Camping in the UK means spending less time travelling and queuing up at airports and more time creating memorable experiences for you and your family to savour. However, if you have never been camping before then you might not know what to expect. In this blog we will offer some tips on avoiding a camping disaster and making your camping trip unforgettable for the right reasons.
Preparation
In order to have a successful camping trip you need to be organised. Even well seasoned campers will struggle if they forget their essentials so make sure you put together a checklist for all your camping supplies.
Here are a few items to remember at all costs:
- Tent
- Sleeping bags
- Pillows
- Plates, cups and cutlery
- Washing up liquid
- Torches and batteries
- Wet wipes
- Camping stoves
- Tinned food / marshmallows
- Toilet roll
- Wash supplies
- First aid kit
- Roll mats / airbeds
- Water carriers
- Ordnance survey map
Depending on your particular needs and the time of year you are going you might also want to consider sun cream and hats to guard against UV rays, or alternatively extra layers of clothes to keep you warm. You might also want to pack insect repellent in order to avoid getting bitten.
Choosing a spot
When choosing a family friendly campsite you should take into account location, facilities and costs. First of all you need to find a campsite that is situated in the area you are wishing to visit. What is it about the area that you would like to see? Is there a lake to go canoeing, a beach to soak up the sun or impressive scenery to explore?
Next you need to consider the facilities that you will require. Are you going for an authentic camping trip where you need little or no facilities or do you and your family require a little more luxury? Many campsites will have shower blocks, BBQ areas and even WiFi if that’s what you require.
Cost can also play a big role in finding the perfect campsite and you should consider this carefully when making your choice. At one end of the scale there are areas in the UK where you can camp for free. This is known as wild camping, and some areas of Scotland, Snowdonia and the Lake District are able to be used for this purpose. At the other end of the spectrum there are luxury campsites where you can arrive to a tent already set up for you. If you are stuck for location ideas, websites like Visit Britain can help you find a campsite or alternatively you could ask family, friends and colleagues for advice on where to book.
Food
Whether you are camped at a site nearby to amenities or you have set up in the middle of nowhere, it is important that you have some food provisions to keep you and your family going. Porridge, baked beans, bacon, sausages and dried snacks can all make good camp fire food, just be sure to store perishable food in a cool box and make sure that fires are permitted.
Entertainment
No doubt when picking your campsite you will have gone for somewhere that is picturesque and has plenty of things to do nearby. Common organised activities can include nature hikes, kayaking, canoeing and swimming but there are lots of entertaining things that you can do yourselves as a family, for example:
- Scavenger hunts – put together a list of several items for your children to collect like branches, shells, stones and conkers
- Gather fire wood
- Toast some marshmallows
- Sing some songs and share stories
- Play shadow puppets with a torch
- Stargaze
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