Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Camping

Courtesy AdobeStock Blue skies, sunshine and warm temperatures… spring has sprung! And, of course, that means it’s camping time. I’ve already had a few nights under canvas this year, reviewing tents for the magazine and outandaboutlive.co.uk, and after the long, dark winter months it’s been a relief to get back out on the campsite. I’m always amused at the reaction I get when I turn up at a site early in the year and ask for a pitch. You can literally see the people at reception peering out the window wondering where my caravan is! A few months ago I told you I had gone over to the dark side and ordered myself a "tin-tent on wheels". Well, after a long, long wait my campervan finally arrived just before Christmas,…

Aroad trip is not just about driving all day and taking in the scenery through the car windscreen. Instead, the changes in location let you increase the scope of your holiday by taking in walks, activities and visits to attractions in different areas – perhaps off the cuff or planned as a theme and sorted in detail. Whether your road trip takes in an entire continent, a single country or just a particular area, you’re certain to have an adventure that creates memories that will last forever. It can be a simple affair but even the most straightforward tour needs some advance planning. If you are lucky enough have an unlimited amount of money or time then you could simply choose where you want to go and hit the highway.…

Pixabay Pixabay With glistening blue seas on one side and towering mountains on the other, the Coastal Way really is the perfect showcase for one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The 180-mile route hugs the Welsh coastline around Cardigan Bay, from St Davids in the south to Aberdaron in the north. Along the way it passes through some stunning scenery, as well as countless picturesque fishing villages, pretty harbour towns and traditional seaside holiday resorts. Golden beaches, towering cliffs and hidden coves provide the backdrop to this epic journey. In summer, you could be driving along a Mediterranean coastal road as the sea shimmers in the sun. But this is a place to visit all year round. The mighty mountains of Snowdonia are at their dramatic best…

Visit Ireland Visit Ireland The time has finally arrived. The sun is shining, the kids have finished school and the out of office is on! It’s time to pack up and get away for a whole two weeks. We've fancied visiting Ireland for a while, but wanted to wait until we had a decent stretch of time off to enjoy it. The drive from our home in Newcastle upon Tyne over to the ferry port in Holyhead, north Wales, takes around five hours and the crossing with StenaLine or Irish Ferries a further threeish hours. We hope to venture abroad soon, so a short trip across the Irish Sea offers a good test for us. We've never taken a vehicle on board a ferry before and were pleasantly surprised at…

Would you rather pitch your tent on a spot with a great view? Close to the toilet block? As far away as possible from the clubhouse? Under trees for shade? If you are staying at a campsite for several days, it certainly pays dividends to stay on a pitch that you enjoy rather than endure. Even if you are touring and moving on each day, why should you put up with a pitch that is less than satisfactory? Unfortunately, on some campsites you’ll simply be allocated a pitch when you arrive depending on how busy it is and what’s available at the time. That applies especially if you need electric hook-up. Happily, most site owners and managers are friendly, helpful and happy to accommodate reasonable requests and usually there will…

In association with 30 MINS Ingredients 4 free range eggs1 tin chopped tomatoes2 fresh chillies1 clove garlic finely chopped1 tbs vegetable oil1 tsp ground coriander1 tsp sugar Half tsp ground cumin Half tsp chilli powder Salt and black pepper Coriander Method Heat up the oil in a frying pan, then gently cook all the ground spices for up to a minute, making sure not to burn them. Add the garlic and quickly empty in the tin of tomatoes. Fill the tin with water and add to the pan. Season well, add the sugar and stir. Leave to simmer until dark red in colour – this should take approximately 20 minutes. When the sauce is thickened, make four indentations in the liquid and crack an egg in each. Cover the pan…

WALDEGRAVES HOLIDAY PARK Essex Mersea Island, Essex CO5 8SE 01206 382898 waldegraves.co.uk 1 March – 30 November Located on Mersea Island, overlooking the beach and waters of the Blackwater Estuary, Waldegraves Holiday Park has lots of on-site offerings to keep all ages happy. There is an outdoor heated pool, play areas, crazy golf, pitch ’ n’ putt, table tennis, fishing lakes and a family arcade. In the evenings, you can head to the Granary bar and restaurant for food, then over to the Barn & Wheatsheaf Clubhouse that plays host to children’s fun in the early evening, followed by cabaret and comedy acts later on. Four-legged family members are not forgotten, either, with the provision of a dog exercise area. The holiday park has five large non-electric camping fields plus…

