A beginner’s guide to camping

02 Dec 2016

Get back to nature and sleep under the stars. Camping can be a simple, cheap and beautiful holiday to enjoy yourself, with your family or with your friends.

There are many reasons to go camping, from the ‘getting back to nature’ argument to the case of ‘it’s a great way to switch off’. But also, quite simply, it is a wonderful opportunity to really connect with those you’re with and enjoy the picturesque scenery.

There are different types of camping holidays to choose from. These can range from right in the heart of nature to official camping sites where there are toilets, showers and barbeque facilities for you to use. Camping at a site is popular, but you need to book a site in advance. And then, of course, there’s glamping – the luxurious side of camping – where there may be pre-pitched tents with proper beds and private bathrooms.

What you’ll need

If you’ve never been camping, there will be an upfront cost to setting yourself up. While you can purchase cheap gear, if camping is something you’re going to want to do more than once, it’s much more economical to spend the money now and get good-quality equipment than to have to keep replacing the bargain goods. Here’s what you’ll need to start:

• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping mat to make the ground more comfortable, or an air mattress or a foldable cot bed to raise yourself off the ground
• Camping pillow

Then, depending on the type of camping holiday
you choose to go on, you also may need cooking essentials such as a stove, campfire grill, crockery and cutlery, pots and pans, and tongs. All of this can be purchased as specialised camping goods. It’s also handy to have some Ziploc bags, aluminium foil, paper towel and containers to store any leftover food.
And of course, you’re going to need torches, sun cream, bug repellent, water, safety gear such as whistles and radios, and it’s always handy to have some extra batteries around as well. Plus, don’t forget the first aid kit and plenty of water, especially if you’ll be using it for cooking as well.

Avoid the mistakes

Always research where you’re going so you can be fully prepared – checking the weather, facilities and the conditions of the actual site.

Test your equipment to make sure you know how to pitch your tent, that there are no holes in your sleeping bag and that your stove works properly.

And finally, try to arrive at the campsite during daylight. There’s nothing worse than trying to find a spot, pitch a tent and figure out your surroundings in the dark.