What to take to Badminton?

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GBL

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Hi,

I've just registered to ask what I should take to Badminton Horse Trials?

I've never been before and I've never been camping either but I've got camping tickets and am going Friday to Monday.

Any help/tips will be greatly appreciated because other than my newly bought tent I've not really got a clue :o
 
I will follow this with interest, as am also a first time camper, although I am cheating and taking the horse lorry which thankfully passed its plating - phew.

My friend has dropped out, so I am on my own Friday - anyone care to meet up? Feel a bit of a billy no-mates :)
 
Wellies
a torch
loo roll
large pack of wet wipes
lots of layers can be cool at night(onesie and jumpers to sleep in!}thick socks at night One sleeping bag inside another keeps you cosy
flip flops if you are going to use the showers (which are good)
Couple of towels
There is a good fish and chip van on site with a range of choices (fish sausage scampi etc)
packet hot chocolate is nice before bed the sort that just needs hot water
I assume you taking a small stove for boiling water and heating soup etc
Have a great time
 
I camped for the first time ever at Cricklands last weekend and cannot believe how cold it was on the first night. I was so glad I had a hot water bottle with me!
Are you sleeping on an air bed? We had a battery powered pump to blow it up. If you feel the cold it's a good idea to have another layer between your sleeping bag and the mattress.
Other things we found useful were dry shampoo (and a baseball hat to hide hat hair under), wet wipes, plenty of dry jumpers including one to sleep in.
 
Thank you all! I hadn't even thought of of half the things but I've wrote a list. I'll have to go to a camping shop and get a small stove.

I'm really excited, is the shopping good? :)
 
I camped for the first time ever at Cricklands last weekend and cannot believe how cold it was on the first night. I was so glad I had a hot water bottle with me!
Are you sleeping on an air bed? We had a battery powered pump to blow it up. If you feel the cold it's a good idea to have another layer between your sleeping bag and the mattress.
Other things we found useful were dry shampoo (and a baseball hat to hide hat hair under), wet wipes, plenty of dry jumpers including one to sleep in.

(I've pressed the Quote button so apologies if this goes wrong)

I've got an air bed but nothing to blow it up with yet, I'm hoping to try and buy a pump this weekend or order one online and hope it arrives in time. I do feel the cold so I think I'll be bringing lots of hoodies!
 
Aldi had some picnic/camping stuff when I was there earlier.

There is already a thread on this in the Competition Riders page, it may be a few pages back now.

Try and find a lantern type torch, the toilets usually have no lights in so its a struggle to go at night with just a normal torch you can't put down!

If your fridge is small in the lorry, take everything out of the packets and put them into freezer bags - you get lots more in. Take a large bucket, fill it with water when you arrive and keep all drink in there.

Ear plugs if you're a light sleeper, it can get noisy sometimes, especially if you're near generators or big groups of friends.

Pack for all weathers, last year it was boiling, previous years its been freezing.
 
I camped a few years ago & I took from memory:

Sleeping bag
Fleece blankets
Pillows
Wellingtons
Comfortable shoes for walking around in - I took deck shoes & flip flops
Waterproof trousers, polo shirts, rugby style shirts & best tops for day
Couple of hoodies/sweatshirts to wear in the day
Jeans/jogging bottoms/shorts to wear in the day
Gilet or two
Jogging bottoms, leggings & hoodie to sleep in & fleece socks
Flip flops & bikini for showers
Fast absorbing towel for drying my hair
Towels

I'm glad I took smarter jeans, shoes & tops for the evening - a couple of nights we went to the insure bar, we out at pubs/restaurants the other nights.

Then we took torches, wine, bottles of water, Pimms, snacky food (crisps, chocolate, instant hot chocolate/coffee), in car phone charger.

Toiletries - dry shampoo was my friend, baby wipes (came in so handy for just about everything!), full make up - to hide the awful nights sleep I had ...!

To be fair, I'm not a light packer by any stretch of the imagination - and don't go anywhere without full make up & perfume, not even camping at Badminton ...!
 
Great thanks for all your help. It's all been noted!

I have looked for the other thread but can't find it, possibly due to my inability to view the forum properly!

Already stocked up on the Pimms luckily!
 
I've just bumped the other thread up on Comp riders - I'd commented on it, so was easier to find from my previous posts, it was a good way down. Worth a look, theres a lot of info on it..

Enjoy yourself, by the way!
 
Thank you very much :)

Sunscreen and thermals?! I'm happy with the sunscreen but hopefully it won't be that cold at night? Or am I naive with my lack of camping experience? :p
 
I was surprised by just how cold it was ... I slept in leggings, jogging bottoms, t-shirts & hoody! I wish I thought to take thermals, would have saved me the Michelin Man look!
 
I'm going Thursday-Sunday staying in a travel lodge tho camping isn't my thing. I second the sun cream last year my friend got blisters from the sun. Comfy shoes, lots of money. Have a ball nothing like it I've been counting down the days for months
 
Nothing to add, have never camped as lucky to live locally. You will have a great time, the shopping (and eventing 😉) is amazing!
 
Thermals and sunscreen definitely added to the list! Going to try and prevent the Michelin man look as much as possible! Looking forward to it even more now I'm slowly getting organised! :)
 
Cashmere jumper or pashmina if you have one (to keep you super warm at night) Wet wipes, paper towels, big container of water, lots of cash and a sense of humour! Hope you have a blast!

Edited to add.........umbrella and flip flops and one of those micro fibre towels would be good, you don't want a load of heavy wet towels gloomily hanging around your campsite.
 
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Thanks :)

Does anyone know if there is a cash machine there? Not too keen on the idea of taking lots of cash
 
I'm not too sure about cash machines but most stands accept card payments, the only exception I could think of would be food stands.
 
There is a cash machine in the shopping area but often there is a big queue.
If you are with HSBC they usually have a stand there with a cash machine .On production of your debit or credit card you can get free tea/coffee/chocolate which helps with costs .
 
Thank you all! I hadn't even thought of of half the things but I've wrote a list. I'll have to go to a camping shop and get a small stove.

I'm really excited, is the shopping good? :)

Falls over in a faint. Believe me, your credit card will need to be put away in a drawer to recover for quite a time. There are good bargains, or the most amazing things that you would never see anywhere else or just lots and lots of different shops for horses, dogs, clothes, home, self - everything ........... Have fun.
Yes, there is a cash point.

As for camping - it will be much colder than you anticipate so have socks to wear at night, warm pjs, a sleeping bag with blanket underneath and a duvet on top. There are plenty of places to eat, but you might want to take tins and packets and fruit as reserves.
 
The general cash machines charge up to £2.95 to take out your cash, but the HSBC ones are free, if you're a customer.

Take a cool box, as there are lots of great stands where you can buy supplies for your evening meal/breakfast.

My other tip is to lay your clothes for the next day flat under your sleeping bag at night. They may not be totally wrinkle free in the morning, but they will be warm!
 
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