Camping Advice

SCA Camping Etiquette

An SCA person's campsite is their castle.  Please respect their territory, their belongings and their vicinity.  Storming their holding is not to be encouraged, nor is laying siege to their worldly goods (ie. ask permission to enter a personal camping area; do not sit on someone else's chair or cushion without being invited).

Greet your fellow campers with "good day, milady", not "hey dudes, what's happenin'?"; try out the odd bow or hand-kissing (select the recipients of the latter with due care and courtesy!).  Make your best attempt at pre-1600 clothing, or see if Hire Garb can help you out (ask well in advance!).  Mundane clothes are for set-up and pack-down periods only.

We encourage appropriate conversation if you are within the hearing of others (if you have to talk about role-playing games, computers, television etc, please try and do it in private).

Please keep obviously modern items inside your tent, or have some sort of cover if you need them with you.  Here are some ideas:

  • put your camera in a basket with a napkin on top of it
  • cover any plastic items with leather off-cuts
  • transfer any food or drink to appropriate containers
  • have coloured and/or dagged riggings on your tent
  • sew cloth covers for director's chairs or drawstring cloth bags for PET bottles
  • embroider or applique your cushions
  • use throw rugs to cover non-period gear or furnishings (a chilly-bin covered with a cloth makes a great table!)
  • use pottery, wood or metal eating gear (the merchants are bound to have some for sale)

Please keep the campsite tidy and clean.  Bring some plastic bags with you to hold your own rubbish.  Crush cans and plastic bottles.  And please take your glass bottles away with you -- this will help us to retain good relations and maintain a discreetly damp site.

All tent ropes should have white flags attached to stop them being stumbled over at night.  You can have fancy pennants or simple twists of cloth, so long as they help visibility and reduce the chance of sprained ankles and broken legs.   See the Constable if you don't have these -- if you're very lucky, he may have some for hire (possibly in return for a fill of his tankard) or for purchase.  Keep the ends of your tent ropes at least a metre away from your neighbours' pegs, so people can pass between without having to dodge, clamber and crawl through them.

In some years, the CF site is subject to a TOTAL FIRE BAN.  In practice, we have permission in those years to use GAS BBQs for cooking provided we use one of several areas spread throughout the site which have both taps and concrete pads, or similar non-flammable ground cover.  Consult the gate staff or Steward for the location of your nearest such - you will also find them indicated (as "water supply" or "power and water") on the site map.

For more advice, see Mistress Isabel Maria del Aguila's excellent article in the January 2008 issue of Southron Gaard's From the Tower newsletter (1.4MB PDF file).

Camping Checklists

Have you read the Rules and Regulations? 

Shelter

  • Pavilion with Poles
  • Pegs
  • Ropes with white safety pennons (put them on near the pegs, not half way up)
  • Hammer/Mallet
  • Groundsheet
  • Foam pad/mattress/air bed
  • Sleeping bag/bedding/pillow
  • Torch (electric) and spare batteries
  • Rubbish bags
  • Broom/brush
  • Table/stool/chairs/cushions
  • Banners, rugs, throws etc
  • Bucket of water or sand for fire safety

Clothing: pre-1600

  • Light clothing for hot days
  • Hats and veils
  • Chemises, shirts
  • Waterproof gear
  • Warm hood
  • Watertight boots
  • Wool clothing
  • Cloak
  • Leggings or pants
  • Several loose layers
  • Swim wear (the waterhole is public, please cover mundane togs when walking through the CF site)
  • Accessories: jewellery, belts, pouches, dress steel etc

Eating Gear/Feast Kit

  • plate and bowl (preferably wood or metal)
  • spoon
  • knife (preferably sharp)
  • drinking vessel
  • napkin/tea towel

Food Suggestions

  • Cooler with cool pads
  • Bread (rye-bread will last several days)
  • Cabin bread
  • Meat
  • Dairy products
  • Fresh fruit & vegetables
  • Canned foods
  • Cuppa-soup sachets
  • Cordials or drink sachets
  • Dried foods, nuts
  • Herbs and spices, salt and pepper, salad dressings

Cooking gear

  • Pots, frying pan
  • Ladles, serving spoons and forks
  • Sharp knives
  • Cutting board
  • Water containers
  • Personal feast gear: plates, goblets/tankards, knives, spoons
  • Stove and fuel (fire ban conditions permitting)
  • Dish-washing gear, tea towel
  • Can opener and corkscrew

Fighting

  • Full armour kit including mesh for war combat
  • Duct tape, strapping tape,contrasting tape
  • Closed cell foam.
  • Shoe laces
  • Spare leather straps
  • Rivets: solid, bifurcated, and 2-part; washers
  • Hammer
  • Pliers
  • Box cutter
  • Hole punch
  • Contact adhesive
  • Full archery/mixed combat kit
  • Nocks
  • Flights
  • Shafts
  • Blunts
  • Strapping tape
  • Mesh

Amusements

  • Armour and weapons
  • Musical instruments
  • Toys and games
  • Embroidery and other handcrafts
  • Sketch pad, pens etc
  • Books
  • Wares to sell at Market

Miscellanea

  • Money, maps, keys
  • First Aid kit (include personal medication, SPF 15 sunblock, insect repellent)
  • Toiletries
  • Plastic bag with dry clothes, important papers, emergency chocolate etc
  • Camera
  • A sense of fun

Please email the Faire Stewards if you have any enquiries.