Outwell e-cAmp Magazine January 2014

ecAmp Shakespeare’s country

Swiss special

Light fantastic

Mark Songhurst visits Dodwell Park in Warwickshire and finds an excellent base from which to explore this beautiful county

Check out this Guyrope Gourmet take on rosti – a hearty snack in itself or the perfect accompaniment to any meal

Drive back these dark nights – John Traynor has a few thoughts on lighting that will help guide you in the buying process

Read more on page 4

Read more on page 5

Read more on page 6

ecAmp Magazine

e e-cAmp magazine JAnuary 2014

ecAmp magazine ecAmp Magazine

INNOVATIVE FAMILY CAMPING

ecAmp Magazine ecAmp magazine WIN Superb chairs up for grabs in our first competition of the New Year – CHECK IT OUT ON Page 8

editor’s welcome

clive garreTt

Our very own Outwell camper

N

ew year, new plans. And, I hope, many of these will include camping with the many friends that my wife, Tricia, and I have made through Outwell.

Last year proved a welcome relief from the previous poor camping seasons and provided some very happy memories that we captured in pictures ready to resurrect fond memories throughout the winter months.

It is such reminiscing that encourages plans to be made in readiness for the off when the weather improves. And it also reminds us to maintain the camping equipment when those memories dwell on any losses or damage that might require attention.

One of the biggest delights for me as the year closed was slowly going through all the great pictures that you entered in our Image of the Year 2013 competition. You may not realise how your pictures inspire and delight, playing an important part in the whole Outwell Camping Experience – but, believe me, they do!

content

The competition brief was intentionally vague for I wanted to see what subject matter really epitomised camping for you.

And the results were stunning for the emotions they contained and the way they acted as a catalyst by promoting emotions in others show the power of imagery.

We have included some of the pictures in a gallery on our Facebook page and on the back page in this issue of e-cAmp for you to enjoy. But I’m going to announce the winner and include the Image of the Year 2013 on this page. Why? Because, for me, this picture sent in by James Hitchings represents how outdoor living can unite generations, creating the foundation on which to build those unforgettable outdoor family moments.

So, congratulations, James, and I hope you enjoy your fantastic prize of great-looking and practical Outwell furniture as much as I enjoy contemplating your picture.

I hope that you will all continue to send in your images. And just to keep you entertained I aim to do some gorilla competitions and periodically award Outwell fans for their best pics. No, I’m not going to announce when I aim to run one of these competitions but will do it entirely by whim.

Meanwhile, all the best for the forthcoming camping season. There are some great new and exciting products on our 2014 website, outwell.com if you fancy a treat to celebrate our great pastime…

Clive Garrett Editor

3 Meet the fans We meet Martin Bielig, an enthusiastic fan from Germany

3 Open Air John Traynor takes us on an off-beat ramble through an outdoor writer’s camping life

4 Site reviews Dodwell Park, near Stratfordupon-Avon, is ideal for exploring Warwickshire, says Mark Songhurst

5 Cooking with Outwell Guyrope Gourmet visits a Swiss classic with a twist – the perfect accompaniment to any dish

6 Technical feature John Traynor trips the light fantastic to provide a little illumination on lanterns and torches

7 Topic of the month Camp fires and barbecues really lift outdoor life but let’s keep things safe with a few handy rules, folks!

8 Competitions Enter our easy New Year competition for a chance to win one of three comfy Outwell chairs

Editorial

Outwell Image of year 201the 3

Issue: January 2014 Editor Clive Garrett editorial@outwell.com Publisher Lotte Simonsen los@oase-outdoors.dk Design Kaja Damgaard Please note, email addresses are for editorial use only – product related emails should be sent to info@outwell.com Copyright © 2013 Oase Outdoors ApS. All Rights Reserved.

Use of information, content and images only by written approval from the editor or publisher.

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Oase Outdoors. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of this magazine is accurate, but we assume no responsibility for any affect from errors or omissions. While every care is taken with unsolicited material submitted for publication we cannot be responsible for loss or damage.

Camping brings generations together to enjoy outdoor living in the perfect surroundings – this is the foundation on which we create those unforgettable family outdoor moments 2 e-cAmp magazine January 2014

meet the fans

open air

Visit us in Germany

If you know the Outwell Camping Club Germany fan club on Facebook then you’ll know Martin Bielig from Pöhlde in the Harz foothills in Germany. He enjoys camping with the love of his life, Steffi, and their children, Eike and Karla. He would love to share north Germany’s great campsites so time for a visit soon!

