The Great British camping holiday, a chance to unwind, spend some quality time with loved ones and even get that bit closer to nature too. But for some a camping holiday within the UK can be a turbulent time. One packed with pitfalls and traps.
All that it takes in order to take a big step towards that harmonious and enjoyable family trip is to put some careful thought and planning in place to ensure that you have covered all the possible issues. By doing this, within a few trips out with the tent you can will most certainly end up feeling like a bit of a pitch perfect expert and will be putting up tents and inflating mattresses in the blink of an eye.
Okay, so before you go what do you need to have in place? If you could create a tick list of those things you have to remember, what would they contain?
Picking your campsite
Before the tent is in the car and the kids are buckled in you need to pay some time and attention to making sure that you have selected the right campsite for both your needs and also the type of camping experience you are looking to have.
If you are not a hardened camper then perhaps you will be looking for a site with plenty of facilities; toilets, showers and entertainment for the kids. Otherwise you might end up in a large field with nothing around you.
Your tent, your temporary home
Possibly the most important aspect of your camping trip is your tent; after all, a bad tent can mean an entirely bad experience. Ideally you would be able to see your tent fully pitched before you make a choice on whether or not to buy it; however that might not always be possible when you buy online or within a high street store.
If you can’t view your tent then you will want to give some careful assessment to the space that it provides. Whilst tents are split into person berth sizes nothing says how big those people are and also how much living space the tent provides.
Once you have picked your perfect tent then you should plan in some time to practice putting it up before you go. Otherwise you may find yourself still struggling with pegs and ropes at the time when you should be lounging by the campfire drinking a nice chilled beverage.
Planning makes perfect
It may seem mildly obsessive in nature, but taking the time to make lists and check your equipment is very important. Otherwise you might find yourself missing a key item or finding that one has an issue once you get to the site.
You can even take the planning one step further and look at your meals whilst you are camping. Realistic you are never going to be able to cook a full on roast dinner whilst you are there, but you can probably manage pasta and sauce on a cooking stove.
Allowing for plenty of time when it comes to packing and travelling means that you won’t be racing down the motorway an hour before sundown worried about missing the last of the light.
So, you made it, you are there! Well done you. The tent is pitched, the stove is set up and you are ready for a great holiday. Enjoy the time with your family and revel in the wonder of this place that we call home. Who needs a sun packed foreign holiday when the Great British countryside welcomes you!
