Review: Trangia Stoves

Trangia stoves have a very good reputation in the world of camping and outdoor activities and rightly so. They are made to use in extreme weather conditions, are lightweight and compact and are made to a high standard. So when we were offered the opportunity to try one out we jumped at the chance. We were the sent the Trangia 27-6UL which includes the Stove, 2 non-stick 1 litre saucepans, 1 18cm non stick frying pan and a 0.6 litre aluminium kettle. Everything fitted together into a compact bundle with a quality strap holding it all together.The whole lot took up barely any room in our boot and because the stove uses methelated spirit for fuel there was no need for a big gas canister. It is also cheaper than using gas.


In terms of family camping, if you intend to cook big family meals while you are camping this won't really do the job. You would need a two ring stove for that. We tried to cook our sausages on it but it took quite a while due to the quantity of sausages and we needed to keep moving them around as the heat is concentrated on the middle of the pan. However, if you tend to eat out when you are camping and just want a stove for your morning brew, or a mug of mulled wine in the evening then this is perfect as it takes up such a small amount of space in your boot, is fuel efficient and quick to assemble. It is also brilliant for heating up camping meals such as the Wayfayrer meals.

It is also worth noting that the pots and pans included in the set were superb and much higher quality than we are used to, so even if you think the stove is not for you, then I would strongly recommend you look at the Trangia range of accessories. And non-stick is definitately the way to go if you intend to have a fry up!

The stove really comes into its own however for those of you who enjoy backpacking, hiking or mountain climbing. It is very lightweight and compact, as is the fuel, so will easily fit into your backpack. It is also very quick and easy to set up and use anywhere and has an inbuilt windshield that is storm proof. When the children are older and we manage to go on long hikes with them I know that this stove will be an absolute must take with us. Once again I find myself wishing I had discovered this product in my pre-Mummy days. This stove would have been perfect on archaeological excavations, long hikes and scuba diving trips. The Trangia stoves really are a fabulous bit of kit for outdoor activities or for lone/two person camping.

Our Weed Problem Solved

Garden Dad has solved the problem of the weeds on our patio. Given that most of them are dandelions we will simply no longer refer to them as weeds but as edible crops. Which is all very well but I have no idea how to cook dandelion.If anyone has any suggestions I am willing to give them a go.

Garden Dad has also been working hard this week clearing out the garage so I can once again access all the gardening bits and bobs and today he cleaned the wormery in the pouring rain, for which I am very very grateful. Now we just need to get it started again and try to keep the worms alive this time!

Review: Halfords Roofbox and Thule Roof Bars

It was three years ago when we first went camping. We only had Garden Girl then and somehow, despite all the baby paraphenalia, we managed to fit everything in our Clio. We would sit smugly outside our tent watching other campers arrive with their MPV's and roofboxes and wonder in astonishment how they could possibly need a roofbox in addition to their massive boots. But, three years and two more children later and we were one of them. Our Clio has been replaced with a Berlingo and this year, thanks to Halfords, we had a roofbox on the roof. Had Halfords not agreed to lend us a roofbox and roofbars to review we would not have been able to fit everything in.

If you look on Halfords website you will see that they have a wide range of roofboxes, in a variety of sizes. We left it to them to decide which ones to lend us and they supplied Thule roofbars and the Exodus 470l black roofbox. The roofbars they originally tried to fit to our car were too small but Halfords made every effort to get the right ones in time for our holiday, with Pete, their expert fitter agreeing to collect the right ones from another store for me the next day. It is important to get the right roof bars for your car and you can work out which ones are right for yours on their website. It took Pete just 10 minutes to fit the roof bars and Garden Dad had no problem with the simple fittings when he tried it out himself.

One of the things that has always put me off having a roofbox is the worry that it might all come sliding off on the motorway but these are really secure with a decent lock. I was also happy with the way the roofbox attached to the roof bars, although this was a little harder to fit. It took Pete a little over ten minutes to fit, with the help of a colleague. Fitting the roofbox is most definately a two man job and Pete did have the benefit of being quite a bit taller than Garden Dad. The roofbox opens on its side and it is necessary to reach to the far side of the box to fit it into place. Garden Dad found this difficult when he tried it. There is also a luggage strap to stop eveything rolling around inside the roofbox but Garden Dad gave up trying to use this. He just couldn't reach over everything.

