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Camping at Le Mans – Petrolhead Paradise!

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Andy our warehouse manager has just got back from his first trip to Le Mans. Here’s his lowdown.
An awesome time had by all, by the sound of it.
Oh, and if anyone knows who the “Danish Chas ‘n’ Dave” might be, let us know!
 

After  weekends away camping at Silverstone for the Grand Prix, Santa Pod for top fuel drag racing and Goodwood for the Festival of Speed, we decided to venture further afield (no pun intended) and head down to Le Mans for the legendary 24 hour race.
Thursday 9th June at 5am and I’m up rechecking my kit (again) making sure I have everything we need for our five days in France. An hour later and we are drinking coffee at the Eurotunnel services at Folkestone, admiring exotic supercars and chatting with likeminded petrolheads whilst waiting for our call to board.

 

After a quick 35 minute trip under the channel we have made it onto foreign soil, a first time abroad for me. We set the sat nav up ready for our 350 mile drive to the ultimate racetrack. The journey including “pit stops” took us just over 8 hours, eased by the sounds of Ferraris, Corvettes and other supercars screaming past us in our van.

CampingLeMans

We arrived at Bleu Sud; our campsite, one of many around the circuit, mid afternoon. The campsite was about half full and we were directed to our pitches by security. A quick stretch of the legs and a tin of beer and then it was on to setting up camp.
An hour or so later and we were done; tent, gazebo, shower tent, and wind breaks all up and we were ready for the drinking, partying …. oh and the race.

Opposite our pitch was a large marquee, with a huge sound system, a bar and around 30 Danish blokes. They had been there since the Monday and were having a very loud party. No worries we thought, they’ll turn it down a bit later.
We headed into the circuit to watch qualifying.  Thursday evening, standing in the grandstands at Le Mans, a track I have seen on TV a thousand times, with my old man and my uncle. Watching and listening to the cars roar by put a big lump in my throat. Le Mans is cool…

After quali, we headed back to camp to cook some grub and have a few beers. The campsite had filled up quite a bit and the Danes were still partying. We fired up the stoves, cooked up some pasta and sat down for our late evening meal.

We decided to call it a night by 1, we had a long day travelling and we still had a 24 hour race to stay awake for.
What a wrong move that turned out to be.

The Danes weren’t going to allow anyone on our site to sleep that night. The music was thumping away till gone 5 and they decided to have a rugby match alongside our tent. The Danes are definitely 24 hour party people!
Friday morning, fry up time. We shopped in the UK for all of our food for our trip before we left. All loaded into one Coleman coolbox with four 2 litre bottles of water frozen inside. We have always frozen four bottles and find that it stays frozen for a good 3 days minimum. 

A meal that took a while to cook was demolished in minutes.

 

Mad Friday
Mad Friday

 Bellys full, we were ready for the madness of what’s called Mad Friday. A day of not a lot happening on track so the campers take it upon themselves to create some fun.

 The Danes were still going from Thursday, fired up the sound system to play what I can only describe as Danish version of Chas ‘n’ Dave. The sun was scorching, the music was blaring and the beer was flowing.

Outside our campsite a large crowd gathered alongside the road, encouraging others to do burnouts in their cars and make as much noise as possible. Not usually our cup of tea, it was a bit like watching boy racers in seaside town car parks, but these were businessmen abusing cars we can only dream of owning, somehow it seemed more acceptable. The Danes were still going, so we decided to join them and the rest is a bit blurry..
Saturday morning the pit lane is open to the public and you can wander along watching the teams preparing their cars for the biggest endurance race going. We wandered down there for an hour or two, then decided to find a good spot ready for the start of the race.

 

Race Start
Race Start

 The start of the race was unbelievable, it’s hard to describe the atmosphere as 60 cars thundered past us at the start of the race with 250,000 spectators cheering and clapping. Another lump in throat moment for sure.

We stayed for an hour or so watching the field spread out, and were just about to head back to camp for some food when we heard the unmistakeable sound of car hitting the gravel trap. The leading Audi had hit a back marker and spun backwards into the tyre wall. It was a sickening thud and the car almost came into the crowd. It went silent as the marshals ran to the driver’s aid.

It was only a few minutes but it felt longer while we waited for a sign of the driver. An almighty cheer erupted as British driver Allan McNish emerged from his unrecognisable car and gave a wave to the crowd. How he survived that is a testament to the safety of modern day racing cars.

We headed back to camp for some dinner and some much needed sleep. The Danes were still at it, but their numbers had diminished and the sound system was being given a rest. So after another pasta meal we got our heads down, falling asleep listening to racing cars being pushed to the limit in the background…perfect!

We got up about midnight Saturday and headed back to track; Le Mans at night is fantastic, we were soon learning to recognise cars by headlight shapes and exhaust notes. Chairs out and wrapped up (was a chilly night) we sat at the Porsche Curves for a few hours watching the cars and drivers put in lap after lap.

