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Camping can be a rewarding experience, no matter where you are. However, camping in national parks is one of the best ways to experience the great outdoors, because national parks offer the most options. You can also find a campsite to fit any budget. These options range from full service campgrounds with all the facilities you need to wilderness camping with no facilities whatsoever. When planning your camping trip, you must know that there are two types of campgrounds. There are those that accept reservations and those that are operated on a first-come, first-served basis. Those that accept reservations are a little more expensive than the first-come, first served campgrounds. However, on a big weekend such as Memorial Day, you may want to make a reservation, because you may not find a campsite in a first-come, first-served campground. In this article, I will explain everything I mentioned in this paragraph in detail. No matter which option you choose, cheap campsites can be found.
Option #1 – Full Service Campgrounds With All the Facilities These campgrounds are perfect for the family outing. They have full bath facilities complete with sinks, toilets and showers. They also have electric power hookups as well as a camp store. Some of them even have an amphitheater where you can watch a show or a clubhouse where they hire DJ’s or live bands for you partying and dancing pleasure. There are usually quiet hours starting at 10:00 and pets are required to be on a leash. They also offer three options for camping (some, not all). There are cabins for those who do not want to set up anything. There is almost always an RV area for those that do not mind some set up (such as hooking up the RV to get electric power) but don’t like to camp in tents. Then there is tent camping for those that really like the outdoors, but want all the amenities that these campgrounds offer. I am going to stick to tent camping for the purposes of this article.
Option 2 - Back Country Camping With Limited Facilities These campsites are great for those that want to be a little rowdy without having to deal with quiet hours. However, the facilities are very limited. You may just have an outhouse. However, some of these have a small building with a single shower, a toilet and a sink. Every year, I camp in a place where you have to drive 1/2 mile to the closest bath house. That doesn’t bother me, because I am not one for observing any kind of quiet hours when I am camping. If the site has more than just an outhouse, these sites are also perfect for a romantic experience alone with your girlfriend or wife without your neighbor being a few feet away from you. You do need a permit for this type of camping. Each park has its own rules for getting this permit. Sometimes it is as simple as filling out a form on the day of arrival. Other times, you have to apply for it months in advance. In the latter, it is all about timing. Always plan ahead, or you could be left out in the cold.
Option 3 - Wilderness camping with no facilities This type of camping is perfect for the all out adventurer from the kayaker to the backpacker. However, you must never travel alone. It is always a good idea to have at least one other person with you to go for help. Both of you should be CPR certified in case of an accident that renders one of you unconscious. If there is more than two of you, only a couple of you need this certification. This ensures that everybody has a high expectancy of coming back alive. Nothing is ever 100%, but the chances are better than average. You also need a permit for this type of camping. The best way to make a reservation is through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS). Through the NRRS, you can make reservations for the USDA Forest Service, Army Corpes of Engineers, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation outdoor recreation facilities and activities. You can reserve individual campsites up to 240 days in advance, cabins (booking window varies from 180, 240 and 360 days in advance), Alaska cabins up to 180 days in advance and group facilities up to 360 days in advance. You can make reservations online at http://www.recreation.gov or by calling NRRS at 877-444-6777. If you do not want to make a reservation, you can take your chances at one of the many first-come, first-served campgrounds. Remember, this can be a tough way to go if you are planning your trip on a big weekend. You may end up staying in a hotel, if you can even get a room there. What a bummer. At any rate, camping in national parks is really the best way to enjoy the camping experience. However, sometimes you have got to plan in advance, or you could be left out in the cold. Here are a couple of great articles about camping in National Parks