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artin tells me he started camping in 2010 – although Steffi is was already an experienced camper.

He says: “We are campers because we love to be at one with the nature – to hear the wind and the ocean while snug in our sleeping bag is so great and feels good!

“Our children (15-year-old Eike and 12-year-old Karla) don’t want to stay in hotels – they say camping is so much cooler! We even take our dog, Louis, so camping is the perfect family holiday.”

In Martin’s opinion Outwell is the perfect camping brand for “It has a great community and the best gear!”

Martin has two Outwell tents: “We normally use our Nevada M with awning. But, since our last break we have a Smart Tunnal Fusion 300.

We love the pitching and its flexibility. We now have a small tent just for two and

M

artin owns two Outwell tents, including a Nevada M with front awning (right). Many campers find this award-winning tent the perfect blend of size, ease of pitching and flexibility, with the awning providing the extra living space for longer family holidays. No wonder the UK’s leading consumer organisation Which? gave it Best Buy status!

a big tent for the five of us when needed.”

Martin is certainly an Outwell fan and he is slowly equipping the family tent with all the accessories. He says: “I got an Outwell eight cup coffee maker for my birthday this year. I need my coffee in the morning and it brews a superb cup – it makes a great start to the day.“ Martin would love to welcome campers to Germany and points out that they have many beautiful campsites – and especially recommends those around the Baltic an absolute dream.

And I can quite understand his feelings when I check out the family’s favourite site on the Internet. Campingplatz Am Freesenbruch at Zingst looks stunning and sits a mere 100m from the beach.

I think I may skip the site’s Freesen Lounge in favour of the Zum Deichgrafen and

beer garden: in the summer they have a weekly open-air fish buffet with smoked fish and smoke sausage snacks accompanied by live music.

One for my travel plans!

However, for Martin and his family it is the opportunity to play together on the beach: “It’s so much fun for all of us.” Yes, their dog, Louis, takes part, too.

Exploring the local countryside by bike also plays an important part in family entertainment – as do playing cards games and reading. They spend a lot of time with a good book and pack of cards.

As for Martin’s advice to campers, new and old: “To all of you who do not know Outwell at the moment, look to your computer, mobile or tablet and visit the Facebook communities. Here you’ll find the best information and a place to enjoy all the fun!”

John Traynor with an outdoor writer’s ramble through camping life. Follow John on Twitter @jtopenair

O

ver the years, I’ve written many features on picking a campsite. I hope they were all sensible and even inspired.

With time, I’ve realised that two key factors have proved the resilient themes in site searching: word of mouth and serendipity.

For every well-researched, carefully selected site there has been at least one that I heard about or stumbled across. In terms of enjoyment these lucky finds prove far more satisfying than the former.

Obviously only you know what site suits you and your family, but comfort of the familiar and a closed mind can lead to a succession of bland trips. Happily, location and facilities often fall away compared with personality and style. Sometimes, an average site is lifted by lovely people – at reception or as neighbours.

Sadly, in my experience, the larger the site and more remote the owners, the less chance there is to have fun. So, if you get a cool greeting or stroppy welcome, move on and enjoy yourselves elsewhere – isn’t that one of the best things about camping?

Ignore the easy option to make excuses when challenged about moving on for, although unpleasant, it is better by far for site and campers to stand up and state why – it helps everybody in the long run.

The ‘best site’ may be an impossible universal goal but, by mixing up weekends on new sites with longer breaks on old favourites, you can enjoy well-earned holidays and keep the pot of discovery bubbling along nicely with little chance of becoming overcooked or going off.

We all have favourite settings and locations and there is no way they can ever be wrong because they’re personal. But, please, give new sites and new places a chance – it may just change your camping experience for the good!

January 2014 e-cAmp magazine 3

Site reviews

Class act Above: Facilities sit conveniently with pitches. Top left: Pitch size is fairly generous. Bottom left: Friendly welcome from Linda and Dave

Our Kenilworth trade show saw the visiting Outwell fans stay at Dodwell Park, near Stratford-upon Avon. And it proved the perfect base from which to explore this delightful part of Warwickshire, says Mark Songhurst The site his charming site is located only a few miles away from Stratford-upon-Avon, in the heart of Shakespeare country. It comprises part residential and part touring with large gently sloping pitches.

