Camping Skills

You might have 99 problems but a pitch won’t be one if you follow our easy 12-step guide to putting your tent up

1. Read the instructions and make sure you understand them.  Some manufacturers have detailed instructions on their websites and even a video to guide you through the pitching process.

2. Check you have everything you need. Empty everything out of the carry bags – poles, pegs, flysheet, groundsheet and inner tent

3. Assemble the poles and lay them out flat. Check the sections are joined up correctly.

4. Unfold the tent, find the door, and locate the tent where you want it.

5. Anchor the tent. At this point you can either peg the flysheet out completely or if you think it will need further adjustment, just use a peg at each corner to stop it being blown away.

6. Insert the poles into the designated sleeves. Some have colour coded tabs to make things easier while on other tents it doesn’t matter which pole goes in which sleeve as they are all identical. Consult the instructions for your tent. We tend to find it easier to concentrate on the main section first and worry about porches etc later.

7. Lift it off the ground. If it’s a bit breezy you’ll probably need a helping hand here – especially if you’ve got a large or heavy tent. One can lift the roof section off the ground and hold it in place while the other starts clipping the fasteners to the poles. For the very large family tents you may need even more people to help.

8. Insert the pins. Slot the pins attached to the groundsheet into the feet of the poles. This can sometimes take a bit of physical effort and can leave you with sore hands but remember you can loosen the buckled straps to make it a bit easier.

9. Peg out. When you're happy that everything is in the right place, peg the groundsheet (if it’s not sewn-in) then peg out the side walls, again checking for creases as you go along. Use the straps to fine tune.

10. Peg out the guylines. Unravel the guyropes and peg them loosely round the tent before tightening them up.

11. Attach the inner. Start at the back and attach the inner tent using the toggles

12. You’re finished - now put the kettle on!

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