Forall the current faddish focus on ‘glamping’, the reality is that mostcampsites are never quite going to compete with five star hotels whenit comes to cosseted luxury, but that’s not really the point.

Familycamping is affordable, flexible and, most importantly, it’s anadventure – you can’t beat waking up to the sound of birdsong andtowering views of mountains or lapping waves.

Andif you haven’t been camping for a while, the good news is thatcampsites these days are massively better in general than they used tobe – that means clean, modern washing facilities, hot showers and maybean on-site restaurant and shop.

Forthe pick of Britain’s sites, check out the Cool Camping seriespublished by Punk Publishing which lists some of Britain’s best campingvenues.

Choosing A Tent

Itsounds obvious, but choosing the right tent goes a long way towards ahappy holiday and there are plenty to choose from in a massive varietyof sizes and designs.

Startwith the basics: make sure there are enough sleeping spaces for yourwhole party – it’s better to have too much room that not enough – andenough separate compartments to give some privacy. Remember, you canalways buy a small tent to give teenagers a bit of independence andmake it more of an adventure.

Acommunal living space is a great idea too, particularly if you have theodd wet day. Kit it out with a table and folding chairs and a lanternand you can invite Kate Moss over if her yurt springs a leak. A tenthigh enough to stand up in is always nice…

Goodfamily tents these days will include integral groundsheets forconvenience and be reasonably robust when properly set up. They’re bigold units though, so make sure it will fit in your car.

Brandsto look at include Outwell, Gelert, Vango, Coleman, Lichfield andplenty more. It’s a great idea to buy from a store where you can seethe tents put up or visit a tent show for a poke around.

Tryto put your tent up before your trip, so you don’t have to pitch itfirst time after a tiring journey and follow instructions aboutmaintenance – you may need to seal seams before use.

Amallet for driving in pegs will save a lot swearing and while we’re onthe subject, make sure you have enough pegs included for all guyingpoints.

Sleeping Happy

Somesort of air mattress and a warmish, synthetic-filled sleeping bag areyour best bet for sleeping happy. Pillows from home add comfort, butyou’ll find sleeping bags easier and more convenient than sheets andduvets.

Ifyou sleep cool, a hot water bottle and a spare blanket or two aremorale boosters and if you cop a cold snap, our tip is to wear anadditional fleece beanie or woolly hat.

Keep The Kids Happy

Kids love the adventure of camping, but a few basic steps can help keep them happy:

• Do some research into the area before you go, so you know what activities are available and think about wet day contingencies.

• Kids can feel the cold, so make sure they have enough warm and weatherproof clothing to cope.

• Bringalong some games to keep thing ticking over in the evenings and don’tforget to packs balls, bats and other recreational stuff.

• Giveeach of them their own torch – hands-free head torches are ideal – sothey can read, go to the toilets at night and generally feelindependent.

• Makesure they know what to do if they get lost and lay down some rulesabout how far they can go from the tent without permission. Withineyesight is a good start. Whistles make good emergency signals.

Keep The Grown-Ups Happy…

Don’tforget that you’re on holiday too and a bit of pre-planning can makeall the difference. We’d recommend thinking through and maybe evenpre-cooking some of your meals. For some extra inspiration, check outMoveable Feasts published by Cicerone Press, which has some fantasticcamping-friendly recipes.

Takesome good wine and or beer, fresh coffee to start the day with aturbo-boost and other luxuries. Insect-repellant candles are a nicetouch in the evening as are lanterns – gas or electric. If you do usecandles, keep them away from the insides of the tent.

Andlast but not least, remember camping’s an adventure and an escape. Takethe time to look around and enjoy the scenery and you’ll wonder why youever stayed in a hotel at all. Maybe…

Jon Doran
OUTDOORSmagic Editor