Ten Top Tips For Tent Pitching

A little preparation and thought goes a long way in making the most of of your camping experience - on a campsite or wild backpacking:

• Read the instructions with a new tent and check you have all the bits and pieces.
• Before heading off into the wide blue yonder, pitch it at home to become familiar with its idiosyncrasies.
• Pitching your tent next to running water may seem a good idea in the early evening but the sound can become irritating as the night wears on and, if the water level rises, you might get wet.
• If you have to pitch on a slope, always sleep with your head at the highest end.
• Pitch your tent so the entrance faces away from the wind.
• Peg your tent down roughly before making adjustments to ensure it does not blow away; fix the windward side first.
• Pack a mix of pegs to cope with different ground.
• Avoid pitching at the bottom of a slope - water runoff and cold air flowing downhill can spoil a comfortable night.
• Do not dig a mini-moat around your tent as it damages the soil and encourages erosion; take a little time to pick a good pitch.
• Cold air sinks so that perfect valley bottom pitch may be colder than you anticipated in the early hours.