Before we launched Hope Farm Retreats, we had been glamping and camping for over 10 years as a family around the UK and Europe, longer as a couple – so here is our suggested list of essentials to add to your usual holiday packing for a comfortable stay (including things we often forget!) Obviously you need to take into account the weather, transport, time of year, facilities on site, distance to nearest shop/cafe and age of your children – but we think we’ve covered most of the essentials. If you are glamping, the second list may be provided by your site, but it is worth checking and it is a useful checklist of essentials if you are camping!

  • Personal toiletries
  • Beach towels for muddy play or river swimming.
  • Wellies or walking boots for long grass(check if it is tick season) and mud
  • Some local adventure activities may require closed shoes, like trainers rather than open-toe sandals
  • Swimming costumes, if is a lido, pool or wild swimming nearby
  • A torch and charger or spare batteries.
  • A really good book – the one you’ve been meaning to read for ages
  • Download some podcasts or audio-books in advance
  • Child’s comforters etc.
  • Headphones, if it is a quiet site
  • Reading glasses
  • Sun glasses, sun hats and sun cream
  • insect repellent and age appropriate bite cream – just in case
  • Prescription medication
  • Your own pillow if you have something special
  • Chargers, including plugs
  • There should be a first kit on, but it is always worth packing things your child may need such a calpol
  • Special dietary food, such a Gluten free – this may not always be immediately available locally
  • Have a plan for your first meal – something simple after a long trip (pasta or hot dogs is usually a winner), or book you a table somewhere.
  • Snacks for fussy kids – they will be on the go all day!
  • Water bottles and rucksack for day trips
  • Playing cards & games
  • Blankets for star gazing
  • Toasting fork or wooden kebab sticks.
  • Small amount of your usual washing powder
  • A sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors!

Top Tip: We have a couple of stackable storage boxes with all this kit assembled in, so we can just grab and go if we fancy a spontaneous weekend away. We put these checklists in the top!

Below is a checklist of items you would expect a glampsite to provide, but check before your leave. It is also a useful list if you are camping:

  • Travel cot and bedding if needed
  • Loo roll!
  • All bedding, bed linen and pillows
  • Towels (due to Covid many have stopped providing these now)
  • High chair and baby bath, if needed
  • Fresh coffee, caffetiere, tea bags, sugar or sweetener
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 mugs, 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 side plates – enamel are expensive, but light for carrying to wash up
  • Cutlery – 4 table spoons, teaspoons, knives and forks. 2 teaspoons. One sharp knife
  • 2 Wooden and 3 metal cooking utensils
  • Scissors
  • Tin opener
  • Corkscrew/bottle opener
  • Small balloon whisk
  • Sieve
  • Collapsible colander
  • Grater
  • Washing up bowl
  • Washing up sponge, washing up liquid, anti-bac spray & micro fibre cloth
  • Tea towel
  • Peeler
  • Chopping board
  • Cork heat mats
  • Freezer blocks (there maybe be communal freezer for these)
  • BBQ utensils
  • BBQ or firerack. Safety lighter (check if they allow fire pits or disposable BBQs)
  • Kettle (cheap camping kettle you can put on a fire pit, that whistles)
  • Thermos flask –boil a kettle on your firepit or BBQ in the evening and store water for coffee in the morning!
  • Hot water bottles – useful at the beginning and end of the season
  • Dustpan and brush (for getting grass out of the tent!
  • Solar fairy lights or solar lanterns – helps locate your tent on the way back from the loo!

Hope this helps. Enjoy #MakingMemories!

Jo x