The average temperature in the UK during January and February is a high of 7ºC, so if you decide to go camping you’ll need to be prepared! Follow our top tips for winter camping and make your trip something to remember – for the right reasons!
1 – Choose a sheltered pitch.
First things first, choosing your pitch is probably one of the most important things to consider when camping during winter. You need a sheltered pitch where you won’t be battered by icy winds or driving rain. A slight incline is good to ensure any overnight rain runs away and don’t forget to check for stones for a good night’s sleep.
2 – Take a hot water bottle.
A hot water bottle can warm up your bed before you get in and also warm you up once you go to bed.
3 – A GOOD QUALITY SLEEPING BAG AND BLANKETS.
A good quality sleeping bag will make all the difference, make sure you shake it out before you get into bed to create air pockets that will warm up and stay warm once you’re in. Blankets underneath you as well as on top of you is also a good trick.
4 – Wet weather gear and spare dry clothes.
If you get wet, there’s no way you’re warming up again without spare clothes that have been kept in a dry place.
5 – Drink hot drinks.
It might seem obvious but drinking hot drinks will warm you from the inside.
6 – A head torch.
The days are oh-so-short during winter, so a head torch will be useful for when nature calls!
7 – Insulate your tent.
Make your tent super cosy with extra blankets and rugs around the inside of your tent.
8 – Wear a hat.
Instead of putting your head under the sleeping bag where condensation will be trapped and then turn cold, wear a hat to bed, as well as during the day.
9 – A good roll mat.
Laying directly on the ground with only a ground sheet between you and the soil is a sure-fire way to get cold. Really cold. Invest in a good roll mat and layer it with blankets. Or better still, a camp bed raised off the ground. High airbeds are not the best for keeping warm as the air inside them can get very cold, and leave you lying on a bed of icy air!
10 – Go glamping instead!
During the coldest winter months, it is probably more sensible to go glamping instead, where you have all the outdoors of camping but the indoors of home.