Camping Hints and Tips

Types of Camps, Facilities, and Terminology

I could go on for several paragraphs about the various types of camps you can attend, but I will be succinct and simply say that the main things you need to understand are:
- Is it a camp, or a full-blown festival?
- Is it to be held on a campsite, or in a field (this will affect the facilities available, as well as the ambience)?
- Will there be workshops or other planned activities? If so, am I expected to attend them all?
- Is the camp designed for adults, children, or the whole family together?
- Is nudity tolerated at the camp? I see the occasional naked person coming out of a sauna, and I once attended a spiritual camp with a naked couple dancing. It doesn't bother my family, although we are split as to whether or not we would join in! I thought I'd warn you, though, in case it matters to you.
- Etc.
Please be aware that, if you have been camping on holiday, at a campsite with a toilet block and showers, you should not expect to see the same provided at every camp you attend. Camps are different. Sometimes they are held on campsites with all these facilities and sometimes organisers rent a field from a farmer for a week and install their own facilities. There may be "Portaloos" and other manufactured mobile facilities, or there may be composting toilets and taps on the ends of hosepipes to deliver water. I have been to camps where trailing caravans have been converted into hot showers and saunas, so don't assume that low budget camps cannot provide you with those little luxuries!

In case you are wondering, with 'composting toilets', you are expected to aim for the hole in the ground. I've seen a few varieties of these toilets:
1. The first one I ever came across was a wooden structure raised on a scaffold with a curtain as a door. You climbed a ladder, pulled the curtain across and sang as you aimed for the hole in the floor. Unfortunately, a lot of people missed, I didn't fancy touching the curtain after a couple of days, and it was hot, so the flies soon found their way there too. Within about three days, some people stopped using the facility, and the woods became littered with toilet roll, etc. (yuck!) where people had voted with, er, their bottoms.
2. The best composting toilets I have come across were very well done. A hole was dug in the ground and braced with concrete (I think). A wooden 'outhouse' type structure was bolted on top and the whole unit was very secure. There was a wooden door and they even provided toilet roll! One cubicle had a hole to aim for (presumably for men and the more experienced - which included me by this point! ), and the other side had a wooden frame with a toilet seat raised on top for those who like to sit down and pretend their at home! There was sawdust outside, a handful of which should be thrown down the hole if you had 'spent some time' in there, and it was also used to soak up any wetness on the floor. Despite the fact that it was the height of summer, there was no smell and virtually no flies because someone occasionally put a deodorising chemical down there, which isn't quite so eco-friendly but I think the balance was reasonable.
3. Of course, there are some camps that do not provide any facilities at all. If you see people walking into the woods with a shovel, perhaps you now know what they are doing?!!
Whatever the type of toilet, there are some times when there is no lock. Although I have been known to sing on the toilet, there are times when you simply don't feel like it! At night, I leave my lantern outside the cubicle (there is always alternative lighting provided inside!), and by day, I often take off a jacket or scarf and sling it over the door. No one will come in if they know you are in there.

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What To Take

See the Quick Checklist, below, for a simple packing list.

Deciding what to take will depend on what is going to be available at the camp, and how much you want to do yourself. Generally, I have a different selection of things that I take for a camp that only lasts for a few days, to camps that take place over a week or more. The first time you camp, you'll probably find that you took far too much, but you were missing a few essential things.

The Shelter

If we are going for a week or more, I take my Mongolian Yurt (there'll be a separate page on yurts and other 'alternative structures' soon). Actually, it's was made in the UK after a Kyrgyzstani design - simply put, it's a wooden structure covered in canvas. If we have heavy rain, a few drops will get into the yurt, but I haven't yet known a wind that can cause a problem for it - it has soon fast in many a bad storm. When we use the yurt, I dress the inside with wall hangings, cushions and throws. I like to be comfortable! If this is your first time camping, or you haven't been for a long time, you're probably more interested to know about the times when I take my tent...

