Take frozen curry, buy a black-out tent: 16 expert tips for the perfect camping trip

Holidays under canvas have never been more popular. But what should you take, and where should you pitch your tent?

‘In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man,” said the philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. And who doesn’t want wild delight? So, with the pandemic making international travel, and even hotel stays, less appealing, many holidaymakers are turning to camping – some for the first time. Sales of gas stoves at Halfords are up by 300%, while camping chairs are flying off Tesco’s shelves.

To beginners, camping may seem daunting, or even unappealing. But camping’s reputation for noisy neighbours, dodgy loos and bad food is undeserved. Here is how to do it right, according to the experts.