Now camping does NOT mean slumming it. It doesn’t equate to an absence of the small pleasures in life.

Camping means chilled out evenings, (even when wrapped in a sleeping bag), chatting by firelight and making new friends, even in winter. And what better way, we suggest, to do that than by clinking some ice cubes into a glass and raising a toast with a camping (or camp?!) cocktail? Hence, we’ve compiled the 4Points Leisure guide to camping cocktails and with Christmas in the back of our minds, we thought it would be an ideal time to share.

Camping Cocktails

Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.

~ Ogden Nash, Hard Lines

With that sentiment from Mr Nash in mind, charge your glasses for our somewhat irreverent and tongue-in-cheek cocktail guide.

For this lovely evening (or post swim, walk, hike *insert as appropriate) indulgence, you will need the following:

Cocktail Shaker:  Roger Stone said: ‘There is something urbane, stylish, and worldly about owning a cocktail shaker.’ But if you don’t have one then a juicing mug will suffice. Or even a baby’s bottle. But do make sure the baby has finished with it first!

Stainless Steel Spirit Measure Cup – an egg cup would fit the bill.

Paper cocktail Umbrellas – we can’t think of an alternative to these – unless you have time to origami the umbrellas and glue them to cocktail sticks?! Which you might do – you’re on your hols, after all!

Muddler – a few of the following recipes require a muddler. You use a muddler like a pestle. Or you’ve got the end of a mallet!

Bar Spoon – or a long-handled teaspoon. Or attach a teaspoon to a tent peg with duct tape! Duct tape is a favourite thing with us. See our blog post on 101 (almost) things you can do with the stuff.

Cocktail Glasses we rather like these colourful ones. £7.99 for 20 (right).

Or these lovelies from Party Plastics (on the left). We rather think the black Martini Glass gives an edge to your camping trip. Alternatively use your usual glasses.  We find an enamel mug adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ (literally!).

Ice or not to Ice

All the above gives you a good basic cocktail collection for the camping kit. And it shouldn’t take up too much space. You can, of course add to it, with cocktail sticks for cherries, strainers and tongs.

Every cocktail needs ice.  Now I KNOW what you’re thinking, we’re in a tent, get real! But most campsites offer you freezer space for your freezer blocks. So invest in some plastic ice cubes, bag them up, put your name on the bag and into the freezer they go. If you really want to push the Mai Tai out, how about flashing ice cubes?

Here we have 8 breezy or cheesy, camping themed cocktails.

Enjoy, and drink responsibly because untangling yourself from guy lines is never a good look.

You may decide that making one portion of each drink is a drag, as the drinks don’t seem to last long, do they? Oh – just us then?!

Anyway, we saw a portable collapsible drinks dispenser at our last campsite. It was being used for children’s squash but we’re sure you could adapt it for cocktails with a slight adjustment to the ingredients!  Useful for parties/BBQs at home too – for adults or the kids.

Dark ‘n’ Stormy – well we hope it won’t be for you. We wish you blue skies all the way.

2fl oz. Dark Rum

4 fl oz. Ginger Beer

½ cup ice

Shake away those storm clouds with this rum do of a drink.

Camping Cucumber Cooler – one for the non-drinkers or when you want something cool and refreshing. And it doubles as an eye-reviver. Stick the cucumber slices on your peepers when you’ve emptied the glass.

4-6 cucumber slices

¼ lime sliced

4 fl oz. Tonic Water

6 mint leaves

1 tbsp. sugar (optional)

Add the mint, lime and sugar (if using), to the shaker, and muddle (mallet at ready). Add cucumber slices to shaker and shake. Pour mixture over ice (in a glass #obvs). Add tonic water. Stir and leave to sit for a while.

‘Bell Tentini’ – Not that a bell tent is compulsory to imbibe this one.  You can still enjoy it even if you’re in a cosy 2-man tent. And of course once you open a sparkling wine you’ve got to drink it all.  Haven’t you?

2 parts sparkling wine

1 part peach puree you may want to prep in advance! Or buy Peach Puree (whadda?)

Mix the two together.

Northern Lights Cocktail – if we can’t get to them – well, the cocktail can come to us. Courtesy of tipsybartender

30ml Smirnoff Sours Berry Lemon

30ml Lemon vodka

Red Bull Blueberry

Lemon Wedges

Blueberries

Mix together.

Cocktails to brighten in the rain!

Camping-Car, a variation on Sidecar

1tsp Sugar

2 fl oz. Cognac

1 fl oz. Orange Liqueur (Cointreau)

½ fl oz. Lemon Juice

Sprinkle the sugar on a small dish, damp the lip of the glass, and dip in the sugar, leave to set. Combine other ingredients and shake.

Muddy Mojito – wash the mud off with a cooling Mojito

1 ½ limes cut into wedges

20 fresh mint leaves

2½ tsp granulated sugar

handful ice

65ml/2½fl oz. white rum

splash soda water to taste

fresh mint sprig to garnish

Place the limes, mint and sugar into the shaker and ‘muddle’ or mash, to bruise the mint and release the lime juice. Add the ice and pour over the rum. Add soda water to taste and stir well. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve.

Rusty Tent Peg – a nice easy one for camping

2fl oz. Whisky/Scotch

½ oz. Drambuie

Combine ingredients, pour over ice cubes.

Porto Flip ‘flop’- possibly one to have as you stagger to the toilet block

1 fl oz. Brandy

1 ½ fl oz. Ruby Port

¼ fl oz. syrup

1 egg

Whole nutmeg to grate

Add brandy, port and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Add egg -yolk and white. Shake vigorously for one minute. Strain into glass. Top with freshly grated nutmeg.

As always, enjoy alcohol responsibly. If you’ve got any other crazy camping cocktail suggestions let us know and we’ll share them on our Facebook and Twitter stream. Until next time, #getoutside

Jo & Richard

4 Points Leisure
The Glamping, Camping and Festival Accessories shop, with years of camping experience