The roofbox itself is spacious and sturdy, with a very secure lock. When I first saw it I thought it would be far too big for us but after loading the boot we still filled it to brimming. I had also heard that roofboxes could be quite noisy but this one seemed to have good wind resistance and it was easy to forget the roofbox was there. We were really pleased with both the roof bars and the roof box and would recommend them to anyone who needs extra boot space. Halfords only loaned these ones to us but we are going to buy them and keep them now we've tried them.

Sunflowers

I am one handed at the moment. Garden Lass is teething so won't let me put her down. As I can't cook a hot dinner with a little wriggly girl on board I thought would use my free hand to upload some happy sunflowers for your enjoyment. They might be small but they are pretty and they survived the neglect earlier in the year. They make me smile.

Review: Wayfayrer Meals

Garden Girl's favourite bit of camping was snuggling down in her sleeping bag and I have to agree with her on that one. However, when we asked Garden Boy what his favourite bit was he said, 'Breakfast, food and pudding'. Only a boy could give that answer. When it comes to food our camping essentials include cous cous, smash (lovely memories from my own childhood holidays in a caravan), angel delight and of course sausages. We took all of that with us this year but we also had a stack of Wayfayrer meals to try out and review and they were delicious.

Wayfayrer meals are designed specifically for activities such as camping and hiking. They can be eaten hot or cold but I must admit that I would have struggled to eat them cold. But this didn't really matter because they are incredibly quick and easy to heat up. Just pop the bag in a bowl of water. Boil for 7 minutes and then tuck in! We tried the All Day Breakfast, Lancashire Hot Pot, Beef Stew and Dumplings, Vegetable Curry, Spicy Vegetable Rigatonni, Sausage Casserole, Chocolate Pudding and Spotted Dick and Custard. There wasn't one we didn't enjoy. They tasted great and our Little Garden Helpers cleared their plates every day without any messing about. That in itself gives these meals a big thiumbs up. The water we boiled the bags in, we used for a cuppa so there was no waiting around for a brew.

The only downside is that they retail at £4 to £5 per bag of food which is quite a lot when one bag feeds one person or two toddlers. We thought this was a bit on the pricy side however they are incredibly convenient and quick and we will consider getting them for our next camping trip. They were really handy to have in the tent for those days when we arrived back later than expected and we were in danger of having to cook in the dark. And aside from their delicious taste, the best thing is there is no pan to wash up. You can even eat them straight from the bag if you want to avoid the washing up all together! I wish I had known about them in my pre-Mummy life when I camped at archaeological excavations with very little facilities. They are so much better than pot noodles!

Wayfayrer meals are available to buy at amazon or at a number of outdoor stores such as Cotswalds. I recommend trying the Lancashire Hot Pot and Chocolate Pudding but honestly pick any and you won't be disappointed.

Learning About Snails

Last week we were in Norfolk but the week before our garden bug of choice was the Snail. We were a bit slow moving with our snail activites (haha) because we were busy packing and were also out and about quite a bit but we still managed to have some snail related fun.

Things to Tell Your Toddler

• Snails are related to shellfish such as Oyster and Clam
• Snails have long, slimy bodies with a shell to protect them
• A snails body needs to stay wet so they hide in their shells when the sun comes out
• Snails come out and about when the weather is wet and dark so it will not dry up
• Snails leave a slimy trail behind them wherever they go
• The slimy trail protects its body from sharp things on the ground
• Snails have two sets of tentacles; the longer ones have eyes on the end while the shorter ones are for feeling and smelling
• A snails teeth are located on its tongue which is called a radula
• Snails eat leaves and flowers
• A snail will lay about 85 eggs which is why they are so common

Activities We Have Done

• We had snail races to see who could move the slowest. Anyone who knows Garden Boy will know that he easily won these races. He now believes that he wins every race because he always comes last. There was a particularly upsetting moment on holiday when he just could not understand why Garden insisted she was the winner when she reached the finish line a good two minutes before Garden Boy.
• We spent a day hiding in our basket shells every time I shouted 'It's raining'. This was great as I shouted 'Its raining' every time it looked like a fight might be about to break out. Great distraction.
• We made glittery snails with an egg box and some air drying clay. They are called, Glitter Pink Snail and Green. They have since been sliding along the living room floor, having races with the ladybirds we made a few weeks ago and sometimes getting into fights with the ladybirds. Apparently the ladybirds always win but given the loss of legs and antennae I think perhaps the truth is actually the other way around!
• We made snail biscuits.

