What to pack for your camping trip (the basics):

● Camp box – a big camping tip is to create a separate camp storage box. Have this packed with your utensils, matches, torches, spare batteries, suncream, toilet paper, insect spray, spare pegs, tomato sauce, coffee, tea bags, cling film, foil, long life food stuff, spices, oil etc etc etc. Then all you need to do is throw it in the car and chuck in the sleeping bags, tent and beds and you’re almost ready. Stop at a farm shop on the way and you have your dinner. If you take out the hassle and the hours of preparation, you will camp more often.

● Camp chairs – more important than the tent. Sitting on the ground gets boring very quickly – especially if like me you enjoy watching Fire TV and putting the world to rights!

● Great sleeping bag – in the UK it gets very chilly some nights, so a good quality sleeping bag can make the difference between a great camping experience or a disaster. Also pays to take an extra blanket!

● Good camp bed or mat – Get off the cold ground and get comfortable. I favour the half foam/half inflating camping mat. They are self inflating and if they do go down you still have a layer of foam left to cushion you from the ground and the cold.

● Camping airbeds – A top piece of camping advice to get a good air-bed if you are going to use one. I’m not a great fan of cheap camping air-beds, so unless you’ve got a quality one – which can be great and generally then needs an electric pump – be warned you can end up sleeping on the tent floor on some hard pitches. If you need to use electricity to pump the bed up, check if the campsite is off-grid – our campsites are. It also pays to put an extra blanket on an airbed and not just a sheet – as the air you are sleeping on can get very cold and transfer that coldness to you!

● Lighting – Headlamps, lamps and torches and spare batteries. Sounds obvious but the number of people who rock up to our campsites with one torch and flat batteries is incredible. I’d even recommend including a wind up lantern – as they ensure the flat battery situation will not occur – and they are eco!

● Footwear – Thongs as we Aussies call them – flip flops or waterproof sandals – great for visits to the showers and loos. At night though it can get quite cold camping in the UK, even next to a fire, so some walking boots and thick socks can be very handy too.

● Clothing – important camping tip. Layers are the key to camping. In the UK it can get fairly cold very quickly, so it’s always a good idea to be able to add layers when the sun goes down. Start the morning dressed warmly, then take the layers off when the sun comes out. You can remove them and catch some vitamin D. Also pack a woollen hat for late nights around the campfire, especially if you are follicly challenged like me. Hoodies for the kids – great for wearing in a sleeping bag to keep their heads warm and even gloves if it’s cold.

● First aid kit – always a good idea to take headache/anti-inflammatory pills, plasters, antiseptic cream, eyewash etc.