Several kips, trackside and back at camp later and it was an hour ’til the end of the race. We headed to the track to get a good position by a big screen and the track. Audi were leading fierce rivals Peugeot by just 14 seconds after 23 hours of racing. The French cheered every time the Peugeot came on screen and the Brits, Danes and every other nationality booed. The director cut to the leading Audi and we all cheered and the French booed. All in good spirits and it brought the spectators together.

Audi went on to win the race and we had witnessed one of the closest finishes at Le Mans in its history. Covering 4,838 km in 24 hours, 4 and a bit hours behind the safety car with 31 pit stops, yet only using nine sets of tyres…interesting for a geek like me!
We followed the crowds onto the track after the race and managed somehow to get underneath the podium for the celebrations, getting covered in champagne and soaking up the atmosphere. What a way to finish my time at Le Mans.

Winning Audi

Winning Audi

Back to camp for our final meal in France, pasta with baked beans (all we had left) and an evening to waste before our trip home. A few quiet beers with some remaining campers on our campsite who just happened to have the Canadian GP on TV in their marquee. The Danes had left and the site was a lot more relaxed. Apart from a firework competition between campsites and a Chinese lantern setting fire to a tree on our site, Sunday night passed by uneventfully.

Up early on Monday, we packed up in light rain said goodbye to the remaining campers and set off for Calais. A quiet journey back, no stops and all feeling worn out took just 4 hours. We managed to get an early crossing back and were home by mid afternoon.
My first time at Le Mans and abroad was awesome. Friendly campsite, amazing motor race and with my old man and my uncle.

We will definitely be returning to Le Mans….

Your Top 15 Festival Essentials for Glasto 2011!!

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This years Glastonbury festival appears to be set for another record breaking year. With Live acts from the likes of U2, Beyonce, BB King, Morrissey and Coldplay ……. to name a few. Its no wonder half the tickets sold out in just under two hours.

In the last 10 years the festival boom in the UK continues to grow. Thus meaning more and more festival virgins………….

For all you lucky enough to go to Glasto this year, Simply Hike has gone through the trouble of providing you with a list of festival essentials that you’re going to need in 2011. Festival Virgins take note……….

First of all lets list the basics,

  1. Tent – A must if you plan on having a comfortable stay and any sort of privacy. For a festival you’re much better off going for the cheaper end of the spectrum, there appears to be a whole “use it – bin it” mindset that goes on and many tents get left at the festival which then go on to be donated to 3rd world countries or countries who have recently experienced a natural disaster. At Simply Hike we can offer you a wide variety of tents for very reasonable expense, and in our opinion there’s no better feeling at a festival than the one one you get when you can watch everyone else struggle to pitch their Tent, knowing that your “pop up Tent” could take you less than 2 minuets to set up.
  2. Sleeping Bag – Again, depending on how comfortable you want to be. Sleeping bags are great for festival events just because they are easy, convenient, cheap and practical. No one wants to wrap them selves up in their spare clothes just to keep warm at night.
  3. Comfort Mat – Some sort of comfort mat should also be considered. A festival is a draining affair, you want to make sure you feel as good as you can and of course this starts with a decent nights sleep….. unless you’re that intoxicated and decide to sleep where ever you land.
  4. Wash Kit – We can’t stress this enough……. Festivals are disgusting places to be at times. The Loo’s are often out of use within hours and the showers are covered in mud, hair and urine amongst other things. We suggest that you MAKE SURE you bring: Tooth Paste and brush, dry shampoo, Anti-bacterial wipes and gel, shower gel and deodorant….. they’re the essential wash-kit basics.
  5. Rucksack – The last of the basics. The Rucksack has its obvious use but is still a must. You need to store your spare clothes and dirty clothes somewhere. We find that a decent rucksack is needed more than anything when its time to pack up and go home and you have that dreadful 1 mile trek to your car. (As a little tip, bringing plastic bags or bin liners can prove very useful, especially for all your dirty clothes and shoes).
  6. Flash Light – It’s late at night, you and your friends are a little worse for wear and you need to pack it in so that you’re ready for tomorrow………… Wait…….. It’s dark, where the hell is our tent? Bringing a flash light is very important you don’t want to stumble into an unsuspecting couple’s tent.
  7. Wellies – Doesn’t matter if you’re fashion conscious or you’re Mr & Mrs Sensible. Wellington boots are a must for 2011. Some festival fields are an endless stretch of muddy puddles. To protect your feet and allow to you to get the best festival experience you must get a pair. Simply Hike sells a great range of Hunter Wellies in all sizes and colours, so you can look great even though you’re covered in mud.
  8. The Poncho – The poncho seems to be growing in popularity. We think they are the ultimate festival hoody. Keeping you warm or dry depending on what style you buy.
  9. Your Mobile Phone – If you’re going with a group of friends its vital that you take a mobile phone, emergencies may occur.
  10. Water Bottle – Buying water at a festival can be pretty expensive in fact most things are expensive at festivals. However, if you’re smart enough to plan ahead, please make sure you pack a water bottle. They can’t charge you for water at the taps.
  11. Toilet Roll – Even in pocket size form, you must make sure you bring some. As said earlier the toilets often end up disgusting within a few hours. The rest can’t really be explained without graphic detail, but you get the point…..
  12. Solar Charger – Again, can’t stress enough the need for a mobile phone. A solar charger will make sure that you don’t run out of battery at the most inappropriate of times.
  13. Money Belt – Money belts aren’t as geeky as they sound. They can be discretely hidden under t-shirts. This has two advantages. You can keep your money on you and safe at all times and you don’t run the risk of leaving cash in your tent.
  14. Gaffer Tape – Again, for the more organised of you out there, Gaffer tape can be a life saver at festivals. Alcohol + young people + music = destruction. Gaffer tape can be used to fix rips in tents, hold poles together etc., very, very handy.
  15. Spare Clothes – You’re going to get filthy!

