Cool Camping Essentials

FIVE ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR CAMPING KIT

1. A torch
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a torch. It gets awfully dark in a remote field and it’s deeply irritating trying to find the loo. I favour the wind-up variety, as you don’t need to bother about batteries running down, just when you need them most.

2. A decent pillow
I can put up with pretty much anything as long as I know there’ll be a squishy pillow waiting for me at the end of the day. Children, especially, like the comfort of their own pillow when camping.

3. Gum boots
Even in the summer it can get rather muddy in an English field. You can still look chic in Wellingtons – just think Kate Moss at Glastonbury.

4. Music
A wind-up radio, iPod or portable turntable are great extras to have when you’re camping. And, rather than a luxury, I find that stories played on an iPod can help nervous children relax enough to get to sleep in a new and exciting environment.

5. A good sleeping bag
Choose a cotton-lined one. Silk sleeping bags are surprisingly cheap and extremely comfortable.