were ttc, so had to "do it" after our row, in foul tempers, hating each other, with a soaking bit of tent slapping around our nethers

Oh how we laugh now ...

LucyCampCat · 22/05/2006 18:46

Never fear mb \link{http://www.abersoch.co.uk/entertainment/cam2.htm\nice again in Abersoch}!!

we'll be fine!

SOULGIRL · 22/05/2006 19:53

Our first time out we were allocated a lovely spot right on the seafront, unfortunately at the time there was a gale force wind & blinding rain. With what felt like the entire site watching us from their warm dry caravans we struggled to stop our tent from flying off. Having been "adopted by someone elses child and with ours totally hysterical in the car we went s*d this and went and got a caravan!!

Having said that we are camping this weekend, in this weather my advice is invest in some of the absorbent cloths to mop down your groundsheet, my brother takes a doormat too (cue much ribbing from me) but actually it helps to wipe your muddy boots on it. Find a sheltered spot not to far & not too close to the loos!!

Still we could have blinding sunshine by the weekend (she says optimistically)

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