AdobeStock “I find blow-up tents pretty futuristic. The air tubes have a pleasingly chunky look, and the way they unfurl as they inflate is very satisfying” SO, HERE’S A THOUGHT. What will campsites, and camping, look like in 2050? Now, the way things are going, I’m tempted to paint a bleak, dystopian picture where our whole lives resemble a mixture of a Bear Grylls survival show and that scary film, The Road. Maybe we’ll all be living under whatever bits of corrugated iron or tarpaulin we can find. But let’s put on our happy hats and hope for the best, eh? Let’s go space age, instead. I already find tents with blow-up supports pretty futuristic. The air tubes give them a pleasingly chunky look, for a start, and the way they…

SEEP SPONGES • £9.50 • theseepcompany.com In an ever-growing bid to be more mindful of Mother Nature, we’re constantly looking for less harmful ways to do everyday tasks and that includes when camping. Trying to recycle properly is one and another is swapping to more eco-friendly versions of essentials, like the common washing-up sponge. Seep reckons 600 million sponges are thrown out each year in the UK alone and so it has introduced a 100% compostable version, made using wood pulp and natural loofah fibres. The company reckons the sponges need less soap than traditional plasticbased options and after a month (an average life cycle for a sponge), the entire thing can be popped into your kitchen composter or garden compost bin. RAB CIRRUS HUT SLIPPERS • £30 • trekitt.co.uk…

Every year the Camping team spends hours testing trailer-loads of camping gear. And do we do this simply because we enjoy it? Of course not. It’s all to help you, the camper. We spend all that time messing around with the latest gadgets so you don’t have to. Because, as crag-faced Canadian rocker, Bryan Adams, once sang (almost), “Everything we do, we do for you”. Of course, I’m joking. It sincerely is a pleasure to spend your working day putting the latest camping gear to the test. You really do come to appreciate how much work goes into every aspect of the design and development of new products when you actually use them the way they are supposed to be used. And when I said we do it all for…

Campsite Of The Month East Fleet Farm is set in a beautiful location with glorious views over the lagoon and close to several sandy beaches. It’s a family-friendly site where you can explore the natural, undisturbed surroundings while taking advantage of top-notch facilities, including a lovely bar and restaurant. This is an AA five-gold-pennant-awarded park, set in the heart of Dorset on the shoreline of the Fleet, a sheltered lagoon renowned for its wildlife inhabitants. The Fleet is a tidal stretch of brackish water and is a nature reserve, so swimming, fishing and boating aren’t allowed. However, it is wonderful to stroll along the shore in the evening to admire the stunning sunsets and enjoy stargazing under a dark night sky. If you’re looking for something more energetic than a…

Despite the appeal of getting away from it all, at peak times campsites can be pretty busy and most site etiquette comes down to a combination of common sense, courtesy and mutual respect. The written rules on sites are usually prominent and easy to follow; the unwritten rules are usually based on simply being a considerate person. When you arrive at a campsite, take the time to read and understand the rules and make sure the others in your party are also in the picture. As far as making sense of the rules and customs goes, the simple advice is: be aware and, if in doubt, ask. BOOKING AND ARRIVAL • When you make a booking, be clear about what you want and expect and what you are paying to…

For longer family holidays you need a large family tent, with spacious living and sleeping areas. It’s important to have enough space for the whole group to relax comfortably. And don’t forget you will need storage space for your baggage and gear. So why not consider going large? In this round-up, we are classing XL tents as seven-berth and above – some can even house as many as 12 people! – and they are available in either inflatable or traditional poled versions. Even if there are only four of you, the super-size might be the best option as it allows you to really spread out and relax. If the weather is poor, that extra space will really be appreciated as you’ll spend more time inside. It’s the same for trips…

Picture courtesy of Vango After your tent, sleeping bags are probably the most important pieces of camping gear you’ll buy. Making the right choice is vital to ensure a good night’s sleep – and that can be the difference between a brilliant camping trip and a disaster of a holiday. Sleeping bags come in a variety of weights, pack sizes and warmth, depending on your needs. From luxury doubles for family camping trips to cosy mummy bags for outdoor adventures, especially in cold temperatures, sleeping bags really do come in all shapes and sizes, plus specifications. There are many factors that will affect how you experience a bag’s performance – your height, weight, shape and how warm or cold you sleep. If you only want to buy one bag then…