At the camp-site

Plan to arrive during daylight hours, allowing time to put up your tent, unpack and organise things. Setting up the tent is something the whole family can do together. The children will soon learn how to do the job, which can also be a lot of fun.

Before setting up the tent check the slope of the ground and establish your camp away from any water run-off. Find a spot where the tent can be in the shade during the heat of the day and try to position it a safe distance from the fireplace.

Clear away rocks or any other obstructions — especially thorns — from your chosen site and put a small rug or straw mat in front of the tent to keep the interior and the bedding clean.

Organise your kitchen, cooking gear and food for maximum convenience. Place the icebox in the shade and keep the fuel canisters away from the fire. Set up your garbage bag. If you’re using a plastic bag, it can be tied around a nearby tree with a piece of rope, leaving an opening in the bag for filling it. Your lantern can be hung from a rope or moved around as needed.