Halfords Ultimate Camping Guide*

Summer is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate by going on holiday. Holidays can be expensive but there is a cheaper way to get away for a few days and that’s by going camping. If you’ve never been camping before then have no fear, Halfords have brought out a really handy camping guide which you can download for free and contains plenty of information, advice on local attractions, cycle routes and hints and tips you’ll need for the perfect camping trip this summer. I’ll also be bringing you some great tips in this post too so read on for more information.

I received the Halfords Camping Guide in paper form and I cannot recommend it enough. I used it for my recent camping trip and it helped me out no end and ensured I was completely prepared for my trip.

The guide has pages on tourism hotspots from Scotland to Yorkshire and I decided to check out the Norfolk section as that’s the most local to me. You don’t have to go far to have a good time, the whole camping experience in itself is fantastic regardless of where you are in the country or even the world, sometimes it’s just great to get out of the house! Some of the tourism hotspots of Norfolk include Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Sandringham Estate and The Broads. Having been to all three of those places I can definitely recommend them for a great day out.  If you’re looking for a good cycle route in Norfolk then Marriot’s Way is a great place to go. The 15 mile stretch is completely traffic free and surrounded by trees and is a lovely atmosphere. Take a picnic with you and stop at one of the many benches on route.

The guide also contains great ways to entertain the little ones and beginners camping tips. Some of the tips I picked up in the guide that sat well with me from experience were:

Check the forecast – I have had many a soggy camping trip because I simply didn’t check the weather. Most campsites will allow you to pitch up without advance booking but check before you go. This way you can make a last minute decision. Checking the weather on a pre-booked trip allows you to pack accordingly and bring your waterproofs if there’s a chance of rain!

Practice pitching your tent – There is nothing worse than arriving at the campsite and not having a clue how to pitch your tent. I once went on a camping trip and it was so windy and we had no idea how the tent went up. Teamed with the strong gusts and trying to figure out what poles went where was an absolute nightmare. If only we had practiced at home beforehand it would have made the whole process a lot smoother.

Prep your food beforehand – It’s a good idea to prep as much food as you can before you go to save you time and effort. Chop any veggies you need and store in re-sealable bags. Pre-cook some pasta or rice. These can be added to campfire meals to bulk them out and feed hungry campers!

Bring plenty of warm clothing – Even if the temperature is set to be nice and hot during the day it can soon drop during the night. Bring lots of blankets and warm clothing for the evening. It is better to have too many layers to take off than not enough!

I hope you’ve enjoyed these top tips but please check out Halfords Camping Guide for further advice - it’s free after all! If you’re feeling inspired to go camping after reading this post, then check out all the information you need and view the extensive range of tents available at Halfords here.

*In collaboration with Halfords

My day at the Races- Newbury Racecourse*

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the races at Newbury Racecourse for the Al Shaqab Lockinge Day. I took along my friend and fellow blogger Kim from Romanov’s Views. We made a real day of it and set off nice and early for the 4 hour drive down. The train times were hit and miss and we would have missed the chance to be there on time and we would have had to leave really early too so driving was the easiest way. 

Newbury Racecourse is indeed a day out that cannot be topped. Spending time with friends over great food and drink and having fun watching some fantastic equine action. Centred around the £350,000 Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes will be an outstanding seven-race card worth a total of £750,000.

After nearly 4 hours of driving, we arrived nice and early and made our way to the Fred Winter Suite as VIP guests. I felt very privileged to be invited into this room and it was absolutely beautiful. We arrived quite early behind a girl who I assumed was another blogger and were given the choice of rosé champagne or virgin cocktails. As I was driving I went for a virgin mohito which was delicious. Kim went for a pomegranate cocktail which was really fruity and she enjoyed it.

The minute our drinks got low, we were immediately topped up with more. We decided to stand out on the balcony and the sun was beaming down on us. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and it was funny to hear that it was cold and wet back home! The suite got quite busy but we still managed to keep our places on the balcony and had a great view of the racecourse.

Food was served all day by waiters and waitresses that brought round trays of small food to try. There were plenty of gluten free options available too and staff were happy to find out what food were safe for Kim to eat as a coeliac. I tried so many different things. This was a tuna nicoise bowl which was delicious. We also had tandoori mango chicken with fried pita bread pieces, hoisin duck with noodles, oyster mushroom risotto and a beetroot and feta salad. Food was plentiful and the staff were bringing it round frequently.

Later on in the day, desserts were brought round. My favourite was this gorgeous chocolate brownie with clotted cream and a raspberry garnish. It was probably the best brownie I have ever had and tasted really fresh. I also had a mini crème brule. Kim could only have the crème brule and the eaton mess so she took a couple of bowls of each of those. There were also mini cupcakes!

We had such a great view of the racecourse from the balcony but later on in the day we decided to venture downstairs onto the grassed area right in front of the course. We had a walk around and saw some of the race horses up close and personal after they had made it into the top 3 of that particular race. They were so elegant and graceful and very well looked after.

We decided on the day that we wanted to make some bets, but had no idea what we were doing. Thankfully the man explained it to us and made it sort of clear and we decided to place £3 on an accumulator which would yield us great winnings. After the first race we were still in with a chance as our horse came second but after that it all went wrong. We didn’t mind too much as it meant we could leave whenever we wanted. The atmosphere when a race was on was absolutely amazing. People were cheering and shouting and there was a real buzz about the place. After the races there was live music but unfortunately with such a long journey home we had to leave before it started.

There were moments during the day where I felt a bit out of place dressed head to toe in New Look amongst the sea of Mulberry and Chanel bags and Louboutin shoes but I feel like I dressed as nicely as I could for this day at the races. No one looked down on us and as far as they knew we were paying customers too! We did feel like we were in an episode of Gossip Girl!  My feet were not used to being in heels all day and I came away with some sore blisters but it was worth it. I think if I am lucky enough to go again I will invest in a nice pair of flats. Kim kindly let me borrow a flower for my hair – the ultimate raceday accessory!

Overall I had a fantastic time at the races and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. I was extremely lucky to be given the VIP treatment and this made the experience all the more fantastic. Thank you to Kim from Romanov’s Views for coming with me (and for some of the photos of us used in this post!) and to Newbury Racecourse for having us!

*I was provided with 2 tickets and travel expenses in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.