Tips for keeping cool camping

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Camping is a nice thing to do in a heat wave, but it can need some careful planning to keep your food and drinks cool all weekend. Here are some tips:

  • pre-cooling. Use your fridge at home to thoroughly chill your drinks so that they really cold before putting them in your cool box
  • separate bar box. You need to keep drinking to stay hydrated, but every time you open your cool box some coldness gets out and some warmth gets in. Have two cool boxes – one for drinks and other items you want to access regularly and another for food which you are trying to keep cold for as long as possible.
  • ice bucket. In addition to putting frozen ice packs in your cool box, add a bag of party ice. It will melt to become cool water, but unlike air it won’t escape every time you open the box
  • frozen towel. Cover your ice box with a damp towel which has been frozen. This will melt and slowly dry out, but the evaporation will help keep it cool and it’s another layer of insulation too.
  • reflect the heat. I haven’t tried this one, but covering your cool box in something reflective will help keep the heat out
  • bring frozen supplies. Keeping food safe is very important – no one wants a tummy upset on a campsite!! Plan your menu and for the dishes you are having later in your trip freeze the meat. Cutting up the meat first can be a good idea, as if your cooling has worked well it may still be frozen when you come to cook it! Small bits will defrost quickly. Cooking large pieces from frozen runs the risk of the middle not cooking properly, but tiny pieces will defrost as they hit the pan and cook through safely.
  • bring frozen drinks. You could take with you some bottles of frozen water, which will initially act like ice packs, but can also be enjoyed as a cool drink. Remember water expands when it freezes so don’t fully fill the water bottles.

Hope these tips help you have an enjoyable camping trip in the hot sunny weather this summer.

R

Nessie’s all hot and bothered

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What could be nicer in a heat wave to go camping? That’s what we thought last weekend – especially as Nessie had been fitted with a new leisure battery, so we were hopeful of ice cubes in our drinks and maybe even some choc ices!!

We decided to go back to Hook Farm campsite as it is a an attractive site if you end up spending most of your time lying in the shade with a book. We hadn’t been there since August 2021 and it was nice to reminisce about our many previous happy trips there as we drove down the familiar roads.

Various shaped tents including a gazebo and a toilet tent pitched in long grass with trees surrounding.
A previous trip to Hook Farm

One of the things that makes the campsite attractive is the undulating nature of the site. Unfortunately that has a couple of downsides – one is that it’s hard to find a flat pitch, you just have to accept that everything will roll off the table and that you’ll slide down your tent in the night! Fortunately we have some little wooden wedges we keep in the bag with our Primus stove, so at least our cooking was safe! We have previously purchased some non-slip table mat stuff, but being as we hadn’t used it in years it was no longer in our camping box, so we didn’t have it with us!

I arrived first in Nessie, so it was my job to choose a pitch. I took it very seriously considering where the sun would rise and set, and which trees would give shade earliest. I was careful not to drive down any steep tracks given the experience of the other goat a previous time when the ground was damp and we nearly had to call the farmer to be pulled out as her wheels spun and spun in the mud!! However, even with my caution, I still got into trouble, as poor Nessie could not do any sort of gradient at all over the bumpy grass! There was one bit where I’d tried everything I could think of – reversing, a less steep bit of slope, low gear, and her wheels just kept spinning. I was going to give up and cry when a grannie came over and suggested to me a way I could reverse out onto the track. Fortunately her advice worked and once we were on the track again we were ok. I had located what I thought was the best spot, but sadly there was just no way Nessie could get there, so I drove back to the gate and waited for the other goat to arrive.

Fortunately there was a nice area by the gate where no one else was camping yet, so we decided to leave Nessie where she was and camp in that part of the field. Being as the weather was boiling, I slept in the awning (Barry) without it being attached to the van. You wouldn’t want to do it in rainy weather, but actually it was nice to see a view of the moon out the door and to wake up to a view of the clouds and trees.

We tried a new set up to try to make some shade. Our tarp skills aren’t very good, but we were pleased that it lasted all weekend. We used the shepherds hooks which worked better than tent poles as we could mallet them into the ground.

A fawn coloured square tarp casting shade over two camping chairs and atttached to a black gazebo tent.
Our tarp set up to make shade

We did very little on Saturday other than go for wander in woods and take a walk round the site to look at everyone else’s set up. There was lots of wildlife to see & hear on the site – a red kite, lots of butterflies, grasshoppers & crickets, song birds, but best of all was our sighting of a family of weasels as they scurried along the hedgerow! Neither of us had ever seen weasels before, so it was a real treat.

Sadly the new battery didn’t do the trick and the fridge died before the weekend was out. Fortunately we had other ways of keeping things cool … but another post to follow on that.

Sunday we packed with trepidation hanging over us – would Nessie make it up the steep drive?! First attempt she wasn’t happy as two wheels were on grass, but with a bit more reversing we managed to get all four wheels, on to the dirt track, put her in low gear and she made it!!