Finding the perfect campsite for your tent

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All site guides will list facilities, location, number of pitches and so on where you can pitch your tent. Happily, many modern campsite guides emphasise character and seek out alternative settings to the classic open level field. Over time, you’ll realise the type of site that suits and how to interpret the descriptions in guides, brochures and ads. Sometimes, the lure of a pizzeria on site can offset the proximity of pitches – at least for a night or two. Likewise, a stunning location may make up for pretty basic facilities. The scheming is part of most camping trips unless you prefer to pack up, keep your eyes peeled and trust to luck and vacancies.

Guides – for many years, the Camping & Caravanning Club’s Your Big Sites Book (that’s big as in book not size of sites) has been an excellent source – www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/ukcampsites.

More recently, the Cool Camping – www.coolcamping.co.uk – guides have become popular with family and friends as we generally prefer small sites with less regimented layouts and the chance to enjoy open fires. It’s handy, too, that the site info has notes on local pubs. Curiously, libraries rarely have campsite guides lurking on their shelves but most bookshops will a have a few options such as www.tinycampsites.co.uk; www.alanrogers.com .

Internet – a straightforward search for campsites will throw up a variety of options; some are useful in cross-referencing the facts in a traditional sites’ guide; www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites and www.bigfreeguide.com are useful.

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Tourist boards – should be a useful source but continually disappoint; they are appear to prefer promoting hotels and B&Bs. Time and again, tourist board sites only list big holiday parks completely distorting camping opportunities in their area.

Listening – some of our favourite campsites have been discovered by personal recommendation; many more might have been enjoyed if the name had been noted down when mentioned. Swapping site info is useful but if you’re talking to people you’d rather avoid in future, don’t part with favourites.

Backpackers’ Club – The club is intended for people who enjoy lightweight self-contained camping. Since its foundation in 1972, benefits to members have grown steadily with many services still unique to the club including the UK Farm Pitch Directory and Long Distance Path Site and Pitch Directory – www.backpackersclub.co.uk.

National Parks launch accessibility guide

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The UK’s National Parks have launched a ‘Guide to accessible activities in Britain’s National Parks’.  It’s packed with ideas for young families and anyone with limited mobility, including those needing access for pushchairs and wheelchairs or those whose legs aren’t as young as they used to be.

The guide, produced by the UK Association of National Park Authorities, details some great accessible activities which can be enjoyed in Britain’s most beautiful countryside – the family of UK National Parks. Available in a number of different accessible formats the guide can be found on www.nationalparks.gov.uk/visiting/accessforall.htm

Accessible activities in the Guide include:

* A circular walk in the New Forest National Park featuring a beautiful collection of trees from many countries. There is a sensory trail encouraging people to touch, smell and listen to the sounds of certain trees.

* Sailing on a solar powered boat in the Broads (a guided tour) with panoramic views over Barton Broad and a great place for wildlife on land or water. Or perhaps take to the water sailing in specially adapted boats on the 374-acre Wimbleball Lake (pictured; credit – Heather Lowther/Exmoor NPA) in Exmoor National Park, an opportunity for people with a range of abilities.

WIMBLE~1

* Mini bus tours with a National Park guide visiting sites on the beautiful high moor in Dartmoor National Park.

* Cycling or perhaps fishing around the beautiful Mawddach estuary in Snowdonia National Park, a chance for visitors to experience some of Snowdonia’s splendour, striking scenery and beautiful wildlife.

* The trail following the edge of Loch Morlich in Scotland with spectacular views towards the Cairngorm mountains.

