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Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 26/7/2024

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It’s been quite a few years since we have tent camped but here are a few of my thoughts.

We used to have one of these single burner gas stoves that clip onto a small campingaz cartridge to enable us to cook bacon and scrambled eggs etc as you suggest. They take up very little room and despite their small size, a single cartridge would last us ages. You could make toast by holding it over the gas flame on this but you would need to be very careful. Single burner attachment

We used to use a rigid cool box like this one coolbox and many sites offer an ice pack freezing service either for a small cost or they just have a campers freezer somewhere where you can freeze your own ice packs. You need twice as many ice packs, as one lot will always be in the freezer while the other lot will be in use. Check with your site to see what they offer. We upgraded to an electric coolbox at some stage which looks the same but has a cooler built into the lid and it worked well as long as it wasn’t too hot outside as it only cools to a certain number of degrees below the ambient temperature so if it gets up to 30 inside your tent, it will not be cool inside the coolbox so we supplemented it with ice packs on really hot days.

We have those cheap gymsacs that we use as a wash bag like these. We have a different colour each so we don’t head off to the showers with the wrong one.

Good luck with your camping adventure, I’m sure you will have a great time.

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Quote: Originally posted by seanfdh on 26/7/2024

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You'll need to ask the site about renting stuff though it's not common in the UK apart from maybe barbecues/fire-pits.
I would absolutely squeeze in some sort of table. Cooking/making tea/coffee on the ground gets stale very quickly. (Or do pitches have a picnic table? Their website is very uninformative.)
Any camping shop will sell you a set of nesting pans etc. Or Amazon have loads.
Do you have friends who might lend you some camping kit?
If you use electric hobs/kettles etc you'll have to be a bit careful about what you have switched on at any given time.

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Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 26/7/2024

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Don't forget you can also keep stuff in the car, assuming it's not far from your pitch. If you can park next to your tent, even better. We always kept clothes in a holdall in the car, also toiletries in their own bag. Just have clothing for immediate use in the tent. Make sure laundry is refolded and packed away, it takes up a lot more space than clean clothes...We packed all camping equipment in large plastic tubs, separate for each category, so cooking utensils, tableware, foodstuffs etc. Just lift out and bring in the one you need. Brewing stuff was in a separate smaller tub, gas ring, kettle, mugs, T bags etc.
In the early days we used a coolbag with a couple of plastic bottles of frozen water, then you can drink the water as it thaws. Then we abandoned that and just shopped every day. Even in the heat of the South of France we coped, but didn't take spreads or expect to drink icy drinks.

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Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 26/7/2024

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It's usually something mundane and everyday that you forget, like a corkscrew or tin opener! Check lists (and ticking off items as you pack them!) are your best friend, EVEN when you are old hands at it, tripping over the dog, the unexpected phone call etc. will put packing the ESSENTIALS right out of your mind even when that was the very thing you were about to do!
https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/advice/camping-tips/checklist/
https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=7

NEVER assume there will be bog roll or soap in camp site toilet, there may well be, but not when you are desperately in need! - take your own.

Showers can be a challenge! - they vary from the luxurious and well thought out to the just about functional! Missing hooks on doors can leave you with the conundrum of how do you keep cloths and towel dry!- A water proof bag is the answer (even a bin bag will do). Footwear that can easily be slipped on and off and doesn't matter if it gets wet is a godsend, Crocs, flip-flops etc., nothing worse than fighting a pair of tight fitting lace up shoes on or off when standing on one foot in a puddle! If it's a coin in slot/paid shower, ensure LOTS of change available!

Don't forget to pack for the dog! Grooming stuff to be rid of all the seed heads etc they pick up (I've got a dog - I KNOW!) and you don't want in the tent. Towels to dry, it WILL find somewhere to get soaking wet! Dog shampoo (I use ordinary Baby Shampoo for my mutt) to wash off the manky dead seagull/fox/badger it rolled in! Poo bags galore, and stuffed in EVERY pocket of EVERY item of clothing you own, they WILL go where not wanted/expected, and you WILL be expected to clear up!

You'll regret not having a table! Food prep on the ground is a pain, literally in the back and knees if kneeling, plus it'll get full of grass and dirt and every creepy crawly will want to trek through it on the way to somewhere even if it doesn't think you're trying to feed it!

Keeping bugs out of stored food can be 'fun' (NOT!), sealed containers (Tupperware, old ice cream containers etc.) for anything that appeals to bugs can be essential. Hanging food in bags off the ground can help a lot. Ants can be the biggest pest if you're unfortunate enough with your pitch.

A decent cool bag and fresh ice everyday for freshly purchased produce should work, but things like milk, butter, cheese etc. tend to last several days (quantity wise), but may not survive well in just a coolbag in a hot tent! Be prepared to bin them before fully used!

I'm not aware of rental equipment for campers, but then I've never looked, as well equiped myself, don't recall ever hearing anyone say they've hired equipment, although vague idea some sites rent out ice blocks. The other extreme, tales on UKS recently of a site no longer freezing campers own iceblocks on H & S grounds!

A fair selection of 'collapsible', stacking really, cooking pots and pans available from most camping outlets. There are also literally collapsible kettles, washing up bowls, collanders, buckets, dish drying racks etc. That can make packing the car a lot easier.

A trick to packing camping gear is 'dont transport fresh air!' - stuff things into empty spaces, tea towels and scourers etc. stuff inside pots and mugs etc. Don't over cater and take 3 months worth or washing up liquid in a jumbo bottle, decant into smaller container with just sufficient for your stay etc. And it often pays to decant cooking oil etc. from the usual flimsy flip top bottle into something smaller and more robust with a tight fitting screw cap, spilt fluids in transit/store can make more mess and reach places you just can't imagine!

You'll survive, and even laugh, at the 'adventure' you had regardless of what you forgot or did wrong, all part of camping. .... it may take a few months before you laugh, and the never again pledge has faded from memory! ... but you will laugh! Have a great time.

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