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Top Tips For First Time Campers

Last updated on - Updated by social

Last updated on August 13th, 2020 at 10:26 am

Camping for the first time can be a bit daunting, especially if you’re not too sure what to expect.

We’ve got some top tips for your first camping trip so that you can enjoy it to the full.

Two tents set up in the woods

Preparation

When camping, you should always be prepared. You don’t want to find that you’ve started your trip and forgotten an item that you’ll need as this will spoil the trip.

Although a great experience, camping can be unpredictable and you can expect different types of weather & experiences every time you go. 

Be sure to take extra items, such as a first aid kit, spare tent poles and cable ties etc. Hopefully, these won’t be required on your trip, but if they are – you’re prepared!

If you need some extra help getting your camping items together, check out our camping checklist with everything you need for a camping trip.

Rain or Shine

No matter where you plan your trip, you should always prepare for the weather, which can be totally unpredictable – especially in the UK. Make sure that you keep up to date with the weather forecast, but at the same time don’t simply rely on what it tells you.

If there is a forecast for cloudy weather, there’s always a chance it’ll rain. Take dry clothing and waterproofs with you just incase. If there’s a forecast for sunny weather, make sure you have the suncream and appropriate containers to keep your food cool.

Activities

Activities are what make a camping trip great! We suggest planning some activities before you head to your destination. You can do things like:

  • Walking/Hiking
  • Cycling
  • Canoeing or Kayaking
  • Orienteering
  • Bird-Watching

So, you’ll need to check your destination to see what kinds of activities are possible, and make sure you have any potential equipment that you’ll need.

A person in a kayak on water

Destination

Know everything about the destination you choose. You’ll want to be asking questions like:

  1. Are there any facilities on-site?
  2. Is there a local town? How close?
  3. Are there any electrical hook-ups?
  4. How many people can camp here?
  5. Are campfires permitted?

To ensure that you know the ins and outs of where you’ll be staying. If this is wrong, it can change your entire camping experience. 

Tent pitching

The tent is of course the most important part of a camping trip. If you have never pitched your tent before, you don’t want to be doing this for the first time once you reach your destination. Get to know your tent before you travel to ensure that:

  • You know how to put it up 
  • There is enough space in your tent
  • No parts are missing or broken

We recommend putting the tent up a few times in your garden (or indoors works too!) and then putting the items you expect to take in the tent with you too. This will show you how much sleeping and sitting space you’ll have on the trip so nothing is left unexpected.

We hope that you enjoyed this blog post. Why not let us know your camping experiences below?