What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
I look for budget options that will also be useful for family camping trips, sleeping in my car, trips to the beach, etc. I’ve never had the opportunity or need for multi-night bikepacking trips, so there’s little point in me buying anything niche or specialist.
Favourite piece of camping kit?
The internet – for checking the weather and stars before I go. I’m looking for a warm night, clear skies, and ideally a light breeze. If all of that matches up to a meteor shower and a night when I’m free, the planets have aligned. The Perseids peak this year at 12–13 August, although there can be activity from 17 July to 24 August. If you get a clear night at the peak time, and can escape light pollution, it really is spectacular to watch, even with the naked eye.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Be warm, and don’t drink anything before bed. Getting up for a wee will wake you up, and then you’re cold and uncomfortable and probably won’t go back to sleep.
Any unexpected luxury items?
A phone and power bank with a star chart app to really bring the skies to life.
Favourite camp breakfast
Sugared waffles. Light and easy to carry, just enough to boost you awake to get home or to a café for coffee.
Bad camping kit choices
I once took my kids up onto the moor for an overnight bivvy – no tent, just a tarp and sleeping bags. It was a gorgeous warm evening with a gentle breeze. We snuggled down, watched the stars come out, and soon fell asleep. Only to be woken at midnight by my daughter slapping her face in her sleep. The wind had dropped and ferocious biting midges had come from all over the moor to feast on our faces. It was so bad that we packed everything up in a desperate flurry of panic, and ran back down the hill to try to escape them. We went back to sleep in our own beds, looking like we had chicken pox. Sometimes Smidge or a fly net are essential items.