good showers and toilets would be a bonus alternatively check out http://www.keycamp.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=Campsites.Europemap&ver=2 this will lead you to a map of campsites all over europe. hope this helps need to put caravan on asite in exeter I don’t have any experience with this club, but I have used The Caravan Club, and can recommend them very highly. There link is http://www.caravanclub.co.uk Imagine you are facing blizzard storms for six months, and then for the next six months you are facing hot humid heat. What type of gear would you bring along? What axe would you pick? what style of back pack would you pick, and what make and model? What weapon would you bring along? what type of pants would you pack, and how many? what type of bdu would you pack, and how many? keeping in mind every day you are traveling between fiffteen to 20 miles a day. your only soruce of food when it gets blizzardy is wild animals, and maybe some fish. what type of knife would you pack? what style of boots would you pack? what type of thermal underwear would you wear? what would be the ultimate set up for such an occasion. keeping in mind you have enough money to cover everything. would you have a bow, or a rifle- or what? for six months your in a rain-forest atmosphere, and the next six months your surviving negative five degree tempature. what would your gear list be? Keeping in mind you have to deal with wild animals in both the negative degree weather, and then in the rain forest scenario. The biggest animals would bears, and maybe even tigers. again list what you would pack no opinions please. I have been doing research on this, and so far I can’t get any good lists going. Your chance of being eaten by a bear is 1:1,000,000. There are only about 5,000 tigers on the planet, so you are not likely to encounter one in any rainforest. You are most likely going to die within a few days of hypothermia or hyperthermia. Most survival stories end after about three days. After that, rescue parties are searching for corpse recovery.
The Ring of Kerry in western Ireland is 115 miles long but there are two parts of it that are unmissable. They are at each end of the Ring, which basically means you need to drive the whole of it to appreciate it fully. The local maps and tourist board advise travelling in an anti-clockwise direction around the Ring of Kerry to make the most of the sights, but I don’t personally think it makes any difference as you probably will need to stop every few hundred metres anyway. There are plenty of lay-by’s to stop and take photos, so there’s no need to stop somewhere dumb. Duration : 0:5:20
Hope you enjoyed my video, I plan on making some videos on some of my backpacking trips so don’t forget to subscribe to get the updates!!!!! Hike clean everyone! Don’t leave your trash! Pack it in pack it out! (I can’t carry mine and all of yours out!) Duration : 0:15:28 By Glenn H. Kipps Choices! Choices! Do you leave Fido home on this sunny weekend to be tended to once or twice a day by a kind neighbor? Or do you learn all that you can about camping with your dog and take him along to explore nature with you? Camping with your dog can be an enjoyable experience, but it takes planning to be sure an oversight does not interrupt or cancel your outing. Before leaving home with your dog, there are considerations – besides water and food – that can be taken care of ahead of time to avoid sticky situations after you arrive at the campground. Since you are taking your dog, there are additional items you must add to your camping gear list as well.. 1. Most importantly, be sure you and your dog are in good physical shape to endure lengthy hikes or whatever other outdoor activities you are planning. 2. Make sure the campground you choose allows dogs, and whether or not they must be leashed. 3. Make sure your dog has all shots required by law, and prepare documents to take along to verify this, if necessary. 4. If you know you will be away from a natural water source, or are aware that such a source is not safe for drinking, plan on taking plenty of containers of water - and, for heaven’s sake, don’t forget the water dish! 5. Take along flea and tick powder (one of the extra dog items you need to add to your camping gear list), insect repellant, and a small first-aid kit if your dog’s exploring causes cut or scratches, etc. (Your vet can advise you further in this area.) 6. Your dog’s familiar toys – especially rawhide – will help keep him near you. Take favorites – but replaceable ones – in case they get lost in the terrain. 7. Take pet waste bags and scoopers (two other extras to be added to your list) to avoid confrontations with other campers. 8. If you know the terrain is going to be rough or sharp, to avoid damaging your dog’s paw pads, consider special boots (Another extra to add) that can protect your dog’s feet from injury, or in winter keep them from getting too cold. 9. Learn to distinguish between safe and unsafe plant life, some of which are poisonous to your dog or, at the least, can cause irritation or injury, and avoid them. Take a list with pictures with you. 10. Be sure to include bright and reflective clothing for your dog as well as yourself that is distinguishable from the natural surroundings. 11. Make sure you have proper identification on your dog in case he gets lost – preferably a tag with a cell phone number so that you can be reached immediately. After you arrive, there are other considerations for your dog, such as: 1. Always have your dog in sight, or on a leash (which some campgrounds require). Widlife such as snakes, skunks, bears, etc., can be a problem for a roaming pet. 2. You will be sharing the trail with hikers who may become anxious or scared if they see a dog on the loose without its owner nearby. Do not assume that they “love” your pet. 3. Finally, do not assume that your dog is “Superdog”. Watch for signs of fatigue. Take adequate rest breaks. Dogs, especially, tire easily, since they have no sweat glands and can overheat very quickly. In short, camping with your dog can be a very rewarding experience if you take the right precautions and add the appropriate items to your camping gear list. You and your dog will have a good time and your camping neighbors will be very appreciative.
