Outwell e-cAmp magazine May 2014

ecAmp Golden campsite

Breakfast pancakes

Site bookings

We visit Oswaldkirk Golden Square campsite near York and discover why it is a firm family favourite with Mark and Janette Songhurst

Josh Sutton brings us a tasty Guyrope Gourmet recipe that brings back fond memories of people’s generosity

John Traynor checks out the Pitchup.com and discovers the versatility and convenience of booking sites through the Internet

Read more on page 4

Read more on pages 5

Read more on page 8

ecAmp Magazine

e e-cAmp magazine May 2014

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INNOVATIVE FAMILY CAMPING

in this mornathf’seature! two-pagPeageexst 6-7

ecAmp Magazine ecAmp magazine WIN

Bamboo Breakfast Set up for grabs in our easy to enter competition SEE PAGE 10

Supporting environmental charities

editor’s welcome

clive garreTt

Our very own Outwell camper

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onfession time. I think I might have slightly over indulged during the unofficial Outwell camp that my wife, Tricia, and I loosely put together at our local campsite at Folkingham to celebrate the start of the camping season. Mitigating circumstances include the superb weather, great surroundings, local hospitality and, of course, the company of 36 fellow Outwell fans.

Wine flu seemed to abound both Saturday and Sunday morning but it was certainly not picked up by the horde of children that happily let off steam. And, while us adults enjoyed Saturday ramble to the next village for a hair of the dog the kids took the seven mile round trip as if they were Olympic 100m runners. Ah, the energy of youth.

However, it was the effect that our group had on the surrounding countryside that got me thinking. Here was a graphic example to back the statistics published by the Camping and Caravanning Club that prove the worth of our pastime to local economies.

The two pubs we frequented, the campsite, village and farmer’s shops and ‘chocolate

factory’ all picked up a share of a substantial pot that we spent that weekend. And, in doing so, it helps keep those vital services open to the local community.

The warm welcome we received was heartfelt. Not due to the cash passing hands but more a comment of the locals’ happiness to see so many visitors appreciate their much-loved countryside. One villager unexpectedly commented: “It’s great to see kids having so much fun in the open air.”

We often look at camping as a pastime that benefits all who take part. But we should also appreciate that there is a knock on effect.

We consider our Outwell camping community as organic; an entity that includes our staff, business partners, consumers, and those who have yet to discover camping and our products. It also includes the environment and those who are directly or indirectly affected by our activity.

With this in mind and like all good community members we should all respect those around us and offer any support we can to help camping flourish. Eat and drink local and consider how our actions influence others are just a couple of ways that improve life and open doors to new experiences.

I hope that this good weather continues into the season. I’m looking forward to visiting new areas, meeting new people and, hopefully, sharing the creation of happy memories with a few fans along the way. I hope you are, too…

Happy camping!

Clive Garrett Editor

content 3 Meet the fans Vicky Watson tells us about her family’s camping life

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

4 Site reviews Mark and Janette Songhurst find Oswaldkirk’s Golden Square the perfect venue for family camps

5 Cooking with Outwell This month Guyrope Gourmet, Josh Sutton, serves up pancakes

6 Camping abroad Richard Walters provides an insight into camping abroad with his family – and why you should give it a go!

8 News, tips and ideas John Traynor and Outwell campers come up with news, ideas and tips to help your camping experience!

10 Image of the month The pics are flowing thick and fast!

10 Competitions Our easy-to-enter competition could net you a Bamboo Breakfast Set

Editorial Issue: May 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 © 2014 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.

Jenny Hodges sunny set up brightens up an early spring day 2 e-cAmp magazine May 2014

meet the fans

open air

Happy campers

Worcester family, Mark and Vicky (pictured here) Watson, are long term campers having enjoyed our pastime since childhood. Vicky says this love is something that they are keen to pass on to their lads, Alex (ten – pictured right) and George (eight – pictured left) – and Outwell is their choice of tent…

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s a child I spent my summers camping in the Lake District in a little four man ridge tent. How things have changed. There are a more luxuries now and toilets have improved! We all adore camping.

We have had so many tents over the years, but when upgrading our family tent last year I was properly introduced to Outwell by Amanda Byrne via the Facebook group that helped with initial advice.

I then must have watched every Outwell Guy video to check out every tent. The clip of the Montana in gale force winds, together with such strong group recommendations, convinced me no other brand would do.

A visit to the NEC show confirmed the Glendale 5 was for us. It offered the optimum space compared to weight and pack size – important given our limited transport capacity.

