Tents...nervous HEADACHE?
IF THE IDEA OF YOUR FIRST CAMPING TRIP IS STRESSING YOU OUT, VICKY LISSAMAN HAS EXPERT ADVICE FOR A BREAK THAT’S PITCH PERFECT
ANEW appetite for the outdoors during lockdowns has sparked a surge in bookings for camping holidays this summer. But if it’s your first time under canvas, how do you go about planning, packing and pitching your tent?
Check out our guide to when, where and how to set up camp...
TOP TIPS FOR NEWBIES
Dan Yates, founder of outdoor accommodation specialist pitchup. com shares his tips to ensure your pitch goes off without a hitch.
Be honest
The first question to ask yourself – and answer, honestly – is: “How Bear Grylls am I, really?”
Grading yourself on a scale of one (can’t survive a night away without a hotel’s pillow menu) to 10 (surviving alone on a desert island) will help you to narrow down your choices.
‘Almost wild’ camping is huge this summer, with more than 170 popup farm campsites added so far on pitchup.com, but some are pretty basic with compost toilets and no electric hook-ups.
However, there’s plenty of luxury accommodation on offer, from heated yurts to fully-furnished log cabins.
Tent tips
Go large if you can. Extra space under canvas is always useful. Practise putting up your tent and taking it down before you go. It’s easier to get to grips with the instructions in the privacy of your back garden or local park than when you arrive at your holiday spot at sunset. Use flags, windsocks, bunting or fairylights to distinguish your tent from all the others. A decent pocket torch is a godsend after dark (most smartphones have one too). Google Maps also has a function to save your exact location.
Choose your pitch wisely
Select a shady spot to keep cool in high summer or somewhere that doesn’t get the bright light of sunrise. Pitch on higher ground and, if you prefer peace and quiet, away from communal facilities. If there’s a breeze, go for a spot with some shelter, such as next
to a wall or shrubs.
Check barbecues are on the menu
If you’re planning barbecues, check in advance that your site allows them, as not all do. Take cooking tools, crockery and cutlery and a tin opener. Use your car as a pantry once you’ve set up camp – it helps keep ingredients fresh and out of
range from wildlife.
Keep it down
Canvas isn’t renowned for its soundproofing, and noise carries pretty well across fields.
Campers are generally an easygoing lot, but there’s an expectation that by 10pm all will be quiet. If you’re a light sleeper, use earplugs so you’re not disturbed by owls, foxes, cockerels or early morning farmers at work.
The first question to ask yourself is: ‘How Bear Grylls am I, really?’ pitchup.com’s Dan Yates
Keep things dry
It might be the height of summer, but if you are camping in the UK be prepared for all weathers. Pack a waterproof jacket, more than one set of clothes and zip-lock plastic bags to keep items such as phones dry. Larger plastic bags are useful for keeping damp clothes and shoes separate.
Many sites have drying rooms, and some larger sites have launderettes with tumble dryers.
Leave no trace
It’s the unofficial law of camping – leave no trace (aside from a patch of flattened grass). Use on-site waste disposal facilities, or take any rubbish away with you, including damaged tents.
Ensure cooking is done responsibly with no lasting damage to the surrounding area.
Keep your environmental footprint to a minimum by travelling with reusable crockery, cutlery, bottles and equipment.