For many of us, it wouldn’t be summer without a camping trip – enjoying the British countryside and spending some quality time with friends and family can make for a great holiday, especially in the warmer months.
However, when a heatwave strikes and the temperatures soar, it can make staying in a tent quite uncomfortable. So, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks for keeping cool while camping.
Pitch in the shade
Before you set up your tent, try and scope out a spot in the shade. Look for somewhere that gets a lot of cover and will stay shaded for the majority of the day, or at least when the sun is at its highest and the temperatures peak.
Also, try and pitch up early in the morning or later in the evening – it can be a tiring job, and you won’t want to be doing it in the midday sun!
Let the air in
Unzipping and keeping everything open will allow a cool airflow and stop your tent from getting too stuffy – open your tent’s vents and unzip any internal curtains to get the air circulating. Awning poles can also come in handy for propping everything open.
Take the tent down during the day
This might sound extreme, but it’s the best way to prevent a still-warm tent at night. Leaving your tent up in the summer sun means the heat can build up throughout the day, especially in polyester or nylon tents. Having absorbed so much of the sun’s rays over the course of the day, it’s then difficult to cool down the inside of the tent before the evening.
Taking down your tent while you explore during the day means that you won’t have to sit in the hot, stale air in the evening, and can enjoy a cooler night’s sleep.
Remove your rainfly
During a spell of hot weather, you shouldn’t need to worry about rainfall (hopefully). So, if your tent has a removable rainfly, it might be worth taking it off to allow more air in.
Stay hydrated
This one is less tent-related but still very important for any hot conditions. Staying hydrated is the best way to avoid feeling ill in the heat, and will help you cool off, so make sure you have a water bottle nearby and keep your fluids topped up.
Use a coolbox
Enjoying a refreshing ice cream or chilled drink is a great way to beat the heat, and a coolbox is the perfect storage method. You can get both standard and electric coolboxes to suit however long your trip is, and they’ll keep all your food and drink nice and fresh away from the heat.
A summer of camping in glorious weather is a great way of spending time with family and friends while enjoying the very best of nature. Just be sure to follow our tips to keep cool and stay safe in the heat!
If you need any other camping essentials before your trip, head over to Halfords.com or pop into your local store for everything you need for stress-free getaways this summer.