We have since added the side extension.

We also have a Kansas 5 for quick weekenders with the boys, such as the recent Folkingham camp.

Our favourite campsite is Eisteddfa near Criccieth in North Wales. I have been camping here since I met my husband more than 20 years ago. It is the perfect location to get to good beaches and into Snowdonia’s mountains.

It is a laid back site and the lovely owners, Drew and Karen, are so welcoming. The view across the bay from the top field is pretty stunning, too. But, shhhh! Don’t tell anyone!

Breakfast time is our favourite time. There is nothing like getting the whistling kettle on the gas and unfurling the Ordnance Survey maps over your breakfast cereal to plot out the day’s adventures.

Our favourite camping gear also comes into play as we kick back in our Richmond Hills chairs – so comfortable and relaxing.

I take them everywhere, including the beach for a spot of sun bathing when the weather allows. The zip on/off foot rests are a winner.

My advice to newbies? It is good sense to practice pitching any new tent before you go away. Also, invest in a footprint and carpet. The footprint helps mark out the extent of your pitch and helps keep your precious tent clean.

I thought a carpet was ridiculous in a tent, until I got one and have never looked back. It adds a great layer of insulation and somewhere much more comfortable for the children to play.

The Watsons’ main tent is a Glendale 5 – a popular choice with active family campers for its versatility and relatively small pack size. The extra living space required by a family during longer holidays is provided by the addition of the optional side extension (pictured right). For more information visit our website Glendale 5 product page.

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

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ampers are part of a great community that spans a wide range of camping styles and personal interests – thank goodness! Wouldn’t it be awful if we all felt the same way and did the same things?

And ‘community’ doesn’t have to mean spending time together (though it’s great fun) but can be about sharing experiences – face to face and online.

Last year, I was lucky enough to sit next to Sonny Kjaerside at the Oase UK trade event during an evening meal. He’s a quiet guy but when I asked him where he enjoyed camping and how, he came to life.

Sonny loves exploring Lapland, selfcontained, with everything he needs packed in his rucksack. He’s an expert backpacker and loves wilderness. On his own or with a friend, he’s spent weeks on foot, taking in his stride the problems of terrain, weather and pesky insects.

Plenty of sound advice was offered. Not as a lecture but shared matter-of-factly and modestly. He later sent me links to photos of trips made over the years and his wide experience and competence was evident in each one. I found myself poring over them for insight into the gear, concepts and attention to detail that makes such trips successful and enjoyable. It was like being in a virtual masterclass on how to be comfortable in a tent.

I loved his anecdotes and sense of humour, being swept along by his enthusiasm to the extent of pondering a similar trip myself. Recalling my own adventures crossing Iceland many years ago, the notion slid away into that comfortable zone of ‘sometime never’.

It’s a great place that can never be filled completely as it has no boundaries. The key thing is to regularly move plans from there to ‘now’.

May 2014 e-cAmp magazine 3

Site reviews

Pure gold

Above: Welcoming reception in traditional stone Top right: Busy site Bottom right: Great for kids… (inset) …of all ages!

Mark and Janette Songhurst visit Golden Square, a large site that sits on the hills above the historic Yorkshire market town of Helmsley. It’s the perfect venue for family camping…

The site hen we first visited Golden Square we were impressed with its space and toilets that even had a radio playing – a rarity at the time! Ten years on the site is just as clean and tidy.

Every year we camp with our family comprising Grandma and Grandad, ourselves and our nephew and niece. Not forgetting the Rueben our rabbit. This year family friends were join us with their children and the dog.

This meant we had to find a site that suited everyone from 11 months to, well, for fear of my mother-in-law’s wrath; around pension age. Golden Square proved perfect.

For the children there are two large playgrounds, a games area, and a couple of large fields for ball games. At the end of a busy day exploring there are two family bathrooms, where £1 buys you a bath full of warm water. Military precision saw us get all four children through a single bath!

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Golden Square Caravan & Camping Park Oswaldkirk Nr. Helmsley York YO62 5YQ Web: goldensquarecaravanpark.com Tel: 01439 788269 Facilities • Laundry and dishwashing facilities • Toilets and free showers 4 e-cAmp magazine May 2014

A quick heads-up – make sure that you have change for the deposits to borrow equipment.

• Drive to the top of Sutton Bank and watch the gliders take off from Yorkshire Gliding Club. You can even arrange a glider lesson.

