The 7 deadly sins of camping

The biggest joy of camping is the ability to get away from the humdrum of everyday life and live a more basic, fun existence for a while.

The downside is that you will be living in a field full of strangers – so consideration for others and good camping etiquette is key to a good trip.

So what are the dos and don’ts? We have brought you the seven sins of camping to ensure you are a trailblazer of campsite etiquette on site.

1 LUST
There’s unlikely to be much bed-hopping going on while you are camping.

After all there’s nothing quite like trudging across a muddy field with bed hair and last night’s make-up smeared across your face to put paid to that – especially if you’re a bloke!

But when you do go to bed at night please remember your neighbours and your kids and spare their blushes... those tent walls are thin after all!

2 GLUTTONY
It’s easy to overindulge when camping—whether it’s drinking all afternoon or stuffing your face at a barbecue, especially the morning after the night before.

A hangover feels even worse when you wake up in a swelteringly hot tent and overeating will leave you feeling rubbish.

3 GREED
Camping by its very nature is a shared experience – shared washing up facilities, shared play space and even in some cases shared showers. Hogging too much of any of these, from pitch space to hot water, isn’t seen as good camping etiquette.

Be quick and speedy and let the next person have their turn – especially when it comes to the hot water supply!

4 SLOTH
It can be very tempting to cut corners when camping but being lazy – especially when it comes to putting the tent up – will come back and haunt you when the tent falls down or lifts off in the unexpected gale force winds, simply because you couldn’t be bothered to put up the guy ropes properly.

Clearing up after yourself and keeping shared spaces clean and tidy is also important.

5 WRATH
Get camping etiquette wrong and you will face the wrath of your fellow campers. From keeping the noise down after lights-out, to controlling your children or dogs, consideration of others is absolutely key to a happy camping trip.

Equally remember others if you and your camping companions fall out. We can all hear you!

6 ENVY
We’ve all done it. We think we are all kitted out and then suddenly on another trip we see a camper with must-have piece of equipment.

The reality is it’s easy to buy and pack all but the kitchen sink – and you can even get camping versions of those!

Treat each camping trip as a learning experience. You may well find a new must have piece of kit and it’s great to get recommendations from fellow campers but be careful not to take it too far!

7 PRIDE
Getting stuck into camping life is half the fun of it but novice campers can be easily put off by the struggle to get a tent up or down and can be reluctant or too proud to ask for help.

Seasoned campers however should remember those first struggles and offer to pitch in. You will be making a seasoned camper out of those you help.