The Camping Forum

[nutgone]

I could "do" a wood-burner (stove type, like the frontier one) inside the tent, but I still don't go in for fires on camp sites.

It's a personal taste thing really, when I said (above) about everything smelling of smoke & sparks/flying embers damaging materials, I was referring to fires outside the tent. Some don't think it's proper camping without some kind of camp-fire, but I see that as more of a wild-camping thing.

If I owned a site I wouldn't allow fires. I would consider proper fire pits, as long as there was no damage to the grass. But, unfortunately, you will always get some customers who take the mickey (just look at sites who allow fires but ask customers to "please use the areas already scorched by fires" only for people to start another fire within a few feet).

I quite like the concept of a wood/coal burning stove inside a tent though. They burn hotter than a camp fire or fire pit, & therefore give off less smoke & sparks.

I may change my mind on all of this however, after my new-years camp-out. It will be the first time I've camped that far into winter. I've done mid November before (some years ago), but never late December/early January.

[M0KAS]

The group of campers i normally camp with, take the "wood burner" but to be honest its only ever had wood burning in it once, yes once, first time we tried it, we found that the wood you can buy from garages, spits like mad, and burns way to fast, we have tried BBQ lump wood, and also the BBQ balls, but to be honest most of the time we use good old fashioned coal, we found it burns longer, keeps a nice low flame, and gives out lots of heat for toasting things, yes it spits now and again, but far less than other fuels,

To be honest, only true way to have a proper camp-fire is where they allow ground fires and a ember pit, esp if your cooking on the fire..

[evochic]

So is anyone camping xmas week ...

[Rob-merlin1973]

Nope not me

[M0KAS]

Not me either, my tents are all stored away for the winter, even the sleeping bag has been taken out of its stuff sack and put away until next year.. But sitting by a nice camp fire and camping over Christmas does sound good, but cooking Christmas dinner maybe a challenge though,,,

[nutgone]

I will be camping within a week of christmas, as I plan on being out there for 4 nights around new years eve.

I'm camping at the moment, just moved from Market Harborough & am now near Norwich. It's very windy & a few of the evenings have been very cold, but with a real canvas tent, gas lamp & heaters I'm very comfortable. I wouldn't want to be in anything other than a canvas tent in winter though, unless it was one of those super-dooper mountain tents. The canvas is noticeably warmer than my other poly tents, & it's bigger & it doesn't have a SIG in the living area. It's still warmer though.

I'm not doing EHU at the moment, as I don't see it as necessary for just myself, but I will be using it at the winter camp on new-years. I might be mad but I'm not stupid, a fan heater will definitely be going with me on that one!