Laura James - Cool Camping

Perhaps you and a crowd of friends are looking for a cheap fun break, or maybe you have small children and can’t face the idea of a long-haul flight and a stuffy hotel, or are off to a festival. Whatever the reason, you couldn’t have picked a better time as camping’s never been so cool.

Camping is a brilliant way to recharge your batteries and escape from modern life. It’s a back-to-nature experience that allows you to forget about the phone and email, to be utterly free to do what you want and to enjoy the elements. One of the real thrills of camping is the act of setting up camp itself. Of making your space beautiful and taking some time off from your life. It should be an experience that appeals to all your senses and one that makes you feel truly alive. When you’re camping, you tend to spend a lot of time thinking about what you’re going to eat and drink next. What the weather’s going to do and how you’d never noticed before how dark it really is at night.

What you don’t do is worry about real life and that, I suppose, is one of the real joys of camping. It allows you to experience things you haven’t since childhood. The day stretches before you in a way that’s unusual even on other kinds of holidays.

For children, camping is sheer bliss. In a world in which they’re forced to grow up far too quickly, camping holidays offer them an utterly childlike adventure. And, like many grown-ups, they love the kit associated with camping.

There are so many different adventures to be had. From doing it alone – in a one-man hike tent, somewhere utterly remote – to camping in a tipi field full of people, each one is different. But the thrill of spending nights outside is the same however you do it.

This book is not designed to be an instruction manual; it’s more a celebration of the art of camping. After all, sleeping outdoors under canvas is one of the few truly childish pleasures afforded to grown-ups and it’s not often that one gets to play ‘house’ any more.

Picture credit: Swiftsilver Caravans

Camping is a brilliant way to recharge your batteries and escape from modern life… forget about the phone and email, to be utterly free to do what you want and to enjoy the elements

Picture credit: Leatherman

essentials

Having the right kit is vitally important to your camping trip. Without it you might be cold, miserable and, perhaps worst of all, the least stylish in the field. So, don’t leave home without planning ahead and deciding exactly what you need to take.

tents

tipis

yurts

bolt-holes

kit guide

Picture credit: Pia Tryde with kind permission of Cath Kidston and Millets

essentials tents

loitering within tent

Technology and design have moved on massively and leaky, cold tents are a thing of the past. Tents are now pretty cool places in which to hang out.

Tents come in all shapes and sizes, from the very small and inexpensive to luxury versions with multiple bedrooms and space for everything, including the kitchen sink. Tents offer a compact and cost-effective means of camping. It’s important, though, that you choose a tent that best serves your needs and that you put it up properly. The weather can change really quickly and you need to ensure your tent offers you proper protection and will withstand the elements.

With tents, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for. Having said that, it makes no sense to spend a fortune on a tent if you’re not sure if you’re going to like camping. Larger camping shops have a good selection and staff who will be able to advise on the right tent for you. Whichever tent you go for, it’s a good idea to practice putting it up at home before you take it away for the first time. Manufacturers’ instructions can be a bit of a nightmare to follow and forget about trying to put it up for the first time on site and in the dark or bad weather.

Second-hand tents can be a good idea if you’re on a tight budget or are unsure if you’ll enjoy camping. Local papers, eBay and army surplus stores are good places to hunt out bargains. If you can get hold of an old-fashioned Scouts or army tent made from proper canvas, then you’ll have loads of space.

When you get to a temporary oasis, choose where you think you want to pitch your tent and sit on the grass for ten minutes. This is a useful exercise as it ensures it is indeed a good place to camp. Lie on the grass, too, and make sure it’s flat, even and comfortable.

The next step is to pitch your tent. If you’re a girl alone, you can always stand there batting your eyelashes and allow a knight in shining armour to do it for you. Whatever your tent looks like on the outside, you can make it gorgeous on the inside.

Picture credit: The North Face

The most important thing is comfort. As soon as your tent is pitched, decide what is going to go where and keep it meticulously tidy. If everything’s in its place, you won’t end up trying to find your torch in the pitch black or rolling over to find yourself putting your head on a pile of plates.

It’s best to decide where your bed is going to be positioned first. I can cope with anything as long as I have a good night’s sleep. But, if deprived of my full eight hours, even in the wilderness, I become impossible. Make sure you think about which way you want to face while sleeping. I like to have my feet facing the door, although at festivals it’s quite popular to sleep with your head close to the door, so you can chat to your neighbours. Make your bed and pile on the pillows.

Next, choose your kitchen area, somewhere for clothes and somewhere for the important things including the torch, matches and corkscrew, books and chocolate. I think this is important regardless of the size of the tent.

Picture credit: The North Face

Luxuries are an important part of tent life. Rugs are a must, for me at least. They can be heavy, though, so tricky if you’re hiking. Groundsheets have a horribly crackly, utilitarian feel and walking on rugs is much more comfortable. They also help to keep the tent warm at night.

It’s also vital to get the lighting right. Bright fluorescent torches are OK for walking to the loo at night, but in your tent you’ll want an altogether softer light. Gas lamps are good for this, as are the lanterns that take tea-lights, but obviously take care to avoid any fire hazards.

Most campsites allow you to have a sleeping tent and a pup tent on your pitch. These are usually very small tents, but can be useful for storage.

If you’re going camping with older children, they tend to love sleeping in their own tents. As long as it’s safe I think this should be strongly encouraged. It makes it more of an adventure for them and more peaceful for you.