www.nwcampers.co.uk

Hi all
Well we have got our P4 small tent, so I can once again we can visit the small tent only sites were you can still cook your meals over a camp fire,I went through a stage many years ago playing at survival and learnt one or two tricks for open fire cooking .but I have never used a tripod to cook with before ,after all it is not really necessary. but I though as it will only be used a few times I would make one and use it (Looks Good) 8) over the fire. and will enable me to keep my 2.5 L billy boiling. but most of the cooking will be done on a couple of trivets and a grill plate over the embers on one side of the trench set up while knew logs are burning on the other with the Billy over the top on the tripod.
Val and I went to Cheddar gorge massive car boot sale today plenty of modern lightweight tripods for sale for £5 to £20 but They are not strong enough for what I wanted then after two hours and about half way through the stalls I found one, old heavy and battered, so only cost me £1.00
On the very next stall I bought 2 meters of 1" chrome plated welded chain £2.00 two or three stall later I found a small 20" bow saw as new £1.00 require cleaning .I was hoping to find a steel dish about 2' diameter but no luck this time.for a fire pit.
Anyway I removed the camera attachment,drilled and taped a 5mm hole to hold the top chain hook were I can adjust the chain length before starting cooking then fitted the pan hook to the other end .all that is left to do now is a couple of coats of Hammerite to keep the aluminium in good condition.
And for £3 I have an adjustable heat tripod to play at open fire cooking with.
I will put a couple of pictures on when my home page is not so busy
I cannot log in at present
Rex.
http://rexgrant.webs.com/apps/photos/al ... id=5435071

[quote="rexgrant"]Hi all
Boobed again,and not one drop of grape juce as touched my lips to-night.
Rex

hi rex ,what a good idea! Its reminded me of something we used to do when i was a cub scout leader talking about camp cooking.We used to use large empty bean tins ,as bbq s.The kids loved doing their own cooking.we also taught them how to do backwoods cooking .Thats digging a hole ,a foot sqare,about 3 inches deep,filling it with twiggs,makeing your breakfast then maybe a bananaflake, clearing it all up afterwoods ,putting the grass back as you found it.health and safety put a stop to that one,what a pity.Because it taught them a bit of survival,very basic ,but also a lesson in looking after the countryside

CAT123 wrote:hi rex ,what a good idea! Its reminded me of something we used to do when i was a cub scout leader talking about camp cooking.We used to use large empty bean tins ,as bbq s.The kids loved doing their own cooking.we also taught them how to do backwoods cooking .Thats digging a hole ,a foot sqare,about 3 inches deep,filling it with twiggs,makeing your breakfast then maybe a bananaflake, clearing it all up afterwoods ,putting the grass back as you found it.health and safety put a stop to that one,what a pity.Because it taught them a bit of survival,very basic ,but also a lesson in looking after the countryside

Hi CAT
The pleasure of an open fire outside your tent is very special these days of Brook-side campsites with rule list as long as your arm So when I can get val to return to the 1950's well not quite She insists on a Flush clean WC .
The spade and thunder boxes are outlawed but to just take with you one small LPG or meths burner in case of heavy rain and cook over your open fire is special, My first dish is planned The Curry made from lamb neck fillets that will be sealed and seasoned in the billy just of the embers nice and hot then left to cook on the tripod for a couple of hours just on the simmer and with the winder it will make it easier than adjusting the chain on the links The I will boil the rice on the grill tray not two hot a heat and will fry the Rotti platters / peratta on small cast iron skillet I bought on EBay.
Yes it takes a lot more work to get it right but its all part of camping :D
Regards
Rex.

I thought i would add that we do viking and medevil reanactment.In the living history area, all of the cooking is done on open fires,and we have to keep it auththentic,food tastes so much better cooked this way.Are you going to use a fire box under your tripod? We do, when we use a skillet or coldren.We cook chipatti type bread on the skillet,all sorts of veg stews,the odd rabbit,its great fun.And of course we sleep in authentic medevil,camalot ,type , tents,which are really warm as toast.Its also nice to get away sometimes and do some normal camping! thats if you can call a van conversian camping!but we will be cooking outside!On an little 2 burner stove ! chris and rob