My tent is a Khyam Rigidome. It was expensive, but it is so quick to erect, large, and well made, that I think the investment was worth it. If you might camp at a time when the weather could be bad (if you live in Britain, that's anytime really!), I strongly recommend that you buy a tent based on a dome design. If you need any extra space, there are many that have built-in annexes around a central dome, and there are some very big domes on the market. If Khyam is outside your price range, take a look at manufacturers such as Outwell. Frame tents and tunnel tents may seem large when you walk into one at the shop, but in my experience they are usually the first to rip and blow down in high winds. If you can, borrow a friend's tent for your first camp and ask the other attendees what they think of their tents.

Quite a few campers are now taking gazebos with them to add an extra undercover area to their tent. They will probably blow down in a high wind, but I haven't lost mine so far. Some gazebos have side panels to give you walls on all sides.

Furniture

If space is at a premium, all you really need is a couple of sheepskins. Don't pay more than £30 per fleece, as you can pick them up for this sort of price at the larger camps. They are comfortable and warm to sit on - just the thing to take with you to workshops and around the camp fire in the evening. Wash them by hand and hang them to dry quickly in a high wind or else the skin will turn stiff like cardboard. If you are vegan, or don't want to use a sheepskin, alternatives would be to make yourself a mini beanbag-style seat, or to take a simple folding stool that would be easy to carry around the camp if you will be attending workshops.

Instead of buying a table, etc., consider taking trays with you, as this will save a lot of space. Remember, going camping doesn't require you to recreate your home in a tent! Start with the basics and just add to them if you really missed not having something. If you want to buy a table, go for one that either folds flat, or rolls into a cylinder (the top comes off and rolls up) - make sure you buy the version that you can get your legs under when sitting in a chair. Speaking of which, if you want a chair, I have found the ones that fold into a cylindrical shape to be the best, but make sure you sit in one before you buy it, as some are more comfortable than others, especially around the thigh area.

Eating and Drinking

Your camp may have a café so check the availability and prices, if at all possible. If you have a family of four or more people, I recommend a 'pull along' water carrier, such as the Aquaroll. Instead of trying to carry a full container of water around the camp, you simply lay the cylindrical container on its side, attach the handle and pull it behind you. I always use water purification tablets, just in case. Be careful about the stove you choose as the standard ones are around the same price, but the difference in quality can be huge. Remember to ask about a regulator and connecting hose (and, of course, the gas!), as most retailers won't automatically sell them to you when you buy the stove. Don't buy a stove on legs, as they are very unstable; instead, opt for a table-top model and buy a separate, sturdy table.

Don't bother buying a camping larder. They take ages to erect and, in my opinion, do not represent very good value for money. Instead, I use folding plastic crates, available from large DIY stores. You carry the food straight in from the car, stack them on top of each other to save floor space in the tent, and you can throw a cloth over them to keep the flies off. Much more straightforward!

There are a number of ways you can keep food cool or, at least, at a constant temperature. Submerging items in cold water is effective, so long as you can remember to keep changing the water - if very cold water isn't available onsite, you can dig a hole in the ground and put a cover on it as the heat will dissipate during the night. Many travellers I know use an ex-army ammo box (available from most army surplus stores) - it is made of metal, so if you keep it in a draft, but out of direct sunlight, it will keep the contents cool. I tend to be very popular at camps, though, as I have an Electrolux camping fridge, and I often hand out cold drinks and grapes on hot days...! This particular model is a good example of what to look out for - it plugs into a standard socket at home and also a car accessory socket, it obviously also runs of camping gas, it gets cold enough to make ice cubes if you place the tray on the element, has proper controls so you can control the temperature (it's a good idea to also buy a fridge thermometer), and has a good seal around the lid. Drawbacks for this particular model are that it's heavy (although it is one of the lighter fridges!) and it is difficult to see when the pilot light is lit. As with all fridges, leave enough time for it to cool down before you add food (which should be pre-chilled also to save energy), try not to tip it too much when transporting it, and with camping fridges, use electricity only in the car, and disconnect the gas if you need to move it. As far as eating equipment is concerned, don't rush out and buy everything from scratch as you probably already have most things available in your kitchen. I usually allow two sets of cutlery, plates, etc. for each person, as I feel is it unhygienic to leave the washing up for more than two meals in a camp environment. Use your own cutlery and utensils, and if you prefer not to take your best china(!), I would strongly recommend that you avoid buying tin cups and plates. They absorb the heat of whatever is in them, and my eldest daughter once scalded herself quite badly on a tin cup containing hot coffee. Similarly, you won't be able to balance a hot plate of food on your lap without insulating the plate first. I have found melamine cups and plates to be best, and there are quite a few up-to-date designs to choose from if you want a pattern; in fact, I often use them at home if I run out of plates for guests and, of course, they are great for all kinds of picnics too.