The area Not content with chilling on this top site?

Then the local area is packed with things to do. Particular favourites are: • The North Yorkshire Moors Railways is a short car journey away at Pickering • The wide open spaces of the North Yorkshire Moors are within easy access.

Head to Farndale when the daffodils bloom for an easy river bank walk along the Daffodil walk to the Daffy Café – the path good enough for small children.

• Historic buildings to visit include the ruins of Abbey’s at Reiveaux, Byland and Rosedale, with castles at Helmsley and Pickering and Stately homes at Duncombe Park and Nunnington Hall.

Eating out The nearest pub is back in the village of Ampleforth or there are a number of pubs and cafes in Helmsley. Sorry since it involved a drive and small children then we have not tried any of them out.

• Chemical disposal point • Electric hook-ups • Dedicated accessible facilities • Play area and activities • Dogs welcome • Gas cylinders • Shop • WiFi Tourism Information northyorkmoors.org.uk ryedale.gov.uk

Above: Golden Square proves a great family venue and a good place to relax Eat local Try out some of the delicious cider from Ampleforth Abbey or search the back streets of Helmsley to find the superb sweet shop. Site shop sells home-baked bread and cakes.

Did you know?

Nearby Nunnington Hall still has the marks in the wood panelling where swords were tested for sharpness during the civil war.

guyrope gourmet

Good food memories

Shoppin g list

Breakfas t

pancake Ingredie s nts – S erves fo pancake ur (eigh s) t ✓ 225g p lain flou r ✓ 1 tbsp baking p owder ✓ Pinch of salt ✓ 1 tsp sugar ✓ 2 larg e eggs ✓ 30g bu tter, so ftened ✓ 300m l milk ✓ Butte r for fry ing Enjoy!

A good few years back I was travelling across the States with some pals. We’d stayed overnight on a campsite near Memphis. As we were driving off in the morning a peculiar sound came from under the bonnet (or should that be hood?) of our car. Within seconds, the chap from the trailer next to us appeared offering to fix it. “I’m a mechanic,” he said, “My wife will fix you all some pancakes while I adjust your power steering belt!” The car was fixed in about 15 minutes, but we stayed for a good couple of hours over breakfast and jugs of coffee.

Pancakes for breakfast now always remind me of others’ generosity.

P Cookbook news

lace the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour over the eggs and the softened butter and beat together. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. This will help prevent a lumpy pancake batter. The batter should be the consistency of double cream when mixed.

Melt a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan, and, using a ladle, pour in a dollop of batter mix. Fry over a moderate heat until bubbles appear, then flip and cook the other side for a couple of minutes.

Serve with maple syrup, of course!

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 copy today from all good booksellers online.

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 Win a Bamboo Breakfast Set for four in this month’s competition – page 10 May 2014 e-cAmp magazine 5

Camping abroad

New horizons

Above: Camping can introduce you to unexpected delights Top right: Fully laden and ready to go! Bottom right: Outdoor life is enjoyed in the sun

Now that spring is here many campers are thinking about their summer holidays – with the previous wet summers fresh in their minds! Time to consider a Continental camping trip, says Richard Walters

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even years ago we were two days away from a ten-day break in Lyme Regis with two young children. The weather forecast was an unappealing mix of rain and wind for the all of our holiday. That evening we looked at the weather map of Europe and saw that sun shone on the south of France. With no thought to planning we changed our holiday plans and headed south!

The idea of long haul camping to the sunshine was not new when the family came along. We used to pack a small tent and camping stove and get a cheap flight somewhere and find a campsite in the sunshine. But, with such a short time to plan, it didn’t give us any time to sit back and think of whether driving to France with a three-year-old and an 18-month-old was a sensible idea.

Obviously some people want to be fully prepared for everything and others may have a more relaxed attitude to such a drive. We left with a ferry booking and a European map but without anywhere to stay overnight on the drive and without choosing a campsite.

We simply stopped at a town in mid France and found a local hotel and then on getting to the south coast we found a campsite that looked nice and stayed.

Without any real planning we had a very enjoyable time and we realised that young children needn’t restrict your choice of camping destination.

However, looking back on it there were 6 e-cAmp magazine May 2014

a number of things we overlooked and hopefully reading this will make you realise that with a little planning and thought anyone can enjoy a European camping holiday.

Use the web Technology has made so many things easier and this takes the stress out of a big trip.

