Hi all we are thinking of going camping in half term end of October.. as it's autumn and very chilly is it a good idea ? We do have blow heaters and plenty of warm bedding and warm cloves.. has anyone gone in October any advice would be great
Having the right gear is important, such as bedding, clothing and means of cooking in the cold.
The tent should have a living area for a table and chairs should the weather is foul to be out and about.
Butane is no good at sub-zero temperature as I found out the hard way. I switched from butane and butane/propane burning stoves to a Coleman Dual Fuel 2-burning stove and would highly recommend it.
A fan heater no more than 2kW output was a must for me personally. I needed to be careful not to use more than one high wattage appliance at a time with the fan heater, such as a kettle or electric oven/induction hob etc... I had tripped the EHU just the once, and it was embarrassing!
Good luck!
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
I agree with DK. It's much easier to be comfortable in a polycotton or cotton tent when it's cold and damp. EHU is a must, as is good mains-powered lighting - it gets gloomy early in the afternoons. I'd take hot water bottles as well as a thermostat-controlled 2kw fan heater. A portapotty or bog-in-a-bag is worth considering to save on middle of the night treks.
It's great fun though - some of our best trips have been late autumn and winter. We have an induction hob and a mini oven - being able to cook inside does make a huge difference.
I've got electric hook up lead and are Vango tent is two weeks old also got hot water bottles I have done camping 20 years ago but now gone back to it .. we also take our duvets and we took the air fryer and microwave when we went to brean a few days ago and kettle all ran easily of EHU
Years ago, we winter camped in a small polycotton tent on a campsite & woke to a covering of several inches of snow. The snow insulated us & we weren’t cold, odd though that might sound. No EHU, heating by a gas heater (it was a fitting like a mesh bulb) when we were awake & the gas cooker when we were cooking; plus the right clothes including sleeping in socks & woolly hat.
People in the backpacking section here will camp in winter to go winter climbing.
So it’s doable, plainly. Whether you enjoy it is an another matter. Wetness is the deal breaker.
There are plenty of threads about ingenious ways to stay warm. What’s the worst that can happen? You have to move into the car at 0200 & drive home next day?
Quote: Originally posted by Wayne9900 on 26/8/2024
and we took the air fryer and microwave when we went to brean a few days ago and kettle all ran easily of EHU
All together at the same time or separately one appliance at a time?
What was the EHU supply as a lot of sites only have 10A supplies for tent pitches, some even only have 6A and state in their T&Cs that no heater is allowed!
What type of sleeping system do you have please? Airbeds without adequate insulation from the ground are not very comfortable when cold.
Duvets keep the body heat from escaping, however, they do not prevent heat transfer from the body to the cold air inside the airbed and the ground.
Wear hats to bed as the head loses 30% of body heat apparently.
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
In autumn you are unlikely to be able to dry your tent thoroughly in the damp air so you will need space to dry it out when you get home. Especially if you have canvas / polycotton.
I am envious of the bell tent (and other suitable models) campers who have wood burning stoves in their tent.
Quote: Originally posted by DeborahTurner on 27/8/2024
In autumn you are unlikely to be able to dry your tent thoroughly in the damp air so you will need space to dry it out when you get home. Especially if you have canvas / polycotton.
That was one of the issues I had in that I lacked the space to dry a 4-berth cotton canvas pyramid tent after a wet pack up!
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
Quote: Originally posted by DeborahTurner on 27/8/2024
In autumn you are unlikely to be able to dry your tent thoroughly in the damp air so you will need space to dry it out when you get home. Especially if you have canvas / polycotton.
That was one of the issues I had in that I lacked the space to dry a 4-berth cotton canvas pyramid tent after a wet pack up!
DK
We draped our Cabanon Pyramide over the settee & 2 armchairs… Obviously put the lounge out of action for a while.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 28/8/2024
We draped our Cabanon Pyramide over the settee & 2 armchairs… Obviously put the lounge out of action for a while.
I did that only once as the cat and the dog were not happy with the tent taking up their favourite napping places!
DK
------------- * Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *