A bit of preparation is good. Got your tent? Sleeping bag? Mat? Teddy? OK that’s a start. But what are the less obvious things you need to know for a stress free camping experience? Here are some tricks of the trade.
First things first. When arriving at a site, dump everything on the ground and crack open a beer or a bottle of wine. Why pressure yourself?
That done, get the tent up. Where you choose is up to you but avoid slopes and hollows. A bit of shade can be good but it’s best not to be directly under a tree, particularly if there are birds in it.
If you’ve forgotten something, don’t worry – Mother Nature’s both abundant and forgiving. For example you can make tent pegs out of twigs.
Even in summer the nights can be quite chilly so a woolly hat is ideal for keeping warm the only part of you that should be sticking out of your sleeping bag.
Forgotten your wellies? Slip some plastic bags over your shoes and away you go. Elasticated waistbands and flip flops are easy to slip into in the middle of the night when nature calls. Saves you struggling with buttons and zips.
Never ask a camper heading into the woods with a shovel where they’re going. Or why.
Waterproof matches work when they’re damp. Normal matches don’t. Go for waterproof matches.
Navel fluff makes excellent kindling and asking the neighbours for theirs is a good way to break the ice.
Chop, chop. Food cooks quicker in small bits.
Go for space-saving foods like flat-pack pitta bread and stock cubes, which are great for adding flavour to one pot dishes and even make a nice hot drink but are just one cubic inch apiece.
Sealable food bags are not just for granny but are handy for sealing up leftovers and don’t take up as much room as tupperware.
Take a few big binliners to use as waterproof picnic blankets and seats and of course for the responsible disposal of all 
your non-recyclable or biodegradable waste.
Go solar. From phone rechargers to fairy lights for your tent and even portable solar showers you can live the electric life on the road by harnessing the awesome power of the sun without the need for a plug.
Hotel miniatures are great for camping. No, not the mini bar – the toiletries. Those tiny shampoos, conditioners and soaps in hotel bathrooms are an ideal size for a rucsac pocket.
Ear plugs are horrible but if you’ve ever tried sleeping through a rain storm you’ll know it’s as loud as popcorn popping in a pan.
If you’re not a morning person and don’t want to be woken by the sun, line your tent with black bin bags.
If you have to pack up a wet tent, make sure you dry it out later. Otherwise it’ll grow things.
When you get home after a satisfying camping trip, dump everything in a heap and crack open a beer or a bottle of wine.