Once you’ve decided where to visit finding a campsite is a doddle. Most campsites in mainland Europe offer an English version of their website so it makes choosing something suitable, with the right facilities, much simpler than in the old days when research took you to mags and guides.

Price comparisons and ferry booking is easy on the Internet. Once you know the where you can decide the ferry route suited to you. We’ve found that although Dover is the furthest port on the South Coast from us, it makes sense for us to cross there and drive to central Europe. It’s also one of the cheaper crossing points – and the quickest.

There are some really useful websites for planning the route to your campsite.

Everyone has their favourite map planner, but Google maps and the AA both provide alternate routes as well as showing likely costs for the trip. The Michelin website (viamichelin.co.uk) allows you to customise your car details to fine tune fuel estimates and includes details such as Tolls that are chargeable on some European motorways.

It’s definitely important to familiarise

yourself with local toll regulations. Austria, Switzerland and many countries to the east of Europe have a road tax called Vignette.

Anyone using a motorway must ensure they have bought a vignette sticker valid for that country, which attaches to the windscreen.

You can normally buy these at motorway service stations as you approach the border and failure to display will attract a fine – even if you’re a foreign driver.

Above: Different country, different view Websites, such as The AA, are also useful for checking details regarding local motoring laws, whether it is the need to have fluorescent jackets in the car, a first aid kit in the car or a reflective board on the back of bike carriers. It’s always worth checking all the countries you will drive through to make sure that you have met any requirements.

It is vital to check your car insurance covers you for driving abroad. And the purchase of short term European breakdown cover for a European trip if you do not already have it,

Camping abroad will provide peace of mind. You’ll also need to take your car’s V5c document and, if you have a company or hire car, you need a letter of authorisation from the registered keeper.

Getting there Once you’re on the road, you could decide to map read your way to the campsite. But, the use of a SatNav with European maps makes life a lot easier. For the last three years our SatNav has got us across Europe door to door without the stress worrying about direction or many foreign directional road signs – by the way, always make sure you know the country’s highway code and other road signs!

Anyone with children will know long car journeys can be difficult. We generally have something new for them to play with or read to help pass some of the time. And, of course, something like an in-car DVD player will ensure they stay engrossed for a few more hours when the games of I Spy are wearing thin.

On site The European campsite experience is, of course, different to that in the UK, which is

Above: Sunny skies and warm blue waters are a key reason for us to go abroad Helping hand There is little difference to camping abroad to taking a normal overseas holiday when it comes to travel, legalities, money…

But there are two considerations that are unique to the camping experience that you do need to consider. And this is relevant if you travel abroad from the UK or to the UK from abroad.

The first concerns electric-hook-ups.

Continental hook-ups tend to have a far

one of the reason people make the drive.

Standards are normally high but are also different to suit cultures and conditions.

Generally, pitches seem to be smaller and in some very popular locations they could be considered quite tight – especially for some of the larger tents. Not surprising, you quickly find that locals own smaller tents and spend most of the time outside enjoying the warm evenings. The tent becomes more of a place to sleep rather than a place to shelter from inclement conditions during the day.

It is worth remembering many campsites in warmer climates will either have very dry ground or some can be quite sandy. It is worth taking a selection of different pegs for different conditions.

Another thing to consider, especially as you’re likely to spend longer at a campsite after the long drive, is an electric hook-up.

A long weekend in the UK is easy to last without an EH-U, but it does make a twoweek European break much easier. It allows the use of an electric coolbox, which is invaluable in keeping food and dairy cool in the warm weather.

We initially had reservations about whether an electric cool-box would actually keep contents cool given the tent’s daytime temperature, but our Outwell 35l cool-box has performed well over the past two years.

Even when 35°C plus it has always managed to keep food cool enough.

Give it a go With the extra planning, time and cost involved in driving to Europe, some people will wonder why you would do it. Four families who we know have all made the trip the drive last year for the first time. We provided a lot of advice touched on here and they all had a really enjoyable time – and all are planning trips to Europe this year.

If you enjoy the warmer weather you’ll find it a key attraction to camping in Europe.

Whilst you cannot guarantee sunshine, in the last three years camping in Italy, we have lower rating than those in the UK. Also, they are more prone to polarity issues.

Consider polarity meters and the various adaptors that might be needed.

The second involves gas. Campingaz refills are widely available throughout Europe without the need for a different regulator. If using any other gas provider consider changing to one that is universally available or taking enough gas to last the trip. Remember that there are restrictions

Above: Every day is a sunny day with the promise of new experiences for all probably expereinced just three days of rain – and even then it was still warm enough to wear shorts!

