Beginner camping tips>help please

natian08

Hello all.I am looking at starting camping next summer so want to do the groundwork now.It will be me,my wife and my little boy.I have no experience other than festivals which is probably totally irrelavant.
Anyway to get to the point.Is there anywhere i can get this experience or just get out there and do it.Also would it be better to do commercial camping for a while to get used to it and pick up all the tips and experience there and maybe try wild camping after?Anywhere you could recommend around munster for either of these and lastly is there any camping groups or something of that nature where you could go in a group.Really looking forward to trying this so all and any information will be greatly appreciated and considered no matter how small.
Thanks in advance.

feck sake lads

are you talking car camping /cycle touring /backpacking;)
if cycle touring or backpacking well get your self light weight gear for obvious reasons;) take a look at the Hilleberg range of tents very expensive but super excellent tents bomb proof. sleeping stuff look at Alpkit.Exped,thermarest all great gear, cooking stuff gas stoves are best quick and clean optimus range is great.
if you check out some camping forums i'm sure you will gets loads of info.
anyway enjoy sleeping under the stars if you get it right it's only fantastic.;)

Roen

Well if you'll be camping from the car in camp sites then I'd either use what you have or go for something reasonably priced. You or one of the missus or kids may not take to it and you don't want to be left with expensive gear you'll need to sell on for a loss.

The Hilleberg range are something I'd love to get but seeing as the ones most suited to what I like doing are more expensive than my first car I'll stick with what I have for the time being.

You'll learn pretty quick what works and doesn't for you and more importantly what you can leave behind.

In terms of camp sites in Munster I'm not up on them as I tend to just stick to the local mountains here. But that's one of the beauties of camping, you can just up and off if you don't like where you find yourself. It's not like you've committed to a week in a hotel or anything.
I've stayed up in Connemara this summer and there's plenty of sites there in phenomonal locations.

Comeragh mountains are fantastic for camping, but be aware that leaving your car in a public carpark overnight in remote areas can be an invitation to have it broken into. I know it's an issue in Dublin/Wicklow and is also problematic here in Waterford the past ten years or so.
I was camping up there this week (really foul weather too) and I got the father to drive me up and collect me next day rather than leave my car in a place that's known for break ins. He used to ask a local farmer to park up in their yard when he camped years ago. Different times back then though.

Wild camping is a different propostion altogether. Every gram has to be justified as your pack gets real heavy real quick. Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and food all have to be carted on your back. That's where light weight strong expensive tents come in alright.

Best of luck and have fun!

Fuinseog

why not camp out in your garden to see how it could be? you also get a feeling for what you need and what you do not.

Cabaal

I'd also have to suggest the camping in your garden suggestion, pick a day next spring and basically cook and sleep out in the garden. Either that or just go to a camping park near to you and pay the few euro as this will give you a excellent idea of what to expect.

natian08

Sorry i know this is a while back but still valid for me so thank you for the replies.Been a bit busy with another new arrival lol.Anyway i actually have a classic Vw campervan which is very basic with just a sink and the beds.I will be getting an awning basically like a large tent to attach to the side of it.So basically i was looking for a way of getting the basic skills like what works best in different weathers,different foods that are easy to cook etc beforehand but my camper arrives next month so i guess i just dive right in and learn as i go.Any other links or info on camping groups still appreciated.Cheers.

feck sake lads

natian08 wrote: »

Sorry i know this is a while back but still valid for me so thank you for the replies.Been a bit busy with another new arrival lol.Anyway i actually have a classic Vw campervan which is very basic with just a sink and the beds.I will be getting an awning basically like a large tent to attach to the side of it.So basically i was looking for a way of getting the basic skills like what works best in different weathers,different foods that are easy to cook etc beforehand but my camper arrives next month so i guess i just dive right in and learn as i go.Any other links or info on camping groups still appreciated.Cheers.

wow you lucky sod my all time favourate van a true classic fantastic.:cool::cool::cool:,if its set up for cooking the just cook as you would at home no mystery to car camping, very best of luck with it .

Esel

My 2c - bring some insect repellent!

martinedwards

light dried stuff like pasta or rice rather than heavy old spuds!!!

natian08

martinedwards wrote: »

light dried stuff like pasta or rice rather than heavy old spuds!!!

Nice one was thinking the same.Good ol boil in the bag rice

martinedwards

when we go in the caravan, our first meal on site is pot noodle!

Chris O Donoghue

For breakfast we usually buy porridge in individual sachets, Lidl/Aldo have a range of flavours, very tasty. we also use individual cartons of juice to avoid carrying around large cartons/bottles, this also saves on glasses or washing mugs.

For lunch or dinner we'd often have noodles and frankfurters: quick, light and fast. Also if your gas runs out you can eat frankfurters cold, not nice but OK as a last resort. We gave up on frying things, even though sausages etc are very tasty in the outdoors its too messy to clean up after them.

The Knorr range of pasta dishes are OK too, just need boiling water, although I usually bring extra salami or something to add more taste. The Aldi/Lidl equivalents are fairly rotten so I wouldn't bother.

We use coffee sachets rather than jars, as there is less chance of breakage, same with sugar, salt etc (usually liberated from Supermacs or MacDonalds over the preceding few months)