Keeping Warm At Night

The main thing most people want to know about is what to buy to keep warm during the night. I have tried airbeds, and camp beds, and I have found the former to be more comfortable and warmer too. We have a pair of double airbeds, which are quickly pumped up using an electric pump plugged into the car accessory socket. I then put an old, opened-out sleeping bag on each to use as an underblanket, followed by pillows from our beds at home, and mummy-style sleeping bags. These are very warm, as you can put the hood over your head and this saves precious heat on really cold nights. Peter and I tried zipping our mummy bags together, but there wasn't really enough room to move in there (if you are in a single one on your own and want to roll over, the whole bag rolls with you), and we woke each other up every time we moved in our sleep. Our girls don't like to have their arms and legs under covers when they are asleep, so I often have to wake up and put them back in their sleeping bags on cold nights, but sometimes I dress them in pyjamas, tights, jumpers, and fleece trousers and jacket, as this will help if they insist on not being in the sleeping bag.

There will be times when it is so cold that I simply go to bed in my clothes, but usually I like to get changed first. I go for a brisk walk before bedtime to get my blood circulating and this keeps me warm enough to undress and get ready for bed. When the girls get changed, we have a wood-burner in the yurt, and a gas heater for the tent. I am extremely paranoid about using the gas heater, so we have a rule that one adult sits by the heater constantly to stop the children bumping into it. If you use a gas heater, ensure that is carries the necessary safety logos, never leave it unattended, and be sure to turn it off before you get into your sleeping bag as you won't be able to run if an accident should occur. If you are at a camp with evening campfires, you will probably find that you don't get cold if you go in your tent and change as soon as you go away from it. Remember, though, that your children's body temperatures will lower quickly when they are at rest, so make sure they have something like a sheepskin between them and whatever they are laying on to keep them as warm as possible. When the girls were babies, I used to put them in their sleeping bags as they nodded off around the campfire, and then we carried them into the tent when we were ready to go to bed.

If you will want to build a camp fire, consider using something like a pot-belly barbecue or a lightweight chimnea as some camp sites don't like you to build fire pits. To prevent lots of smoke, feed the logs into the fire end-on, rather than to simply throw another log on top of the fire so that it will burn in the centre first. When trees burn, they give off a resin to cause smoke and thus deprive the fire of oxygen. By putting the logs in end-on, less smoke is created as the wood burns across in one direction.

One other suggestion - there's nothing like a tipple to give you some warmth, but don't overdo it if or you'll sleep too deeply to wake if your young children stir and need tucking in again.

See also the section entitled "When You Arrive...", below.

Personal Hygiene

If I am in too much of a hurry to boil some water to wash in, I use a facial cleansing lotion instead. During the hotter weather, I use a product called a 'solar shower' to wash my hair. It is basically a black vinyl sack, which you fill with water and leave out in the sun for a few hours. If you think about how hot a car gets on a sunny day, you'll understand how it works. Within about 2-3 hours the water is hot enough to wash my hair, and there is a shower attachment, which is not to good but fine for my needs at a camp. If there are communal showers at the camp, and you are put off by having to share, please don't be - no one will care what you look like. I have seen all shapes and sizes in the showers, and there are generally three sorts of people: those who just want to shower and then leave, those who haven't noticed that you're not wearing any clothes and start to chat as if you're in the café, and those who are too self-conscious about themselves to think about looking up at someone else! I use the kind of towels backpackers buy, as they take up very little space and dry very quickly, even when there is no sun.