But weather isn’t the only draw. We love sitting on the fountain steps at the campsite’s local village, with an authentic Italian pizza for tea and watching a different world go by. Or taking a walk on a warm evening to the near-by Gelato bar to enjoy an Italian ice cream. On the campsite there is something special about watching your children having fun while playing new games with other children. Even though they don’t speak the same language they still manage to explain games and enjoy themselves.

For us the holiday starts the moment we leave home, we consider the drive and ferry to be part of the holiday. The children love the night at the hotel on the way there and back for it is an exciting and different family experience for them. But, no matter how enjoyable that night may be, they cannot wait get to the freedom and space you can only get on a campsite – no matter where you travel. on how much gas can be transported when using ferries and Channel Tunnel.

More details can be found in previous issues of e-cAmp, or obtained from Camping and Caravanning Club data sheets. For additional peace of mind and to make life as easy as possible for its members, the Club also has an overseas booking department, Carefree, that offers a superlative service. More details from campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk May 2014 e-cAmp magazine 7

News, tips and ideas

Tent life

John Traynor throws in some news, ideas and tips to help you get the most out of camping life.

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ay is often a tad late to book the best pitches at peak times on the couple of hundred honey pot campsites that are regularly featured by the press. But, all is not lost and there is still ample time to tap into the other few thousand spread across the UK – and you’ll find some real gems just waiting to be discovered.

Like all good things, finding such sites may not be that easy. The good news is that the Internet provides far more resources than were once available to the camper who were reliant on published guides and magazines – and many online sources include reviews and observations made by fellow campers to help those who follow in their footsteps choose the right site.

Just take Pitchup.com – it features over 5,000 UK wide camping and caravanning sites/parks with France recently added into the equation.

It enables users to search for all types of parks and sites from the major brands right through to one-off campsites and unique outdoor accommodation options, which may not have previously had a web presence. The site provides users with a simple platform in which they can search and book an outdoor holiday with total ease.

The site also goes beyond traditional searches by allowing users to search for accommodation based on more than 80 criteria, such as adults-only and campfires allowed, and view nearby events, Good Pub Guide pubs and VisitBritain attractions. Users can also search on the offers page to find the best deals available.

As the Environment Agency works towards tougher EU bathing water rules coming into force in 2015, outdoor holiday specialist Pitchup.com has launched a new bathing water quality chart on each and every site listing. Clients searching for accommodation on Pitchup.com’s desktop and mobile websites can now not only filter their results for ‘nearby’ excellent bathing water, but also view charts rating nearby coastal and inland bathing areas for their cleanliness.

The charts are colour-coded, with green meaning the water is excellent, amber meaning it’s good and red meaning it’s poor.

Information is provided over a four-year period, with data supplied by the European Union.

The clean water data has been incorporated into Pitchup.com’s search filters, so users are now able to search for accommodation near ‘excellent water quality’ in the same way they can search for sites that are near, say, national parks or those that have good surfing.

Pitchup.com believes it is the first accommodation provider to include such detailed information and it means holidaymakers can be reassured they’re booking accommodation near to designated clean water areas.

Founder Dan Yates said, “Pitchup.com has long promoted good water quality, initially publishing bathing water data in 2009. Now we’re adding more detail. For listings throughout the EU, we’re publishing the last four years’ water quality (2009-2012) on the local attractions page, for the nearest bathing waters.

“It’s been a mammoth task, importing data on nearly 21,000 bathing waters, but one which we believe adds extra value to customers. Noone wants to go swimming in contaminated water. Aside from the fact it’s unpleasant, health risks include ear, nose or throat infections or even gastroenteritis.”

8 e-cAmp magazine May 2014

Pitchup.com has also selected some of the more quirky events taking place around the UK over the next few months – and suggests some great places to stay nearby. For instance: • Bog snorkelling in Wales – part of the World Alternative Games, the 29th World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells on 24 August will attract hundreds of participants and spectators from around the world. Cringoed Caravan Park, Llanbrynmair, West Wales has no restrictions on pitch size and no charge for pup tents and is ideally placed for a stay. There is a shower and toilet block to clean up anyone brave enough to enter! Price: Four nights (21-25 August) in a grass pitch is £64 for two adults – £8 per person per night.

