Check the Park's Rules Before You Unpack the Coals

Lodge parks vary enormously in what they allow, and the rules are usually there for good reason rather than to spoil your evening. Some sites permit charcoal only in a designated barbecue area, some ask for gas only, some ban disposable trays altogether during dry spells, and a few will happily lend you a fire pit if you book it in advance. Before you so much as open a bag of charcoal, have a look at the welcome pack or the notice board by reception, and if it isn't clear, just ask. It takes a minute and saves an awkward knock at the door halfway through cooking.

The restrictions usually exist because of fire risk, insurance, and smoke drifting into a neighbouring lodge's open window or hot tub. Wooden decking, verandas and balcony rails are the particular concern — a hot tray set down for a moment can leave a scorch mark that lasts longer than your holiday. If your lodge has a hot tub, keep the barbecue well clear of it and never rest utensils or lids on the cover.

Choosing a Safe Spot for the Grill

Position matters more than most people expect. As a rule of thumb, keep the barbecue at least three metres from the lodge walls, decking edges, fences, hedges and overhanging branches. That distance covers radiant heat, spitting fat and the moment a gust of wind flips a lid.

• Surface: stand it on paving, gravel or bare earth — never directly on wooden or composite decking, dry grass or a picnic table.
• Level ground: a slight slope is enough to send hot fat running towards your feet, so check before you light.
• Wind direction: set up downwind of the lodge so smoke drifts away from open doors, and away from a neighbour's seating area.
• Overhead: avoid anything above the grill, including parasols, awnings and low tree canopy.

If the ground is tinder-dry after a long spell of warm weather, be extra cautious and consider a gas barbecue instead. Many parks will ask you to do the same.

Setting Up: Stability, Fuel and a Plan B

A barbecue that wobbles is a barbecue that ends up on the grass. Use a proper stand or a sturdy table rather than balancing a disposable tray on a garden chair, a wall or a wheelie bin. Give yourself a clear workspace beside it for raw food, cooked food and utensils, so you aren't reaching across the flames.

Have something to hand before you light up: a bucket of water, a bucket of sand, or a fire blanket. Long-handled tongs, thick heatproof gloves and a metal tray for spent ash are worth packing in the car. A windbreak a couple of metres away can keep things calm, but don't box the grill in so tightly that heat builds up around it.

With gas, check the hose and connections every time — rubber perishes quietly in a shed over winter. Brush soapy water over the joints and watch for bubbles; that's your leak test. Keep spare cylinders upright and outside the lodge, never in a cupboard or under a bed.

Lighting It Well and Cooking It Through

If you're using charcoal, a chimney starter is the simplest, safest option. Never squirt lighter fluid onto coals that are already warm or glowing — that's how flash fires happen — and never add fresh fuel from a bottle to a lit grill. Wait until the coals are grey with a soft white coating, usually twenty to thirty minutes, before any food goes on. Flames lick the outside of a sausage black while the middle stays pink, which is exactly what you don't want.

Food safety on a barbecue is mostly about timing and separation:

• Cook to temperature: chicken, sausages, burgers and kebabs should reach 75°C in the centre, with juices running clear.
• Separate your kit: one set of tongs and one plate for raw meat, another for cooked.
• Skip the pre-cook: part-cooking meat at the lodge and finishing it on the grill is a classic route to food poisoning.
• Keep it cold: leave salads, dips and raw meat in the fridge or a cool box until the moment they're needed.

With gas, light it with the lid open, and if it doesn't catch within a few clicks, turn the gas off, wait a minute, and try again rather than letting gas build up under a closed lid.

Watching the Flames, the Children and the Wildlife

A lit barbecue should never be left unattended — not even for the few minutes it takes to fetch a forgotten plate. Children need a firm one-metre rule, and ball games near a grill are a bad combination. Keep dogs and cats well away too; a curious nose and a hot grate don't mix.

Expect interest from the local wildlife. Gulls, foxes and wasps are bold on holiday parks, so keep food covered, bin bags sealed and leftovers inside rather than out on the table overnight. Take it easy on the drinks while you're cooking, and if the wind picks up sharply, close the lid, stop cooking and wait it out. Never carry a lit barbecue anywhere, even a short distance.

Cooling Down and Leaving Things Tidy

Charcoal ash stays hot for many hours, sometimes a full day. Leave it to cool completely, then bag it and put it in the bin the park specifies — never tip hot ash into a general waste bin, a hedge or dry grass. Empty the grease tray before you leave, and give the grill a quick scrub so the next guests aren't scraping yesterday's dinner.

For gas, turn the cylinder off first and let the remaining gas in the hose burn away before switching off the controls. Above all, never bring a barbecue indoors — not into the lodge, not into an awning, not into the porch of a pod. Smouldering coals produce carbon monoxide, and there are no exceptions to that rule.

Do all that, and the barbecue becomes what it should be: an easy, unhurried way to eat outside while the light fades over the fields.