JOYS OF CAMPING

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20103, 5 December 1930, Page 6

JOYS OF CAMPING

WHAT TO TAKE Pointers to Comfort Having made up your mind that your next holiday is to be a camping one, the next thing to do is to consider just what you will find it necessary to take with you. The big point to remember is not to take too much. Concerning the type of tent to be used, this is a matter for choice. There are several shapes to be procured locally, some of which are made of such good material as to enable you to dispense with the necessity of the fly. The prices are reasonable, ranging from under £3 upwards. Whatever tent is chosen, however, it is important to remember that it must be light, compact when folded and easy to handle in a wind. The use of ground sheets is recommended, as it is a mistake to risk catching cold through dampness when it is so easy to avoid doing so. In the case of a man who has never erected a tent, it is advisable for him to do so once or twice before venturing into the country. Those to whom camping is a new experience sometimes make the error of taking an excess of luggage with them. A tent is much warmer than a good many people think, and for this reason it is not necessary to take a lot of bedding. Because

of the natural dampness of the earth on which a bed is spread", however, it is a good plan to spread more material beneath the sleeper than on top of him. The interior of the car, especially if it be a saloon, will be found very useful for many purposes. It may, for instance, be used to lock up material which is not taken into the tent, while the removable seats will provide comfort when placed under canvas. As for camp cookers, there are numbers of these available for those who prefer them to an out-of-doors fireplace. Many people, however, like to build their own fires from the wood that is to be found practically all over the countryside. When selecting cooking utensils, it should be remembered that those without handles are the easiest for packing, and as for plates, saucers and cups, china is out of the question owing to its brittle nature. It is therefore advisable to use enamel articles. An odd tin or two will be found useful for packing purposes and for keeping insects away from the food. Nor should one, perhaps two, canvas buckets be forgotten. There are some handy pieces of portable furniture sold to-day that make camping much more comfortable than it used to be. It is possible to procure a table, the legs of which fold level with the top, making it easy to carry it in the car, and folding stools are also available at a reasonable price. Such types of tables and chairs will be found very useful on day trips into the country. The table may be erected at the side of the car, on the running board of which two persons may sit down to lunch, two others sitting opposite on stools. With regard to the site of the camp. The wise,man will always select a piece of level land close to running water. He will, if possible, erect his tent where it is likely to receive the shelter of a belt of trees. He will also be careful to place the car to the windward side of the camp in order that the tent niay be given shelter in case a strong wind springs up. It is a good plan, too, not to pitch the camp very far away from a farm, so that there will not be a great distance to walk in case one desires to purchase milk, eggs, or other farm produce. Having equipped yourself with all the necessities for camping, you ma Y then assemble your party and stepping on the accelerator send your car along the highway far from the City with its smoke and dust into the fresh air of the country, to the great envy of those unfortunate ones who, through force of circumstances, may not share in the joys that are to be yours.