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7 tips to enjoy a summer camping trip

Written by Fiona

March 04 2020

Camping is a great idea for a summer holiday. The key to a good trip is to prepare all of the necessary items, including as a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, camping stove and also read some reviews on coolers for camping. Here are seven tips help you to organise the best summer camping trip.

Camping is great for groups. Credit: Alex Kotomanov on Unsplash.

1 – Choose the perfect location

There are many different styles of camping, from a full-on campsite camp to a backing trip including wild camping. To choose your perfect spot, you should think about what is most important to you.

If you are camping with the family, perhaps you will be hoping for a campsite with tents already set up and entertainment laid on, such as a kids’ club or a pool. At the other end of the spectrum, for peace and quiet, choose a wild camping trip.

In between, is a more basic campsite, perhaps by a beach or loch, or in woodland, where you set up your own tent.

2 – Food and cooking

Again the type of camping that you prefer will instruct what food and cooking equipment you pack.

Driving to a campsite allows you to take a full range of items, including a cooking stove and/or a barbecue, crockery, cutlery, plastic cups and glasses and a cooler. Camping Secrets has a great selection of cooking stoves for you to choose from in the UK.

If you plan to walk or cycle to a wild camping spot, you’ll be keen to take the minimum of equipment so a small gas stove, a lightweight cup and plate, a spork and some dehydrated camping food will tick all the boxes.

Go wild camping. Credit: Josh Hild on Unsplash.

3 – Make a list

Before you go camping make a list of all the items you think you might need, This will include essentials such as a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, cooking equipment, food, toiletries, waterproof jacket, warm clothes and clothes for sunny days, camera/smartphone, mobile phone charger etc.

Once you return from your trip, take a look at what you used and what you didn’t use so you can re-do your list for the next camping trip.

4 – Plan activities

A camping holiday should include some fun outdoor activities. This could be bodyboarding or surfing at a beach, going fishing, taking a boat trip, climbing a hill or heading to a forest adventure park.

Ask each person who is part of the trip to think of an activity they would like to do.

5 – Set a budget

The price of a camping trip varies according to your preferences and choices. However, you can keep costs low by looking around for different campsite options, or choosing to go wild camping.

Once you have the full set of camping kit you do not need to buy it again and this means that subsequent camping holidays will be cheaper than the first.

You could camp at times that do not coincide with bank holiday weekends and high season weeks, too.

Camping surrounded by nature is good for you. Credit: Brian Yurasits on Unsplash.

6 – Put nature first

Camping is usually an environmentally friendly. You can cut your carbon footprint by reducing how far you travel to go on your summer camping holiday. Also try to be as green as possible while you are on your trip. For example, take away everything that you bring with you.

7 – Enjoy yourself

Aim to enjoy your time amid nature, which is relaxing in itself. Any time away from the routine of your normal daily life will be therapeutic, too.

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