Poor nessie, this wasn’t her favourite camping trip!

L & R

Hiding from the builders

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Currently I have builders in. That’s a bit like camping in your own house!! I’m quite practised at camping, so that’s ok, but they’re envitably a bit noisy and they don’t need me getting in their way. Last week the sun was shining and I had a day off work, so I took myself off for a last minute camping trip in Nessie to hide from them!

In background silver campercar with the roof popped up. In front of it a chair and table with a glass of wine. In the foreground a small campfire in a msh firepit.

We didn’t go far – we just went to Etherley Farm, near Leith Hill. I booked last minute on the pitch-up website at lunchtime and that evening I was sitting in a field in the sunshine with a little campfire.

We’d been before there years ago. Since then the site has expanded to two fields and I am pleased to report that the toilets are now in a barn not a converted shipping container! I’ve updated our review here: Etherley Farm

Being as my house was full of builders, Harry, Larry, Barry & Harriet had all travelled with me in the boot. It wasn’t worth pitching them all for one night, so they slept there – and I slept in the roof bed! The weather is milder now, so it was plenty warm enough up there and I had a solid night’s sleep until the birds woke me in the morning.

I don’t usually take much interest in campsite showers – I much prefer to have a nice hot bath when I get home, than faff around with campsite showers. However, my bath at home is currently very dusty & dirty from the building work, so when I saw that there was a whole row of showers in the abultions barn, I decided to risk trying them out – and was pleasantly surprised that they showers were hot and quite powerful.

I was only away for one night… but sometimes 24 hours in the greenery and sunshine is all you need!

L

Pitstop at a Britstop

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One of the advantages of having a campervan should be cheap, flexible travel, but not quite brave enough to sleep in a layby, a few weeks ago, I thought I’d try out the Britstops website . This is a list of places which let you sleep in their car park for free. They are mainly places like pubs, which sign up to the website in the hope of benefiting from your custom, although there is no obligation to purchase anything.

Here’s a picture of my accomodation earlier this month, with Nessie tucked round the side of a pub in the beautiful Surrey countryside.

A traditional Surrey pub with purple wisteria climbing over the front and yellow flowers in the window boxes and a large red-leaved tree in front. To the right you can just see a silver campervan parked to the side of the building.

I spent the afternoon catching up with a friend and then drove to the pub where I enjoyed a taste meal and couple of drinks before settling down in my van for the night. The following morning I explored the village and then met up with some other friends for a picnic lunch in the Rhododendran Wood and a walk up Leith Hill.

I’d do it again, maybe venturing slightly further afield next time. It’s a good option if you’re just looking for somewhere to stop off on a journey rather than wanting to set camp and settle in.

L

All girls like flowers!

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All girls like flowers… and that includes Nessie! Fresh flowers aren’t so practical in a van, but these ones make every dinner table look great. They are handmade and were given to me as a gift.

Table set for dinner with a steel wine glass, a bowl of risotto and a vase of flowers made from fabric.

And these are a craft I did on a holiday some time ago at Manor House Hotel – and only finished off recently! They are made from quilled paper.

A notice board with thermometer and notepad held in place with loch ness monster drawing pins. In front a tiny vase of paper flowers.

You’ll also see the updated pin board. The latest addition is the thermometer which I think will be really handy. The Nessie pins were a gift a long time ago from a friend, but they have now come into their own. The board itself is made from cork place mats stuck onto the van wall with velcro.

Looking forward to lots of adventures in my home from home this summer.

L

The advantages of having a blog!

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A few weeks back I mentioned that I found my van Nessie difficult to drive in the rain because I am relient on my wing mirrors – and the side windows don’t have wipers! You can read about my various water-based problems here: This Nessie doesn’t like water!

But there are advantages to having a blog!! One lovely follower got in touch to suggest a product I might find helpful – rain-x. It’s widely available and I got a bottle in B&Q when I was on my Yorkshire roadtrip.

It was easy to apply, but I’ve been holding off blogging about it, because there’s been so little rain recently to test it out! Last weekend, on a drive back from the New Forest, I did finally get caught in a heavy shower, and the rain-x did make a difference. The water formed smaller droplets and seemed to run-off more quickly.

I put it on my wing mirrors as well as the windows, using a microfibre cloth. Poor Nessie rarely gets a wash because she lives on the street and I live upstairs, so I don’t have a hosepipe and it’s not very convenient to carry buckets up and down the stairs. Given this, there is also an additional benefit of her windows just being clean!!

Although we’re now all equipped for wet weather, I’m hoping there will still be plenty of sunshine for camping in this summer!

L

Gilbert’s first road trip

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Last weekend I set out on my first road trip of the season – and Gilbert’s first road trip ever!  He was excited!