CAT123 wrote:I thought i would add that we do viking and medevil reanactment.In the living history area, all of the cooking is done on open fires,and we have to keep it auththentic,food tastes so much better cooked this way.Are you going to use a fire box under your tripod? We do, when we use a skillet or coldren.We cook chipatti type bread on the skillet,all sorts of veg stews,the odd rabbit,its great fun.And of course we sleep in authentic medevil,camalot ,type , tents,which are really warm as toast.Its also nice to get away sometimes and do some normal camping! thats if you can call a van conversian camping!but we will be cooking outside!On an little 2 burner stove ! chris and rob

Hi CAT
I am trying by best to get Val to agree to buying one, similar to this
http://www.gardendirect.co.uk/firepits-p-4163
high enough not to burn the grass ,and not too high to use the tripod on.As you know the most difficult thing with open fire cooking is controlling the cooking temperature. But with my tripod that will be made a lot simpler,but she thinks I have gone soft in the head playing at open fire cooking at my age, but I know the enjoyment you get from it,
So at present I am looking out for an old steel Kettle drum BBQ to cut the legs down,as it will only be used on no campfire sites it will only be required now and again
Regards
Rex.

Thats a good idea,we will keep an eye open for a fire box for you,but i bet you find one on a car boot.

CAT123 wrote:Thats a good idea,we will keep an eye open for a fire box for you,but i bet you find one on a car boot.

Hi CAT
I received my Katinka 2.5L Billy and lid and my 1L Sherpa pot I sprayed the Tripod and blocked the wider adjustment but I can still adjust temperature with the chain links .
I have still got my open fire stainless steel kettle so we are ready to play open fire cooking again, first dish will be Chilly on jacket potatoes keep the chilly simmering while we eat the potatoes small ones so the meal lasts quite a while .and as we got our £150 back My box of wine is safe this year :D :D
Will take some photos of our first open fire camp,for 2009 We are not sure were to go on the first one probably here http://www.westermill.com/camping.htm or here http://www.caravancampingsites.co.uk/so ... bridge.htm
Regards
Rex.

Rex, both look lovely, please do us a nice review if you get on either the first looks like some where id go to.

we have a fire pit that Adam adapted to have a bar across the top to make a spit but you could use that same bar for pot hanging and put a grill on the actual fire too.

Hi rex im glad to hear you got your cash back.It will be nice to have a photo of your new camp cooker,those camping sites do look good,nice and pieceful cat

CAT123 wrote:Hi rex im glad to hear you got your cash back.It will be nice to have a photo of your new camp cooker,those camping sites do look good,nice and pieceful cat

Hi again
Well Val decided to give in again tonight on EBay and bought me a Cast iron barrel BBQ come fire pit similar to this http://www.heritage-homeandgarden.co.uk ... ts_id=4944 but the one we bought is only 12" high with a 15" cast iron adjustable grill plate just what I need for those site that do not allow camp fires,It will fit perfectly under my tripod with the billy on and still have room to cook with my Sherpa pot.
DIB DIB
We shall be going down to the C&C Club site at Slapton Nr Dartmouth for a few days next week in the Pyramid 4 but We shall be still using an EHU,still too cold without for Val. but there are some very nice pitches there with EHU and sea views .and some of the best Birding in the south west for me :D
Hopefully we shall get a sensible warden and with not try to stop me using my BBQ because nowhere in the club rules to my knowledge says you can not use wood fuel on your BBQ
All the best
Rex.

Hi
Ready to go when the weather get warmer for Val.

http://rexgrant.webs.com/apps/photos/al ... id=5435071

Boy Scout Fall out
Rex.

Rex, what do you thing of the wood gas stoves?

DAISYBEV wrote:Rex, what do you thing of the wood gas stoves?

Hi Daisy.
This is the nearest I come to wood burning gas stoves

http://rexgrant.webs.com/apps/photos/ph ... d=23160319

One of my favorite sites is the C&C Club site at Graffham this site is in really in the woods but they do not allow open fires or charcoal BBQ but I have been known after the BBQ and in September after the chestnut roasting, remove the grill and add a few small logs for an hour before bed time ,as always I have my fire bucket to hand,
This site is suitable for all units and I really recommend campers to try to camp there at least once,if you are a chestnut Fan go in September the ground is full of them all you have to do is beat the squirrels to them
Rex.