• Cheese rolling in Gloucester – hordes of fearless contestants will chase a weighty 8lb Double Gloucester cheese (or plastic version, as was used in 2013) down the death-defyingly-steep Cooper’s Hill in Gloucester on 26 May. Family-friendly Denfurlong Farm, Cheltenham, in the heart of the Cotswold Hills, is within 450 acres of farm land and with its own farm shop and café where visitors can indulge in a taste of other local produce including the farm’s own beef, milk, cream, yoghurts and ice cream! Price: Four nights (23-27 May) on a non-electric grass pitch is £40 for two - £5 per person per night, dogs included.

• Birdman festival in Bognor – watch contestants in flying machines, gliders and other contraptions hurl themselves off Bognor Regis pier in a bid to win £30,000 at the International Bognor Birdman Festival, 2829 June. Nearby accommodation can be found at Chichester Lakeside Holiday Park which has a heated outdoor pool, all day kids’ sessions, bistro, nightly entertainment and ten fishing lakes set within 150 acres.

Use of park facilities and entertainment passes are included in the accommodation price. Price: Four nights (26-30 June) on a grass pitch costs £99 for two people – £12.40 per person per night.

Find out more about other quirky festivals and attractions in the UK on the Pitchup.com blog.

Want more?

Pitchup.com is unique but it’s not the only site directory online nor is it the only booking facility – here are some options to explore: • campingninja.com • ukcampsite.co.uk • campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ukcampsites • coolcamping.co.uk/campsites/uk • uk-sites.com

NEWS, tips and ideas

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o Canoeing, the Olympic legacy initiative from Canoe England, is inviting the nation to get paddling for National Go Canoeing Week 2014, taking place from Saturday 24 May-Sunday 1 June.

The annual festival of canoe and kayaking fun will give you a chance to pick up a paddle and discover what’s on offer at clubs and centres across the country, and aims to get people on the water.

The 2014 event includes the new Every Mile Counts theme to encourage the nation to collectively paddle the distance around the UK coastline during the week, totalling 11,073 miles.

At official Go Canoeing clubs and centres, participants of all ages and abilities will be offered a range of easily accessible and sociable activities to get involved in. Starter Sessions and Guided Tours will be taking place throughout the country and Every Mile Counts Challenge Routes take place at three idyllic locations – Windermere, Rutland Water and the beautiful Portsmouth coastline – where participants can complete either a one or three-mile route.

And with so much to do at these great venues, why not see what else is on offer, bring a picnic and make a day of it?

For details visit gocanoeingweek.org.uk

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...

• When packing folding chairs, put your towel between the chair legs to save space.

Heidi Fisker by email • Take pegs to hang washing from spare guys tied between trees and/or posts. Louise Kent by email • Don’t forget your wellies. Peter Sutton by email

May 2014 e-cAmp magazine 9

image of the month

Off with a bang!

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es, your posts and pics firmly prove that the camping season is well and truly underway – helped by the superb weather that we have all enjoyed so early in the year. Let’s hope it continues.

Some camps were made to try out new gear, like Melanie Busche from Germany (pic 1), who took advantage of the good weather to pitch her new Montana 6P awning. Others, like Candy Wilson (pic 2), enjoyed just chilling out. Pets got in on the act, too, and Jacki Harding’s pooch even has the spare bedroom!

Our own unofficial camp at Folkingham in Lincolnshire saw us start the season in style and Claire Compton’s pic 4 catches fans having a well-earned break between pitching tents. Around 38 of us had a fantastic weekend of great weather with excellent company in superb surroundings. Thanks, Lesley Amour, for the Pic of the Month that captures our Friday night in the New Inn that we filled for the Saturday night Fish ‘n’ Chip supper – now that was a party…

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Outwell fans are the best!

I would like to thank Yosemite Shaun for sending me the two windsocks – a good bloke. From one Outwell camper to another thanks Shaun.

Lee Meredith via Facebook

Latest Bamboo tableware This month we have two sets of our super chic new Bamboo Breakfast Sets up for grabs – each for four people

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ur new Bamboo Breakfast Sets follow on be notified by email as soon the success enjoyed by our Picnic Sets. as possible after the close date.

Each supply four bowls, plates and tumblers More information about Outwell in our fantastic environmentally-friendly tableware can be found here. bamboo material.

This good-looking tableware is hard wearing and dishwasher proof yet quickly reverts back to its ground bamboo state if buried for more than three months!

For a chance to win one of these superb Breakfast Sets just visit the competition page on our and follow the links. The winners will 10 e-cAmp magazine May 2014

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The e-cAmp Image of the Month