4 ways to build the perfect campfire
Sitting round a campfire, toasting s'mores and singing guiding songs is a classic Girlguiding activity.
Illustrations by Stellaisaac.co.uk
Illustrations by Stellaisaac.co.uk
After a wet and muddy day outdoors there's nothing better than cosying up around a fire, roasting marshmallows and playing games. It’s a chance for your girls to bond, share stories and create memories that they’ll keep forever.
And making a campfire with your girls is also a brilliant way to help them achieve their adventure land badge, as well as ticking off some of the camp skills builders and Have Adventures UMAs.
When planning a campfire there’s a lot to think about. Of course it’s important to stay safe. We know the drill: never leave a fire unattended and wait until it’s fully extinguished before walking away; always have a bucket of water, sand or earth nearby to extinguish the fire; don’t light a fire on peat, under a tree or near shrubs and bushes; always tie your hair back and make sure clothes and jewellery are tucked in; and be aware of how the direction of the wind could blow your fire.
But there are other things to think about when making the perfect campfire, with different fires being suited to different things. The type of campfire you pick depends on what you want to use it for. We’re profiling 4 different types of fire, as well as some ideas for the food you can cook on them.
Top tip:
if you’re not near any outdoor nature space, you can do these fires in a baking tray which you can put on bricks in any outdoor space like a carpark. Wherever you’re doing it, make sure you’ve got all the permissions you need.
Read on for ideas to make your next campfire the best one yet!
Teepee campfire
This classic cone-shape structure is easy to build and heat. It’s wide and circular base allows for plenty of oxygen to flow, which means it burns hot. It’s also easy to feed by leaning more sticks against its upright structure. Because this fire consumes wood rapidly and requires constant maintenance, it’s best used as a quick warming fire for roasting marshmallows or singing campfire songs. It’s also good for small cooking tasks, like boiling water to make hot chocolate. Once the teepee has collapsed you can put the pot of water on the coals and add small sticks around the pot to keep the fire going.
Top tip:
If you’re putting your pot directly on to the fire, use a paint brush to paint washing up liquid on the bottom and sides of the pan. When you’re finished the soot and ash rubs off.
Log cabin campfire
If you’re looking for a fire that’s going to last and requires minimal effort, the log cabin is the way to go. It’s also the easiest to construct if someone in your unit has mobility issues or you have younger girls that can get involved in building it. By stacking thick logs that fall in on one another as they burn, but still leaving space in the centre for air to flow, you create a warm fire that burns much slower than the pyramid. Building one is easy: put 2 logs in your pit parallel to each other, then stack 2 more on top at right angles to make a square. Continue to stack logs to the desired height, then place kindling in the centre square and ignite.
Upside down pyramid or platform campfire
The platform fire is in the same family as the log cabin, but its main purpose is to cook food. The difference is that the logs are stacked closer together, and that the fire is started on the top level of the platform, as opposed to the bottom centre like the log cabin. By burning it down from the top, the fire creates a solid, flat ‘platform’ of coals on which you can place your pots and pans to cook. To build it, lay 3 (or more) logs on the ground, then place 3 more on top perpendicular to the ones below, and so on, at least 3 levels high. Then, start the fire at the top. This fire is great for large batch meals like chillies or stews.
Lean-to campfire
When it’s windy, the campfire to go for is the lean-to method, which uses its own wood as a windbreak. To build the simplest version, lay a thick log on the ground and place your tinder beside it, downwind so the thick log is protecting the tinder. Lean small sticks and other kindling against the log at an angle that goes over the top of the tinder. When you light the tinder, it will catch the kindling on fire and begin burning the bigger log. Slowly add larger sticks to build up the fire, and add another full-size log when ready. This campfire is great for baking food, like jacket potato wrapped in tinfoil.
Ideas for different types of food to cook
When thinking about food, it’s important to check for allergies, dietary requirements and food that complies with different faiths. You can find advice on this at our food safety guidance page. And our get thinking about inclusive food page.
Once you’ve done this with your unit, here are a few ideas for food to cook on a campfire.
Pot noodles
For individual pot noodles, clean a tin can, for bigger batches use a cooking pot. Chop vegetables or grab a bag for stir fry and add them with some dry noodles, then add water to cover the ingredients and add any flavour, using a stock cube or a ready-mix jar of flavourings. Cover the top with tin foil and put a grate in the fire for about 10 minutes and it is cooked. Be aware that it will take about 30 minutes to cool down before eating, so prepare it in good time!
Pizza pocket savoury
Slice open a pitta bread and put in a spoonful of tomato puree, add cheese and any other toppings you want. Wrap your pizza pocket in foil and put either on a grate on the fire or the embers. Using a hot mitt take it out and then cool before eating.
Pizza pocket sweet
Follow the instructions above but instead of using savoury ingredients why not make a sweet one with chocolate spread and marshmallows or sprinkles.
Chocolate orange cake
Pre-prepare some chocolate cake mix, hollow out an orange, put the cake mix in the orange. Cover with tin foil and put in the embers of your fire. Using a hot mitt, take it out and then cool before eating.
Chocolate banana
Take a banana and cut it in half. Put a flake or pieces of chocolate in the middle. Cover with tin foil and put in the embers of your fire. Using a hot mitt, take it out and then cool before eating.
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