Camping Without Electric Hook Up

Camping without electric is easier than you might think. It’s also great to get back to basics, escape the phones, TV and tablets for a while, and enjoy the great outdoors. Here’s our top tips on how to camp without electric:

Food & Drinks
Bring a cool box. We have freezers on site where you can re-freeze your ice packs. Pop in some frozen bottles of water or milk which will help too. Alternatively you can freeze meals to bring with you which will help to keep your box cool. Your fresh food can be put on top of the frozen. Ice is available from our on site shop which is handy for drinks too! Another option is an electric cool box which you can recharge using your car.

Shop local & often. Our shop sells fresh milk (& UHT milk which doesn’t need to be kept cool), eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, chilled drinks and a large variety of packaged and canned goods. Ashbourne is only 2 mins drive/20 mins walk away where you’ll find lots of places to buy food including bakeries, a fruit & veg shop and 4 supermarkets.

Eat out. At weekends and during the school holidays you can enjoy eat-in or takeaway food from our very own pub, The Callow Inn. There are also lots of great pubs and independent restaurants nearby, plus local takeaways will deliver to site. Click for a selection of our favourite places to eat.

Cooking
The most basic option is a disposable BBQ, perfect for those burgers, hotdogs and toasted marshmallows. A small, suitcase gas stove gives you more cooking options, plus you can boil a kettle, use a coffee perculator or even make toast with a camping toaster. Meals made and frozen before you arrive can be re-heated easily. With a slightly larger gas BBQ, or Cadac stove, the possibilities are endless. Try a Google search for ‘easy camping recipes’ to give you some meal ideas. Calor Gas, Camping Gaz and gas canisters are available from our shop in case you run out during your stay.

Lighting
There’s a huge variety of battery, solar powered and wind up lights to choose from. Collapsible ones are handy if you’re short on packing space. Head torches are perfect for reading or late night trips to the toilet block. You can even decorate your tent with a string of rechargable fairly lights.

Power
If you really can’t manage without your phone or tablet then a power bank (or 2) is a must. Charge the power banks before you leave home and then use them to recharge your gadgets during your stay. You can also get solar power banks. Put phones on aeroplane mode, or turn them off, when they’re not being used to make the battery last longer.

Another option is a car inverter which plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter, or clips onto the car battery, and usually has a 3 pin socket plus USB sockets. Do bear in mind though that using your car as a power source while it’s parked up will drain the battery so it’s best to use them carefully and charge smaller gadgets when you’re actually on the move. A jump starter power pack is handy to keep in your car anyway, can be charged before your stay and has a light, USB socket/s and plug point.

We have coin operated hairdryers and plug sockets in the toilet block for hair straighteners etc. You can also buy gas hair tongs and straighteners.

Keeping Warm
Evenings can get cool, even during the Summer months, so it’s best to bring several lighter layers to wear which will keep you warmer than one thick one.
Bring hot water bottles.
If you’re using a sleeping bag make sure it’s an appropriate weight for the time of year.
Use foam camping mats, foil insulation rolls or carpet between the groundsheet and your sleeping bag, air bed or camp bed.
A hat and socks can help keep you cosy if things get a bit chilly during the night.
Fleecy blankets can be used to keep you warm while sitting outside and as an extra layer for sleeping.
Snuggle up with your dog!