1. Keep warm & keep dry. It seems like stating the obvious, but the British summertime is notoriously unreliable… The last two years have been gloriously sunny, but this year, who knows? So, pack plenty of jumpers, a good quality rain coat and wellies. It can also get surprisingly cold at night, so in addition to a sleeping bag, maybe bring a hat and extra blankets. Plus, leave a full change of clothes in the car. That way, if the worst happens and you get really drenched, you’ll still have something comfortable to get home in at the end.
2. Arrive in good time. Try to avoid turning up too late – it’s never easy putting up a tent in the dark with a bunch of tired and hungry kids nagging you to explore the site. Please be aware that you may have to park the car some distance from the campsite, so do consider how you’ll transport and pitch camping kit in the dark.
3. Find a good spot. The main camping fields are massive. Take your time and find an area that suits – close to to loos, or somewhere really quiet in the far corner. Either way, find the best bit of flat-ish ground you can and check for rocks and bumps. Then it’s a simple matter of popping up the tent and blowing up the air bed…
4. Get your bearings. Spend a moment noting where you camped – it can be surprisingly hard to find your tent amongst the sea of canvas at midnight after a couple of cocktails… Give your kids some points of reference and show then what stewards in hi viz look like if they need help. Then take a look at the site map and go for a wander, but please be extra careful around ponds and water.
5. Relax! Grab a drink or some food, check out the music lineup, maybe book in a session at the Woodland Spa. There are tons of activities for the kids. Let them lead the way and get them involved and unwind for three days of magic!