For me, one of the most important things has to be a warm and friendly welcome to a campsite and Dodwell Park excels at this, from the friendly greeting, to being shown to your pitch and having things like the water points shown to save you searching means that any stay here will get off to a good start.

The on-site shop/off-licence carries a good range of the essentials and provides news papers. A number of the local take-aways deliver to site.

The site itself has been a family business for more than 50 years and is beautifully kept. There is a dog walk field that also has plenty of space for children to be let off the leash and run off some energy.

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Dodwell Park Evesham Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 9SR

There is a bus stop outside the site with connections into Stratford on a regular basis – although the road is busy if you are thinking of crossing it with children.

The area This area is new to me and I was pleasantly surprised to find that, whilst there is a lot of Shakespeare history and tourist attractions in Stratford, there are also plenty of shops and a scenic river walk to explore. And the area has more than its fair share of rich landscape, pretty villages and superb towns.

• Royal Leamington Spa – excellent shops, eateries and elegant parks.

• Treat yourselves to the Warwick Castle experience – it’s out of this world.

• The ruins of Kenilworth Castle are well worth a visit.

• The Cotswolds and Malvern Hills are within easy reach.

• Wellesbourne market is huge!

Web: dodwellpark.co.uk Tel: 01789 204957

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Facilities • Electric and non-electric pitches • Toilets and free showers

Tourism Information A few ‘official’ on-line information sources exist but try visitstratforduponavon.co.uk

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Hair dryers Public telephone and post box Washing-up facilities Site shop and off-licence Gas sales Games field Dogs welcome Bus stop outside of site

Eating out The site’s nearest restaurant is a curry house, which by reputation is reasonable and also delivers. We ate at The Bell Inn, nearer the town centre. The food was good, service friendly but it is busy with locals so it pays to book. Alternatively drop into the town centre and enjoy your pick of the pubs.

Above: Stratford-upon-Avon is a tourist’s dream location and fun to explore Eat local One of the best farmer’s markets in Warwickshire is held in Stratford on the 1st and 3rd Saturday each month. Web: stratforduponavonmarkets.co.uk and there are a number of good farm shops nearby, like Talton Mill Farm Shop.

Did you know?

Shakespeare stipulated in his will I give unto my wife my second-best bed, with the furniture.

guyrope gourmet

Rosti

Sh op pin g

lis t

Ingredie nts – S erves fo ur ✓ 500g waxy po tatoes (Charlo ttes are good) ✓ One s mall onio n, peeled ✓ 100g h aloumi, coarsely ✓ Sprig grated of fres h rosem with st ary, cho alk remo pped ved ✓ Fresh ground black pe pper Enjoy!

A Swiss favourite A thankful nod is tipped in the direction of Deri Reed, The Ethical Chef, for this one. I saw him cook it up at one of his demonstrations at the Really Wild Food Festival in St David’s. The thing that caught my eye was the fact that he put haloumi in it. This of course is my approximation of the dish and I dare say that Deri would do a better job! The thing to note is that you do not need to add salt to this recipe, as the haloumi is salty.

P

Cookbook news

ar-boil the potatoes whole with the skin on for four minutes. Remove from heat, drain and top up the pan with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, grate the potatoes into a large bowl using the coarse side of the grater. Don’t worry about the potato skin as most of it will end up in your hand after grating. Next, grate in the peeled onion and the haloumi.

Finely chop the rosemary and add that to the bowl along with a good grind of black pepper. Mix the whole lot thoroughly with your fingertips – it gets a bit sticky so have a cloth to hand!

You now have the choice of making individual portions or cooking the whole lot together in one and dividing later – it’s really up to you. Either way, pour a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and bring to heat. Add the rosti and spread evenly over the whole of the bottom of the pan (unless going for the individual option in which case you need a small handful per portion). Squash flat with the back of a wooden spoon and simmer gently for about four minutes. Flip the rosti in the pan by tipping it on to an oiled plate and then placing the uncooked side down in the hot pan. Cook for a further four minutes to brown off.

You can find more delicious recipes from Josh in the new Guyrope Gourmet cookbook, published by Punk Publishing with our support. And you can support the author by purchasing your signed copy from the Guyrope Gourmet website here.