By Glenn H. Kipps Camping with the kids! You knew the time would come! Jimmy has outgrown the backyard campsite. “This isn’t real camping.” he says. Janey always echos her brother. “Yeah! This isn’t like real camping!” she says, as she glances at her brother for approval. Camping with the kids. You’ve heard all of the stories… the nightmare… and especially that thousand-decibel cry, “I wanna go home!” at two in the morning right after a coyote somewhere out there howls at the moon. It’s a right of passage, they used to say for the father to take his son camping. Now… guess what?! Mom and the girls stick out their chins and say, “We’re going, too!” You hope for the best, but all of those stories from your friends with children… they’ve “been there”. Fifty Million people can’t be wrong. Best friends Randy and Jane insist they’ve been emotionally “scarred for life”. So here you are… with a loaded SUV ready to make your own nightmare. This is where the prayers come in. The campsite is beautiful, but kids don’t notice such things, or do they? Hey, Dad,” Jimmy says, “This place is really beautiful!” “Yeah, it’s really bee-yoo-ti-ful!” echoes Janey with a giggle. Guess you were wrong. But kids don’t pitch in. They just run around. As you prepare to drive to the camp store to get some important supplies you forgot at home in your haste to get on the road, you glance at the pile of tents, coolers, equipment, etc.,and sigh thinking of the work ahead. Coming back from the camp store with the necessary items that were forgotten at home, you are sure you have come to the wrong campsite. The tents are up. The food is stored properly. The folding table and chairs are in place, and a cold drink awaits. “The kids did it,” his wife says jubilantly, “with a little help from me.” Wrong again! It’s getting late. To get an early start in the morning everyone agrees to retire early. You are expecting that two a.m. cry, “I wanna go home.” You can’t sleep. Your watch says two. The next thing you know, your watch says seven. No one woke up. Wrong again! Everyone’s ready to hike the trail. This will be it, you think. They’ll be complaining about aching feet, hunger, you name it. We’re halfway. You’re tired. They’ll be whining in a minute. “Whatamatter, Dad? Here, let me take your backpack.” Jimmy is sympathetic. “Yeah, you’re tired,” says Janey as she tilts her head at you and pats your head. Can’t believe it! Wrong again! The day was wonderful… and the next day… and the next. We sang all the way home. Camping with the kids! …One of the great experiences in life. It’s a lot of fun, too! You always knew it. (Also, it’s great to have someone along to carry your backpack, lol.)
