Log open
The camp kitchen, written up properly
Practical notes for cooking outdoors in the UK: which stove, what to pack, where you can light what, and what goes on the burner. Safety and legal points are checked against bodies such as HSE, the NHS, Forestry England and the Camping and Caravanning Club, and each entry links to them.
One rule ahead of all the others: no stove or barbecue inside a tent or awning, lit or cooling. Read why.
- Logged
- The date an entry was published.
- Weather
- The conditions in which its advice matters most.
- Pitch
- The kind of place it applies to.
These fields are how the log is organised. They do not record trips we took, and we do not make any up.
Kit checklist
Tick it off as you load the car. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere. The full list, with reasons.
Log entries
Newest first.
- 06Can you use a camping stove in a tent?Weather Cold, wet evenings, when cooking inside feels most temptingPitch Any tent or awning, with notes for caravans and motorhomes
- 05Five simple camp meals you can cook on one burnerWeather Dry or breezy, cooking outside and away from the tentPitch One burner, one pot, one small table
- 04What kit do you need to cook at a campsite? A short listWeather Pack for wind and rain, and be glad if you do not need itPitch A car-camping pitch with room for a low table
- 03How long does food last in a cool box when camping?Weather Warm spells above all, and sunny pitches with no shadePitch Any pitch without a fridge
- 02Can you have a campfire in the UK? Rules by placeWeather Dry spells above all, though the rules below apply in any weatherPitch Campsites, forests and open country across the UK
- 01Which camping stove should you buy? Gas, spirit or liquid fuelWeather Near-freezing nights change the answer, so check the forecastPitch Anywhere from a car-camping table to a backpacking pitch
Standing orders
- Cook outside. Carbon monoxide has no smell, and a tent gives it nowhere to go. Entry 06
- Ask before you light. In the New Forest, even a portable stove is banned outside Forestry England campsites. Entry 02
- Mind the 8°C line. Four hours above it and chilled food may no longer be safe. Entry 03
- Change gas in the open air, away from flames, and carry it upright. Entry 01