Do you like to buy your holidays online, where you can simply book everything you need in one go? Well, how about camping instead? Going camping is something that everyone should experience at least once. You may find that you get the bug for the outdoors life as soon as the first night is over and never look back.

Most of the time this comes from the result of having an enjoyable time while camping, after all, most people aren’t going to want to do something again if they didn’t have fun the first time, are they?
So, if you are keen to give camping a go, it’s important to make sure that you take all the precautions necessary to stay safe and well. Fear not, there’s plenty of information here that you can take on board and use before you pack up and head off on your evenings under the stars!
Remember Your Basic Camping First Aid Kit
Depending on how deep into the wilderness you are going, you might want to consider getting some more in-depth safety equipment, but for trips to popular, well recognized spots or campsites the list below is just right.
- Plasters
- Cotton buds
- Safety pins
- Sterile gauze pads
- Roll bandages
- Antibiotic cream
- Aspirin or Ibuprofen
- Antacids
- Sunburn cream
- Eye drops
- Thermometer
- Butterfly bandages
- Blister plasters
- Tweezers
- Nail clippers
- A small pair of scissors
- Heat and cold packs
- First Aid Manual
- Mirror and magnifying glass
- Sterile compress
Remember to Test Your Gear Before Leaving
Whether you’ve gone all out and purchased that new tent you had your eye on, or you’ve gone down the route of borrowing one from a friend who has all the gear, the best thing you can do before you set off is to check it all before you set off.
You should be keeping an eye out for any damage, tears, broken poles/pegs etc. on the older tents more so, but still the new ones too, because you never know.
There’s a solid case for taking the tent out of the bag prior to leaving for your camping trip because if you arrive at your destination and you’ve not given the setup a trial run, then you could be in all kinds of bother; not just because you won’t have somewhere to sleep, but for your mental state too!
By putting up your tent at home or in a nearby park, you can take note and get to grips with how it packs away, meaning you can roll or fold it in the same way when you have to get it back in the bag (roughly!).
If you’re taking other bits of equipment with you, like a stove, and cooking utensils, then ensure that you have cleaned and tested it all too. After all, you will be kicking yourself if you find a fault, or you’re missing something upon arrival at your camping spot in the middle of nowhere!
Build a Fire
Fire is important while you’re camping as you’ll most likely need to cook and boil water with it as well as using it to keep warm as you relax of an evening. If you’ve never built a fire, there are lots of ways to do this, even if you do forget matches!
There’s also a handy video here on how you can make a fire when you do have all the equipment to get a fire going:
Make Yourself Comfortable
When it comes to getting some sleep, you will ideally want to be as comfortable as you possibly can be, so take an airbed with you along with a warm sleeping bag or even a spare duvet if you’re not planning on going on a big ol’ hike. Make sure to take a read of this guide if you find you get a leak.
You might want to have some comfy, bedtime-specific clothes that you enjoy getting cosy in, just in case it becomes a little chilly in the small hours of the night too.
Check the Weather
It’s is always wise to check the weather forecast for the place that you are planning on camping. Being prepared for all eventualities is also a really useful idea, so have your waterproofs and thermals at the ready, but don’t forget a sun hat either!
Going back to the weather, you can download the Met Office app on your smartphone, which is the most reliable of the weather apps and it’s free, so there’s not really any excuse not to be prepared… no matter if you get caught in the showers or bathed in the sun.
Take Duct Tape
You’ve packed and prepared as best as you can, but many people forget one very important thing when they head off camping; duct tape. Duct tape is your knight in shining armor when it comes to fixing pretty much anything.
You can use duct tape to fix everything from holes in your tent to tears in shoes and broken tent poles too!