First off, we drove up to Donnington near Telford to call in on a friend and see her new house.  It was a long drive – and, despite having a special travel seat, Gilbert maybe found it a little traumatic!

We stayed over at Willows Caravan Park nearby.  A nice site, seemed quite new and facilities were nice. I was texted instructions with a code to let myself in, fortunately there was a friendly warden on the other end of the phone to help me as I couldn’t work out how to use the unusual padlock!

There was just time for dinner and washing up and then it was bedtime.  I had taken a spot with electric hook-up and forgot that this meant the charging light would glow all night – must make a little cover for that!  I also forgot to switch the fridge off overnight.  By the time I remembered I was all cosy and tucked up in bed, so I thought it would be ok, but with all the excitement of the adventure, I think I slept quite lightly and it did wake me a few times.

In the morning I was joined by faithful Henrietta for breakfast, which was just as well as Gilbert was nowhere to be found!!

I searched everywhere for him while I did my camp chores and was beginning to think he must have decided to abandon me for a new life at my friend’s house! Finally, I spotted him – the trauma of the journey followed by the rough and inconsiderate way I’d swivelled the pilot’s seat, meant he’d spent the night hiding under the van!!!

Despite the fact it had rained, he was none the worse for it and felt much better after a special ride in my pocket to sit in the sunshine for a cup of real coffee – made in my lovely thermal cafetiere!

After coffee we were back on the road, driving across the Pennines.  We stopped off in Tadcaster for lunch – I had a nice sandwich in the Lemon Tree Café and Nessie had a nice big drink of petrol!!

I made it to Humanby just in time to meet my sister off the train.  We had a lovely few days in a friend’s cottage enjoying the sea views and exploring the local area.  We were particularly delighted by our afternoon tea in the Bondville Model Village nearby.  Although we weren’t camping we did enjoy making hot chocolate over a campfire on the beach! Benefits of always having everything in the back of your van – you can have an adventure at a moments notice!!

We also really enjoyed the pretty coloured pebbles on the beach and making some beach art.

A few days in the cottage and then it was back on the road again.  This time I came down the east side of the country and had my lunch stop at Clumber House – a national trust property.  This worked quite well as not only was the café nicer than a motorway services (it had bay windows overlooking an ornamental lake!), but it meant I had a proper break while I walked around the grounds and gardens.  I’m a National Trust member so it didn’t cost me anything to go in.  This meant it didn’t matter that I didn’t explore the whole place, but I did enjoy what I did see, including the impressive kitchen gardens.

Back on the road again, I spotted a sign to Elton Village Store, so I thought I’d go find it to have another little break and buy supplies for dinner.  It was a pretty village with a very friendly shopkeeper. It would be nice to go back and explore that area more sometime.

I made it to Ekeney House campsite near Olney in good time.  I had wanted to camp nearer Bedford but the campsite I’d tried to book was closed due to problems with their water supply. I was very glad it wasn’t dark when I arrived – the entrance was a single track farm track off a busy road which I had to drive down for over half a mile.  As I drove I was thinking ‘I hope it’s nice as this feels pretty isolated’. 

It didn’t start well. I knew I was to let myself in and pick my spot, which I did.  I then went to explore the facilities – there was a shower and a toilet, but I would have been too scared to use either!  I was frightened that if I managed to get the door to close on the metal container that housed the toilet, I might not be able to open it again and no-one would know I was there!!

Back at my van I made myself a cuppa, feeling relieved that I had my boxio toilet with me. Things started to look up when the campsite lady came over to visit me.  She was lovely and had lived there for over 50 years, telling me all about having planted the trees that have now grown up, the hyacinths she’d been planting recently and the peacocks and rhea birds that she keeps – and forewarning me of the funny noises they make!  Knowing that she and her extended family were in the house just over the hedge made it feel less isolated.

Feeling reassured, I went for a little walk to explore the area that had been planted as a woodland to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee in 2012 and came across a deer – who was even more surprised to see me! I then made dahl for my dinner as the sun set.

I was thinking to sleep up in the roof being as I wanted to be able to use the boxio toilet, but as I was getting ready for bed, I could feel the temperature in the roof area was colder than down below, so I made up the rock-and-roll bed instead. I still put the bed boards in the roof anyway and I think that did make a difference in keeping the downstairs bit cosy and warm.

In the morning, there was no opportunity for a lie-in as I was going to work in the Bedford office.  I’m very pleased to report that it was entirely possible to sleep in a van and turn up in the office to do a days work the following day… which opens up all sorts of possibilities for road trips without having to take leave!

As I set off to drive home, I thought the adventure was at an end – but I was wrong! Google maps didn’t even give me the option of going via the M25 instead taking me on the North Circular and through Hammersmith and Putney.  I’ve never driven in London before – it’s been one of my fears that I knew I should try and conquer one day, but hadn’t yet got round to.  Not sure dusk at the end of a long, tiring drive was the best time to tackle it, but I felt chuffed with myself for managing it … and I even quite enjoyed seeing the River Thames and the sunset over Wembley.