In my experience, most people don't bother to clean their teeth at camps, although I must admit to being fastidious about dental hygiene (I had a lot of dental work done as a child and there's no way I'm going to negate all that by losing my teeth early!). If you smell vodka on someone's breath in the morning, they are probably not early drinkers, but using it as a mouthwash. A swish of vodka around your mouth, and vodka will kill just about any bacteria lurking in there. Er, I don't recommend using this on the children, though!!

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Before You Go...

If you are going somewhere you haven't visited before, find out about facilities, whether or not you'll need money for any workshops and food, how the site owner feels about fire pits, whether or not firewood will be available, if dogs are allowed, supermarkets in the local area, and so on.

I have found that it's always a good idea to pack at least the night before as it always seems to take longer if you leave it until the day you depart for the camp. You get stressed because you're late leaving, the children get stressed because they're bored having to wait, and then you all have to sit together with that negative energy bouncing around the car. If you get everything ready beforehand, all you have to do it get up, have breakfast, through the equipment in the car and go. Try to leave enough time to wind down with a drink before you are due to leave, though; it can take a lot of energy to pack a car, so give yourself a chance to breathe before you have to drive.

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When You Arrive...

Walk/drive around the site before you decide where to pitch. Do you want to be near children the same age as yours so they can play together? Do you want to be away from the action to give yourself some peace and quiet, or perhaps to allow your older children some more independence? Do you need to be near to the facilities in case someone has to get up to the toilet during the night? And so on... Obviously, I recommend that you select as level as pitch as possible. As you walk around the site, watch for long grooves channelled into the ground as this may be a sign that the ground needs some help with drainage - select a pitch on higher ground. Clear any loose debris, such as newly cut grass, stones or fallen twigs, away before you pitch.

If you have a tent with a sleeping annex, pitch it so that the annex points in a westward direction, towards the setting sun. Zip up the annex at least two hours before you lose the warmth of the sun each day, and you will find that the annex will keep warmer for longer. On summer mornings, you will also be able to spend extra time in bed, unlike any of your neighbours who started to get hot and sweaty as the rising sun warmed their sleeping annex! Yuk! Not a nice way to start the day.

If you have so much rain that mud and water starts to run under your tent, here's what to do:
- Go to a DIY store and buy a length of waste pipe that plumbers use under sinks to take waste water out of the building. It needs to be slightly longer than the entrance to your tent.
- Cut a channel in front of your tent entrance to accept the pipe -
  - half the diameter of the pipe in depth
  - running parallel to, and a couple of feet away from, the entrance to your tent
  - take care not to obstruct either end of the pipe - the water has to be able to flow through
  - do not stand on the pipe as you walk to and from your tent
- Dig a narrow channel (about a foot deep), starting at one end of the pipe, continuing all the way around your tent, and finishing at the other end of the pipe. The result should resemble a moat around your tent!
You now have a simple drainage system to take the rainwater away from your tent.

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The First Few Days

In my experience, it takes a lot of people about two days to find their way out of their tent and join in. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not aware that they need time to unwind from their usual daily life to get into 'camp mode', and so they have a problem with either shyness or apathy. Ironically, this attitude then causes a vicious circle to pop into existence, as those very problems are caused because the people concerned do not venture outside for a lot longer until they get over these feelings of not being able to join in!

Of course, there are some people who really are withdrawn for some other reason, and need some time to find the courage to come out and participate. Don't rush yourself. Bear in mind, though, that these people at the camp don't know you from Adam, and you don't have a sign above your head saying, "I'm very shy and introverted." Try pretending that you're not shy at all, and come out with a aura of self-confidence about you. When people respond positively, you'll enjoy that feeling and do it some more. Later, maybe you'll even start to believe that you do have a lot of confidence! I know all this can work, because I did it. If I can help you, please feel free to contact me.