• Then we ran out of time before we went holiday so we hunted for snails in the garden today because it was lovely and wet. But we didn't find a single snail. I was going to put one in a pot with some leaves so we could observe it munching away. We obviously did a good job getting rid of them all earlier in the season. I should be pleased really but I would hasve liked just one snail, just this once! We spent a whole half hour searching!
• I came across no decent snail picture books to read. If you know of any let us know.

 I must admit that whilst our Little Garden Helpers enjoyed all the activities above, they were much less enthusiastic learning about snails than butterflies and ladybirds. They are however, having fun with ants this week and they seem engaged. Maybe it was just the excitement of the forthcoming holiday that distratced from listening to me about snails.

Review: Vango Nitestar Junior Sleeping Bags

Sleeping while on a camping trip can be difficult with three small children. The ground can be too bumpy, the weather can be too cold, the wind can create a noisy flappy tent that causes endless nightmares, there is too much excitement and blankets get dislodged. This has never stopped us from camping. The fun outweighs the difficulties by far but a good nights sleep always helps so we were absolutely thrilled when we were sent two sleeping bags from Vango to review. And we weren't the only ones excited when they arrived in the post. Our Little Garden Helpers couldn't get inside them quick enough. Luckily they didn't have to wait long to try them out for real as they arrived just days before we set off to Norfolk.

By the time we arrived at the campsite the excitement still hadn't worn off. Once the tent was up Garden Girl barely even wanted to stop for dinner. 'I can't wait to go to bed in my sleeping bag. Can I go to bed now?' are the exact words she used that first day. How many toddlers have you heard ask to go to bed before their dinner? And this was the first holiday that our Little Garden Helpers slept all night, every night in their own sleeping bags, without waking once. In fact they managed to lie in till around 7.30am every morning, rather than rising at their usual 6.30am. When I asked Garden Girl what her favourite part of the holiday was she said 'Going out and about and snuggling in my sleeping bag', so there are no doubts that they were a hit with the children. And I was also very impressed.
Garden Boy, who has just turned two, slept in the Nitestar Baby, which is suitable up to a maximum height of 80cm. Garden Boy is just about 80cm, so this bag will definitely not still fit him next year. However, we felt that the small size was a massive bonus as Garden Boy moves about a lot in his sleep. We often find him with his head at the foot of the bed so we were worried that if he slept in a sleeping bag we would find him with his head buried at the bottom. This just would not have been possible with the Nitestar Baby and really gave us peace of mind, so we could also have a good nights sleep!

The Nitestar Baby also has two full length zips which allowed us to totally unzip the sleeping bag into two seperate pieces. This means you can use them as blankets which can be removed, rather than as a sleeping bag, if it gets quite warm and we also used them as a soft, warm place to lie Garden Lass (3 months) when she was having a kick about in the tent. And although we didn't make use of this feature, it is possible to attach this sleeping bag to a pushchair, so if you want to be able to lift your little one straight into the tent already snug in their sleeping bag after an evening stroll this gives you that option. Vango have really thought about the details with this one and I think it is great product. When Garden Boy moves into a bigger bag Garden Lass will be able to use the Nitestar Baby for a couple of years. The bag costs £20, which I think is a reasonble price to pay for peace of mind.
Garden Girl, who now moves about much less in her sleep, slept in the Nitestar Midi, which has a maximum height of 155cm. Garden Girl at almost age 4 is probably about a metre tall, so has plenty of growing room left in this sleeping bag. She likes to tuck her arms inside so only her head peeks out of the top but the sleeping bag has an elasticated top so we were not worried she would slide inside during the night. At just £25.00 this sleeping bag is real value for money as it will fit for a number of years.

Both sleeping bags are made to a high quality and were clearly very comfortable. They get a raving review from the whole family.