by Glenn H. Kipps
Camping can be fun if you take the right precautions and have all you need on your camping gear list. Here is an example of how a Camping Trip can go totally wrong (extreme worst case scenerio) and a few tips on how you can prevent these things from happening to you. Your food tent is torn to shreds. A family of racoons is snarling at you. Your kids are trembling in the car with your wife. You are standing behind the car banging a stick. However, it is too late. They got to your meat and everything else that is not secured in a can or jar. So, you figure, for tonight, you still have your canned goods. What was that? You forgot the can opener. After walking a quarter a mile to various campsites, you realize no one has a can opener. They opted for steaks and shish-ka-bobs – nothing in cans. The camp store is all the way at the entrance to the campground (about 1.5 miles away in some instances). You have already walked a good ways. By the time you get back to the campsite, you have lost all motivation to drive to the camp store to get a new can opener. So, you end up borrowing some bread from a neighbor (the racoons already got into your bread) and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Your stomach is growling with hunger. After you and your family eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you have a couple of beers. A little while later, you go into the woods to relieve yourself (at this point, the bathroom is just too far to walk). On the way back to the campsite, you step on an in-ground bees’ nest, and your legs are twice their size and hurt like you know what. There is no stream or even a puddle to jump into to relieve the pain. Your back is burnt to a crisp. Your feet are bruised from the rough terrain. Your arms are covered with mosquito bites and bee stings from when you stepped on the bees’ nest. Your ripped up t-shirt is binding a gash in your leg caused by your tripping over a sharp stick. Your dog has disappeared over the horizon chasing a squirrel. You took off his collar to make him comfortable and don’t know how you’ll find him. You stepped in his droppings and ruined your moccasins. The campfire spread to dry leaves around it and melted one end of your cooler, exploding the cans of beer inside. You have hot beer all over you as a result. At least the canned fruit and the grape soda are fine. They are in the other cooler away from the fire. The kids are crying and your wife is sulking, because they are hungry. Remember, the only thing you all had to eat was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You drop down in dispair on a tree stump. What went wrong?! First of all, you should have stored your food a little ways away from any of your tents. That way, if an animal takes an interest in your food, it won’t destroy your campsite. Also, do not take any food into your tent. If you want a midnight snack, eat it outside. As for the can opener, you seem to be a good candidate for those folding ones that fit on your key chain, providing you don’t lose your keys. As for the bees and mosquitos, you should invest in insect repellant. It really works. Also, a first-aid kit should be a given for campers. Both fo these items are important items that should be on your camping gear list. Do you know if any member of your family is allergic to bee stings? People die from bee stings. An antidote exists for that, too, and can be made part of the kit. Also, a good kit has an ace bandage for such things as the gash in your leg (Weren’t you watching where you were going? Hope it wasn’t a favorite t-shirt.). Oh, no! You didn’t bring something most people wouldn’t leave home without? Sun block! You had better hope your good old buddy next door doesn’t slap you on the back and say “Welcome home!” Did you really think the collar was uncomfortable for your dog? Under no circumstances should you take the ID off of your dog. He can’t say his name and phone number. Ever hear of a leash? Also, wild animals often see them as prey. Your moccasins are probably history. Don’t you know that good campers bring waste bags and scoopers? You’re lucky your neighbors did not meet the same fate. You might have been history! Wearing moccasins, to a camp out is not bright anyway. You will probably be soaking your feet for a week. Hiking boots exist, you know. As for the fire, what did you think would happen with dry leaves all around the flames? The word “dry” is a clue. Did you think there were tiny little firemen hiding in the leaves waiting to put out the inevitable fire? Get rid of any dry leaves before you start your fire. Also, have the [tag-ice]beer cooler[/tag-ice] in reach but not so close that the fire can get so much heat to it that all the ice melts and the beer explodes. Camping can be fun and extremely rewarding as long as you use common sense and have a well-equipped camping gear list. Remember to check over all your gear before you go and make sure your first aid kit is equipped for every possible scenario. If you do these things, you will have fun with very little consequence. |
To read the full article visit: http://www.eurodestination.com/Destinations/Ireland/ring-of-kerry-ireland.htm
Cosy small site near Baldock in Hertfordshire
Here is my gear list for a typical three-season hike. This is everything I carry except a little more food. I like to keep everything light and try to carry on the essentials. Backpacking can be lightweight, no doubt. Don’t be one of the boyscouts who ways 110lbs and has a 60lbs pack! Seems like I have seen quite a few of them.