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Hints & Tips

Camping

So you want to go camping! Well, you’ve made a great choice, and if you’re totally new to the freedom of outdoor living, this is a good place to start, because our aim is to set you along the right path. Camping comes in a variety of forms, but whichever you choose it allows you a liberty that is hard to find in other forms of holiday accommodation, providing you with the option to take off when you please, and for as long as you please.

You can pitch your tent overlooking the sea, beside lakes, in gently rolling countryside or amid dramatic mountains, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the views, and when you feel like a change of scenery you simply pack up and move on. You can visit the camping and caravan club for more information about camping.

Check our equipment section for all you will need to take.

Ready for the off

The gear’s all packed, so what now? Where do you go to camp? Backpackers often like to head for the hills and camp wild (if you do, try to gain permission from the land-owner, but if not, be as unobtrusive as possible and on departure remove all sign of your presence), but for others there is a broad variety of commercial campsites to choose from. These range from small farm sites with a handful of pitches and minimal facilities, perhaps just a water tap and a toilet with wc and wash basin, through to fully equipped holiday parks. With the latter you can expect a combination of any of the following: marked pitches with electrical hook-up, luxury heated toilet blocks with hot showers, a shop or supermarket, a launderette and ironing facilities, a restaurant and bar, tv and games rooms, children’s playground, swimming and paddling pools, tennis courts perhaps and possibly evening entertainment in the main holiday season. Note that some sites operate a discriminatory policy, ie families only, adults only, no single-sex groups, no motor-cyclists, no dogs etc. A good campsite guide from an OIA member outdoor store or bookshop will help you make your choice.

If you’re planning to camp high season at one of the big holiday parks in a popular tourist area you may need to book in advance. Out of season, though, you should be able to turn up on the day and find plenty of space.

Try to arrive at the site at a reasonable hour, say early to mid afternoon. In the first place, you’re more likely to find a pitch, but also, if you arrive late at night, your neighbours won’t be very happy as you stumble around in the dark trying to put up the tent, flashing lights and crashing poles.

In any case, many sites close their gates to cars for the night from 10.30 or 11 pm to around 7 am and you’ll have to carry your tent and equipment to the pitch. It’s also polite to leave a reasonable space between your tent and your neighbour’s. Some sites have marked pitches and so problems are unlikely to arise, but many more don’t and some campers seem to like pitching close to others, even if there is plenty of space.

Bear in mind tent walls are very thin and sounds carry a long way at night, so keep radios and tvs turned down. Most campsites don’t permit open fires, but some do allow barbecues, so once again think of your neighbours and check which way the smoke is likely to blow.

Click here for information about tents.

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