I n my experience, the world is divided into people who love camping and people who hate it. In the second group are those scarred by miserable memories of childhood camping trips, and those who have never slept in a field and don’t intend to start now when they have a perfectly good bed at home, thank you very much. But at its best, camping can be cheap, healthy, environmentally friendly and, above all, fun.
I asked camping enthusiasts how to combat first-timers’ fears and convince even the most reluctant campers to give it a go. Camping doesn’t have to mean going completely off-grid. Rory Willis, the founder of Northern Wind , a community outdoors project, says: “For beginners, a campsite with basic facilities such as clean toilets, running water and hot showers can make a big difference.
Some sites offer small shops or cafes, which can be a comfort to those who are nervous about being too far from civilisation.” If you’re camping with children who aren’t used to running wild in the woods, Sally Thomas from Authentic India Tours advises picking a site with a playground, games room, cinema or swimming pool. “Start off with all the bells and whistles for more of a sense of home comfort, then go more wild on future trips,” she says.
“While you don’t need to go out and buy a lot of expensive kit for a camping trip, it is worth investing in the best tent you can afford. Modern tents are lightweight, airy and easy to assemble,” says Catharina Björkman, a.