We would love to hear from all budding Guyrope Gourmets and share your recipes with other Outwell campers in e-cAmp magazine – just send them with a few images to editorial@outwell.com

January 2014 e-cAmp magazine 5

Technical features

Trip the light fantastic E

very camper should have a selection of lights in the gear cupboard. Not only do they allow you extra social time rather than taking to the bed as soon as the sun sets, but they should also be kept close to hand in case you need to shed light on any night-time emergency – even if it is just for that early morning comfort trek across a dark campsite, says John Traynor high light settings. The low setting is perfect for illuminating close areas, like the pages of a book when reading, that might dazzle under a more intense beam. High settings are perfect for those walks to the toilet block.

Area lighting, in and out of the tent does just that – lights up a wide area. Or, perhaps, is used as ‘mood’ lighting. Tasks, particularly shared, need a combination of area and personal lighting - playing board games, cooking, eating. Unless, that is, you can play psychic Scrabble or would rather not see your camping companions! Long periods of use makes the choice of power source a key consideration, with rechargeable, mains electric and sustainable energy sources being popular options to reduce running costs.

Above: There is a huge choice of lights available from Outwell. This Colima Classic collapses down for easy transport and storage

Did you know…

Unlike a traditional incandescent bulb, an LED will only work if the power flows in the right direction across the two materials that comprise the semi-conductor. Make sure you insert those batteries with their poles in the right places if you want an LED to light up!

T

he idea of a candle-lit tent interior always appeals to me but my survival instinct always nips the impulse in the bud. Most of us don’t give much thought to lighting when scheming about camping and the lack of it is hardly likely to ruin a trip. On the other hand, it can add extra fun, comfort and a little safety.

Addressing the latter first, a simple torch makes all the difference in negotiating your way out of the tent and across unfamiliar ground for a loo block visit in the dark. Whilst the moon and stars might light the way, a dancing beam of light is a better bet. Plus, if the tent needs sorting out through the night, a decent lantern, hanging or free-standing, makes all the difference; remote control makes life even easier. And anyone who has used a head torch for hands-free convenience when tackling those urgent jobs in the dark will vouch for their classification as an essential addition to the camping cupboard.

Broadly, lighting falls under two broad headings – personal and area; both have been changed by LED (light emitting diodes) bulbs, particularly in terms of power and durability. According to a friend, diodes are Welsh poems – groan! In fact, a diode is a basic semiconductor device and LEDs are little light bulbs that fit neatly into an electrical circuit. As they don’t have a filament, they won’t burn out and they hardly get hot. The illumination comes from the movement of electrons in the semiconductor material - honest. Compared with conventional incandescent bulbs, LEDs are very energy efficient, longer lasting, more compact and more durable – little wonder then that they have virtually superseded the traditional torch bulb in outdoor lighting.

Having a personal source of light handy, whether for reading, cooking or just making spooky faces in the dark, complements lanterns in and around the tent. Head torches (or head lamp if you’re on the Continent) are great as they leave your hands free and always light where you’re looking. These will often have a choice of low and

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 1. Our Castor uses mains electric 2. The Superior 400LX-R has a remote control and a special hanging option 3. New for 2014, the Great Bear is a combination of lantern, torch and table/reading lamp 4.This Colima Classic is rechargeable for economy 5. The chic Aquila looks great on the table has touch-sensitive operation 6. The handy new Virgo torch 7. Vela 1W head torch for hands-free convenience

topic of the month

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Hot issue Although fun and often essential to the camping experience naked flames and extreme heat sources are hazardous and should be treated with respect. John Traynor mulls over a few safety points to mix in with a healthy dose of common sense

Tent/Awning/Extension/Gazebo… safety tips • Don’t use naked flames, including candles, in or near your tent.

• Smoking in a tent is a crazy fire risk.

• Keep matches and lighters away from children.

• Gas cylinders and flammable liquids (that includes spirits for drinking) should be kept outside the tent and away from children.

• Keep a bucket of water and a fire blanket handy; an extinguisher is worth its weight in gold. Know how to use them.

• Don’t use cooking appliances anywhere near walls and roof or where they can be bumped into and knocked over.

• Keep your cooking area clear of flammable material. The result of knocking a bottle of cooking oil over a lit stove was frightening.

• Make sure you know how to put out a clothing fire - ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ is essential; pass it on.

If your clothes catch file: STOP still – don’t run – and cover your face with your hands DROP down to the ground ROLL your body over and over to put out the flames Barbecue safety tips • Check that your barbecue is in good working order and stable; even the simplest ones.

• Keep water handy in case of emergencies • Make sure your barbecue site is on level ground and that the barbecue is stable.