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Time To Leave...

Don't forget to collect contact details from friends you made at the camp. Friendships you form at camps can be some of the best kind, but you have to remember to ask each other how you can stay in touch!

Once you are packed up and ready to leave the event, wave to everyone from the car and say goodbye. They'll almost certainly wave back - if they do, then you'll take that happy feeling all the way home; if they don't, you'll laugh your heads off for seeming so eccentric!!

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When You Get Back Home...

As you put your equipment away, make a note of what was never used, so that you don't bother taking it in future. Make a shopping list for anything you wished you had brought with you, and it's also a good idea to make your own personal packing list so you can simply grab what you need next time without having to spend time thinking about it.

If you packed your tent away while it was damp, pitch it in your garden, or throw it over the washing line, so that it has a chance to dry out; if you don't have a garden, put it over a balcony, or over your car - anywhere air can circulate round it.

Try to contact your new friends within a couple of weeks and see if they want to chat or meet up again soon.

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Quick Checklist

These are some of the things I usually take with me in the tent:

shelter:
- tent (including groundsheet and flysheet)
- mallet
- gazebo
- windbreaks
- parasols (you can attach the sort that go on children's buggies to your chair)
sleeping:
- airbeds
- sleeping bags
- pillows
- extra blankets
- night clothes
sheepskins (or something warm to sit on)
picnic mat (the plastic-backed ones are best as moisture won't seep through if the ground is damp)
barbecue for camp fire, tinder, fuel and axe for chopping wood
camp chairs
table
matches (ensure they don't get damp) and/or gas lighter
lighting:
- tent lamp
- torch (and spare batteries) or lantern (and spare candles) to get you to the toilet in the dark!
- citronella candles or oil to repel biting insects
eating and drinking:
- water carrier, tap and stand
- water purification tablets
- stove
- fridge (ensure you leave enough time to pre-chill it before adding food), cool box or ammo box
- gas, regulator and hose for each appliance (check the gas levels in each tank)
- cutlery
- plates, cups, bowls, beakers (2 each per person)
- cooking utensils, including turner, strainer, serving spoon and wooden spoon
- tea strainer, can opener, corkscrew, peeler
- 2 x sharp knives, kitchen scissors
- chopping mats
- measuring jug
- mixing bowl
- saucepans
- frying pan
- kettle
- paper towels
- food and drink (note what you use in a day at home for starters), including condiments, seasonings, gravy mix, tea, coffee, etc.
- wine (worth a separate mention!)
- folding crates for carrying food and to double as a larder
- washing-up bowl, liquid cloths and brush
- 2 x tea towels

day clothes, shoes, boots, swimming costumes, coats and hats
personal care:
- UV protection and sun glasses
- moisturising cream
- facial cleansing lotion
- cotton wool balls
- first aid kit (lavender oil and tea tree oil will help with most problems, but make sure you which to use and know how to apply them)
- medication for the duration of the camp, if appropriate
- hair brushes
- deodorant
- towels
- toothbrushes
- toothpaste (or vodka)
- sanitary protection
- toilet rolls
- make-up (aw, don't bother!)
- wet wipes
- soap
- shampoo and conditioner
- shower gel
entertainment:
- musical instruments
- paper, pens, etc.
- a few toys and books
- football
- kite
- costumes
small children's things:
- pushchair/buggy (with rain cover, parasol, 'cosytoes' or blanket, etc.)
- wipes
- nappies
- potty
directions to the site, tickets, maps and other paperwork
mobile 'phone and recharging cable
money (keep some emergency money separate, or take your cheque book with you)
any craft contributions, etc. for the camp
pets:
- bedding
- food and bowls
- leads (you are not allowed to let your dog off the lead at most camps)

Don't forget:

Turn off the lights and check the cooker
Cancel the milk
Attend to the pets
Set the heating levels
Clean the toilet and drains
Ask a neighbour to watch the house
Shut the gates and lock your doors and windows
I believe the Post Office will hold your mail if you ask

If you can think of anything I've missed from the list, please let me know.

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