L

Nessie’s new shoes

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We had a safety moment in a work meeting recently based on National Highway’s TRIP campaign – encouraging you to have a safe journey by Topping-up (fuel, screen-wash & oil), planning Rest breaks, Inspecting tyres & Preparing for adverse weather. 

It’s not always easy for me to check Nessie’s tyre pressure as often she’s parked on a road that’s a bit busy, but this weekend I took advantage of the fact she was parked on a quieter road and that it wasn’t raining, to check her tyre pressure.  Having just thought about the TRIP campaign I also took a look at the tyres. To be honest, even knowing all about the 20p test, I still wasn’t that sure – there were good deep main treads, but as I looked at each in turn, some tyres had fewer little treads than others, and I suspected that meant some of them had been worn away.  One tyre also looked like the rubber wasn’t in great condition on the side either. 

I did what I always do when I’m unsure about car things – rang a lovely man called Ian at a local garage. He doesn’t do tyres, but he said he’d take a look at them for me to see what he thought of them.  He agreed that the front driver and rear passenger tyres could do with replacing. The front one wasn’t too bad, but he thought the back one was a bit deformed. 

I didn’t like the sound of a deformed tyre, so I rang a local tyre company and yesterday Nessie got fitted with two new tyres! I learnt that you find out what your tyre size is by reading the big numbers on the side of it and that it’s worth ringing ahead as they had to order them in for me.  They put both the new tyres on the front as apparently that will help their performance. 

This was fairly expensive…but then I thought of how much I spent on some new boots for myself recently – the price was comparable and I won’t walk nearly as far in them as Nessie will drive on her wheels!!!  Tyre issues are one of the most common causes of emergency breakdowns, so better safe than sorry… and I’ve decided not to begrudge Nessie her new shoes!

This Nessie doesn’t like water!!

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It turns out that, despite her name, my Nessie doesn’t like water!!

She & I have encountered two types of water recently – the first was the most spectacular, in the form of a ford! It didn’t look very deep and I could see plenty of other normal-looking vehicles in the car park just the other side of the ford at Frensham Little Pond, so Nessie and I ventured through. We made it out the other side, but there was a lot more water than I’d expected. The upside was that Nessie got a nice wash as the river water was relatively clean… the downside is that water went up the exhaust pipe for her heater.

I drove home a different way to avoid the ford, but I noticed a flashing red light I’d not seen before appear on the controls at the back of the van & my instruction manual said this meant you mustn’t use the heater. The little pipe that is the exhaust for the living area heater is quite low down (see bottom right of picture), so I was pretty sure there was water in there and that’s why she was unhappy. I contacted Sussex Campervans a few days later when it was still flashing and they suggested that I might just need to reset the heater & explained how to do that. But sadly, that didn’t work and the light has been flashing for a couple of weeks now.

Back view of Nessie

I’ve been consoling myself that at least it hasn’t stopping the hob from working and that I rarely use the heater anyway. The last couple of days have been sunny and really quite warm, so I was hopeful that might have dried any remaining water out… and good news!… another reset today and now the heater is functioning again!

Given that it’s taken a couple of weeks for the water to dry out, the other form of water Nessie and I have encountered quite a lot of recently is rain! Her windscreen wipers are good, so she’s not too bad to drive in normal rain, but in the rain in the dark is another matter entirely!

On the way home from the Frensham Ponds trip it was dark and rainy and I found the driving hard and tiring. It wasn’t until I was nearly home I realised why – Nessie’s rock-and-roll bed means I can’t use the rearview mirror and I drive just using her fairly big wing mirrors. Only the wing mirrors and side windows get rain on them and, unlike the rear windscreen, they don’t have wipers. Combine that with the fact it’s just generally trickier to judge vehicle speeds in the dark (particularly when merging and changing lanes on big dual-carriageways) and driving becomes hard work.

The following weekend, Nessie & I were off to the New Forest and I knew we’d have a good couple of hours of driving in the dark rain on both big motorways and tiny twisty forest roads. This time I was prepared from the previous dark rain trip – and I put the bed down so I could use the rearview mirror and rear wiper. It felt much easier and safer to drive her that way. And now I know what to do, I’m feeling braver about tackling some more road trips!

I’ve got a plan for later this month – watch this space!

L

Nessie has a new friend

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You will be pleased to know that not only did Nessie get festooned with tinsel on her dashboard for Christmas, but Santa brought her a new friend… meet Gilbert the Goat!!!

Fortunately Gilbert fits perfectly in the cup holder, so he’ll be able to travel safely when Nessie & I go adventuring!

Happy New Year!

L