• Don’t overload your barbecue with lighting fluid or charcoal.

• Never spray lighting fuel on warm coals to ‘revive’ the barbecue.

• Make sure children and pets stay away from the barbecue. I once saw a dog tethered to a barbecue leg – they were lucky a rabbit didn’t hop by.

• Don’t leave barbecues unattended.

NEVER bring a charcoal barbecue into the tent as a source of heat.

As well as the fire hazard, anything with a naked flame creates carbon monoxide and the risk of death by poisoning is a real hazard.

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 1. Safe? This apparently neatly contained campsite fire in a wheel flared up when overloaded with wood and the wind picked up suddenly. Keep fires well away from your tent.

2. Know where fire-fighting equipment and alarm are located and where to find the nearest phone if mobile signals are dodgy 3. On well-organised sites, pitches will probably be marked out or campers advised on maintaining a safe distance between tents but, on most smaller sites, pitching can be something of a free-for-all. If you’re told to ‘squeeze in between those tents’ maybe you should look for another site. Read and follow the site’s fire regulations!

4. Make sure the barbecue is cool before disposing of it.

your tips Time to share tips that you find help improve camping life! Each month we publish a few from our postbag so drop us a line to the usual address, editorial@outwell.com and help us spread the knowledge...

• If you are going somewhere new find out facts like the facilities, whether or not you’ll need money for any workshops and food, how the site owner feels about fire pits, whether or not firewood will be available, if dogs are allowed, supermarkets in the local area etc. Hannah Ellis by email • When camping with children leave the battery-powered toys at home!

Instead take paper, crayons, little chalk boards and chalks and let nature be your toys. Kids have the most fun when they’re exploring so devise little treasure hunts. Cheap fishing nets are good for rock pools or catching bugs. Climb trees and just make the most of being outdoors.

A pack of cards and your own story telling will have kids engrossed at night. It’ll be the best fun your children will have and gets everyone involved. Diane Theaker by email January 2014 e-cAmp magazine 7

image of the year competition

Happy days in pictures

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or me, our Image of the Year competition proved a most rewarding experience.

It has been a delight to see the pictures that you think best sum up the camping experience for you. In fact, we loved them so much that we decided to award three runners-up two Black Hills chairs each!

Lesley Lafaut sent in pic 1 – ‘Breakfast in pyjamas’ that certainly appealed with us family campers, but it was her ‘Recovery’ pic (3) with which many of our hardworking Outwell ladies really related and netted Lesley a runners-up prize.

Our other runners-up were Jim Hutchins (2) who we felt captured the essence of the traditional campfire that many of us enjoy, while Tina Holt’s picture 4 is something that all us parents like to see when camping!

As a former motorbike camper I love picture 5 sent in by Michelle Else – just goes to show that you do not need a car to enjoy the Outwell Camping Experience. And picture 6 Withdrawal symptoms Missing my canvas so much right now... there’s only so many times I can take the gear out of storage boxes and clean it!! #rollon2014 Amy Robinson via Facebook

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 from Pam Holt reveals that a tent can take you to the most beautiful of places that can leave you quite awe struck.

We have already announced the winner in Editor’s Welcome but I would like to thank everyone for entering. Your pictures really

do inspire through these cold months. We always love to see your camping pics so please post them on Facebook or email them to me, Clive Garrett, at editorial@outwell.com – they could be our e-cAmp Image of the Month or the next big winner for 2014…

Put your feet up in comfort It is hard to beat kicking back on a campsite and watching the world go by while soaking up the sun. And we want you to do it in comfort and style so we are giving away three Outwell Windsor Hills chairs in this month’s easy-to-enter competition.

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he Windsor Hills is part of our Folding Furniture collection and features a foot rest for ultimate relaxation. The Folding Furniture collection is designed to provide a great-looking easy-to-use range for outdoor living where simplicity and storage are key considerations.

The chair is made from our new tough powder-coated hybrid steel/aluminium frame with our latest chic finish to the easy-tomaintain polyester fabric.

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The 3.8kg chairs are easy to carry in their handy carrybag measuring just 30 x 26 x 97cm. They open and fold in seconds.

When open they measure 88cm wide x 99cm high. With the foot rest in position the length extends from 66cm to 115cm.

For a chance to win this superb prize just visit the competition page on our website.

The winners will be notified by email as soon as possible after the close date.

TOTAL VALUE £180!