These accessible activities provide an opportunity to relax, explore, enjoy life and even get fitter and healthier. Carl Lis, Chairman of the UK Association of National Park Authorities, said: “The UK’s National Parks are here to be enjoyed, irrespective of age and ability. This new guide gives some great ideas about how everyone, including people with limited mobility, those who are partially sighted, and parents with children in pushchairs can enjoy the great outdoors in a way that’s not only fun but healthy and good for the body and mind. At a time when people are likely to have less money to spend it’s worth remembering that visiting their nearest National Park is a free, fun way to spend some quality time.”

There are 15 members of the National Parks in the UK. These are the Brecon Beacons, the Broads, the Cairngorms, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs, New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, Peak District, Pembrokeshire Coast, South Downs, Snowdonia, Yorkshire Dales. For more information on UK National Parks, visit www.nationalparks.gov.uk.

Appeal of a Naked Hiker Upheld

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A Swiss court has upheld the appeal of a gentleman who was fined for hiking naked.

The Trogen Court ruled that the naked rambling did not amount to “indecent behaviour”.

One prosecutor has been quoted as saying the ruling shouldn’t be seen as giving permission for people in the area to be able to walk around naked.

appenzell-naked-hikersThis was the first case since the eastern Swiss canton of Appenzell which allowed hikers that were naked to be fined.

Appenzell has become a destination popular to those who like to hike without clothes, but many of the locals aren’t happy about the growing trend.

This particular hiker in question was fined 100 Swiss francs (about £60) after complaints from eyewitnesses said that he had been hiking in full view of a communal barbecuing area.

The witnesses also said that he walked past a Christian care home and residents saw him.

It was reported by the swissinfo.ch website that the court lifted the fine and that local authorities would cover court costs which were about 870 francs.

The 47-year-old defendant said he’d been hiking naked for two years and most of the people that he came across were friendly towards him. 

The Swiss federal law does state that public nudity is in fact not a crime.

Appenzell is traditionally quite a devout and conservative area which only gave woman the vote in 1990.

Authorities had been hoping that last year’s public order law which allowed for fines would be a deterrent to naked hikers.

Ten Backpacking Essentials

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Over the last ten years, backpacking as a lifestyle and as a business has grown considerably. The combination of low-cost airlines and hostels all over the world, with the digital communication and resources has made planning, executing and continuing a long-term backpacking trip easier than it has ever been before.

Backpacking allows people to discover the world and experience new cultures in their own way. Whether you just go for a month or for a year, you can tailor your backpacking trip the way you want it, from where you go, to where you stay to how you travel there. It really is one of the best ways to build your perfect trip!

If you’re considering going on a backpacking adventure then there’s ten essentials you need to make sure you have organised for your safety, survival and comfort.

1. Navigation

Must haves are a map and a compass. If you like the sounds of GPS then go for it, they’re fantastic, but obviously a little more pricey. I would also suggest you get yourself a map case too, it will help protect your map, not just from the rain, but from getting ripped easily too.

2. Sun Protection

The last thing you want is burnt shoulders whilst carrying your backpack or sun stroke, so always take sunsreen and lip balm. Also take protective clothing like hats and glasses to double up on protection if you know you are going to be in the sun all day.

3. First Aid

Make sure you have got a suitable first aid kit, it doesnt need to be massive but if you get stuck somewhere that isn’t near a shop, you are going to want to make sure you have got the necessary facilities to hand. You will find lots of ready prepared First Aid Kits at Simply Hike.

4. Insulation

It may be hot where you’re going, but you can never predict the conditions you might get stuck in, so always take a jacket or vest with you and some warm hiking trousers.

5. Fire

Make sure you take a good supply of matches along with a fire starter so you can easily start a fire, whether it be for cooking or signalling for help.

6. Illumination

You will definitely want to make sure you are equipped with a headlamp or flash torch. They not only help you find your way in the dark, but can be used to signal for help should you get into trouble. Your torch won’t be any good without any batteries, so don’t forget to take a good supply of them with you!

7. Multi-tool

You can guarantee you will need to use a multi-tool everyday for one thing or another so it’s worth investing in a decent one. You should also consider taking a repair kit, include something like duct tape which can be used for a number of things.

8. Hydration

If you’re on the go all day and out in the sun you are going to need to be kept well hydrated. Obviously bottles of water are perfect, but if you’re on the move, then invest in a hydration pack, it simply fits in your rucksack and means you can drink hands-free whilst on the go! If you can’t always get hold of bottled water then make sure you get a water purification treatment which can come in different forms from tablets to drops.

9. Nutrition

You need to keep energy levely high, and when you’re travelling you can’t always be sure what lies around the corner, so take an extra day’s supply of food with you and things like energy bars, gels and trail mix to keep you going.

10. Emergency Shelter

Should you run in to a spot of bother you will need to have emergency shelter, either a reflective blanket, tent, tarp or bivy sack will do the job.