At this time of year the drizzle, pelting rain and greyness can make a walk seem pretty unappealing to kids and adults alike. However, having been cooped up for the whole the day before we felt a tramp in the fresh air was necessary. The rain had abated but it was far from a crisp mid-winter day. The kids were not convinced so I thought a game might fuel their enthusiasm. Nature Bingo is great but my kids have played it a lot, so I thought a variation was in order and thus Nature Tally was born! Continue reading
All I want for Christmas…(the gadgets)
The summer camping season seems a long time away but I am already idly daydreaming about next year’s perfect camping spot. In this utopian vision I have a few little added camping gadgets. Perhaps you could add these to your christmas wish list or buy them for the camper in your life!
The kelly kettle is a wild camping classic. It will boil water in approx 5 mins with a little fuel such as twigs or pine cones. Incredibly efficient and no need to carry liquid or gas fuel. Perfect for a ‘wild’ cup of tea.
Click to buy on Amazon
Small ‘Trekker’ Kelly Kettle® Alu. (0.57 Ltr / 1 pint) £36.95 on Amazon
A really good penknife is invaluable! 
The Leatherman Wave is perhaps the best multi tool on the market. Well appointed, incredibly strong but compact, a truly satisfying thing to own. Its features include a saw tool, as well as a couple of blades and the pliers are unbelievably useful in so many situations.
Click to buy on Amazon
Leatherman Wave Multi Tool with Leather Sheath £84.99 on Amazon
If this seems a little much have a look at the Victorinox Nomad. A funky design, a bit more simplistic in terms of the tools provided but a very handy tool for camping.
Click to buy on Amazon
I know most people will have matches or a lighter to light their fire but admit it a Firesteel is much cooler! A pretty inexpensive piece of kit and apparently this is the one that Ray Mears recommends!
Click to buy on Amazon
Swedish Army Firesteel £13.99 on Amazon
Maglite have always made excellent quality torches. The LED version is no exception but the added benefit of fantastically bright LEDs which will last for sooo much longer than the traditional bulb and won’t run the batteries down.
Click to buy on Amazon
Maglite 2DCell LED Torch £22.43 on Amazon
And finally… How about some real camping luxury. Proper coffee. The Handpresso is the ultimate portable coffee maker, this version can be used with pods or ground coffee. Brilliant.
Click to buy on Amazon
Handpresso Wild Hybrid Espresso Maker for Ground Coffee and Pods £89.64 on Amazon
Some great ‘Nature’ books!
If you and your family enjoy spending time in the great outdoors it is worth investing in a few books to encourage your children to engage with what they are seeing and to help you answer those tricky ‘What’s that purple flower?’ questions.
‘Usbourne Spotters Guide to Nature”
Click to buy on Amazon
- A guide to most common flowers, trees, birds and insects with an easy to use layout.
- Acts both as a reference guide and as a ‘bingo’ where things can be ticked off when they have been spotted.
- Ideal for children aged 6 -10.
- Fairly bulky, not too big but not pocket size either.
- Lovely clear illustrations and extra information about things like bird migration, identifying trees etc.
- Rolls some of the other Usbourne guides into one, so good value from £7.67 on Amazon.
‘I SPY Nature’
Click to Buy on Amazon
Click to buy on Amazon
The ‘I SPY’ books are a great classic some of us will remember from our childhoods. They are small and portable with the added ‘Bingo’ element. We have ‘I Spy Nature’ but I have just noticed the box set which at only £6.20 for 4 books and a notebook in a sturdy box seems an absolute bargain. Could be a perfect stocking filler!
- A simple mostly pictorial layout.
- Great for 4-8 year olds.
- It will help your child engage with nature but don’t expect an in depth guide.
- An absolute bargain at £2.50 for the single book.
- Perfectly portable size, even for little hands.
‘Food for Free’
Click to buy on Amazon
Ever fancied a little foraging whilst on a walk or camping? You’d be amazed at how much edible stuff you pass by.
- This great, classic guide is now available in the ever handy Collins Gem size.
- It advises what to look for, where and what to do with it once you have found it. I always take it with me. One day we will make an entire Ray Mears style meal. In the meantime it’s just fascinating to know what is out there!
- Did you know you can eat goose grass (you know the sticky stuff you can hilariously stick to the back of your friend’s jumper), ground elder and cow parsley!
- Only £3.74 for a Gem edition or £16.24 for a luscious, hard back edition to keep at home.
Click to buy on Amazon
Bongo Conversion Options
Bongo Camper Conversions
There are several basic conversion layouts you can add to your Bongo if you want it to be a campervan.
A rear conversion – includes a kitchen unit in the boot, accessed by opening the tailgate.
A full side conversion – all the original seats are removed and a kitchen unit and several storage cupboards installed down the full length of one side of the van plus a rock and roll bed.
A mid conversion – the middle seats are removed and a kitchen unit and some storage are added on one side. The original back seats are retained.
Different converters offer a multitude of variations on these basic layouts. In the end it all depends on your requirements.
Other considerations in your conversion. Continue reading
Buying a Mazda Bongo.
How to buy a Bongo
There are a few options on how to get your hands on a Bongo. Each has its own benefits and pitfalls. Continue reading
So you are thinking about buying a Bongo?
Bongo adventures!
The reasons for buying a campervan are many and varied. Whatever, the reason, if you have ever seriously considered buying one you will have noticed there is a wide variety of campervans to choose from. Continue reading
A Saturday Afternoon in Box
Last Saturday the sun was shining, the sky was blue and the air was September crisp. On a day like this one just has to get outside. The husband was away so the girls and I decided on an ‘explore’ trip. This is where we visit somewhere we haven’t been before and have a good explore! Continue reading
Make your own ink!
My 7 year old daughter is fascinated by the recent TV series Jimmy’s Forest. Having watched an episode in which Jimmy makes ink from oak galls, she became interested in how we might make our own ink. Initial surveys of the internet came up with rather complicated recipes involving chemicals that do not exist in the everyday kitchen pantry. However, my mind quickly jumped from ‘ink’ to natural dyes, surely no big difference. Continue reading
Campsite Review: Cornish Tipi Holidays, Nr Port Isaac, North Cornwall
Where: Cornish Tipi Holidays, nr Port Isaac, North Cornwall
How Much: For camping, £45 per night
Campfires: Yes, in dug pits surrounded by stones.
Wood: Yes, sold by the warden. Also it is possible to collect wood in the woods, ask Oggy for good places.
Types of camping: Tents, campervans and Tipis (different prices)
Facilities: Showers, toilets, outside washing up areas, lake with row boats and life jackets.
The Review: Continue reading
September Camping
September skies.
The end of the holidays are drawing heartbreakingly near. Can summer really be over so soon? Is it time to pack away the camping gear, turn on the heating and rediscover the winter coats. No, of course not! Continue reading
YellowFields 