We liked the Caplan during the warm weather last year, the integral groundsheet kept us dry and has a large enough bedroom for two or at a push three people. As with all these types of tents it’s worth never choosing a tent with a berth size the same as the number of people you want to accommodate, otherwise you’ll be squashed like a tin of sardines.

One problem we did have with the tent was the stability of the side door. There is no way of attaching the side door to the groundsheet meaning that when it is windy (it was windy) there were draughts through the tent. Otherwise an excellent purchase.

Last year the rainfall was of epic proportions and it nigh on washed us all the way back from the Lake District to our home in the North of Manchester. This year we decided to stay at the Cragg Camping barn in Buttermere. We’ve stayed at Buttermere a number of times before, we love the remoteness of the camp site and we love the walks around the Crummock Water valley.

The camping barn was snug and warm and provided everything we needed, however it was very cold when we went walking. We completed our usual Haystacks walk in record time, mostly due to the fact it was so cold, despite our winter walking gear.

We are due back in the Lakes at Easter, we’ll bring you an update then.

Realising the error of our ways we decided that our January jaunt this year warranted staying in a camping barn. The site we’ve chosen to stay at is the Cragg Camping barn in Buttermere. We’ve stayed in Buttermere many times before. We love the remoteness of the walks and the true ‘away from it all’ feeling we get when we are miles from a large town. We also love the Haystacks walk, which we try to do every year.

We’ll let you know how our rainfest this year gets along.

On the plus side

The site owners let their chicken roam around the site which was a real novelty - the kids loved it. You can have a camp fire and the owners supply everything you need. The site has two new camping pods. There is a shepherd’s hut for hire. The views are spectacular. Nearly new showering and washing facilities. A basic farm shop supplies those essentials you’ve forgotten to bring.

A little negative

Make sure you pitch your tent on the garden field; this is much nearer the facilities and doesn’t get too wet during inclement weather. Campsite pitches can be a little unstructured leaving less room for children to play.

Sometimes this is because we just don’t have all the camping gear necessary. Camping gear is expensive, even if it generally lasts for a long time. Sometimes it isn’t expense of the camping accessories themselves that is the problem – rather the site fees and the costs associated with a weekend away. These are likely to include fuel and food amongst other things.

However, if you are put off by the price tag associated with camping holidays then there are things you can do to earn a bit of cash whilst having some fun. Look at online bingo, for instance. Online bingo sites like tasty bingo have been helping people to get their hands on a little windfall every so often for quite some time now.

If you fancy your chances then a trip to ohmybingo.com would be well worth it so you can check out the latest promotions.

There are plenty of places to go camping in Britain, but there is always the option of camping across Europe too, with Northern France being a particular favourite for families in this country.

Camping is a way to really explore the great outdoors, get back to basics and get away from it all. Of course, the other thing that really attracts people to this sort of holiday is the fact that they are cheap; camping really is an all round winner.

If you’re lucky, you might have a small, potable gas stove and a couple of tin openers. With this sort of equipment, there’s only one thing for it: beans. And plenty of them.

You really can’t go wrong with a few tins of baked beans and a good loaf of bread to dunk in them. The meat lovers out there might want to opt for the cans with sausages included (exotic) but really, for a camping trip a tin of beans or two is the right way forward.

Of course, the classic problem, when it comes to tents is rain pouring in in the middle of the night and soaking you. But something that can be a lot more troublesome than this is the wind. Strong winds while you are camping can be a nightmare, with strings breaking and even whole tents getting blown away.

But if you spend a little extra, you can ensure a decent tent that is more likely to withstand the poor weather.

But when you are looking for the right campsite, you should make sure that you keep you most important requirements in mind. for example, if you have children, you might need a campsite that has a playground or entertainment nearby, or if you are a real ale lover, you might find that a good pub is top of your needs.
Keep a list of your priorities and then you can always ensure that you find the right site for you.

If you’re going to go camping, you have to do it properly. Yes, you’re allowed the odd portable gas hob and a couple of pans, but that’s as luxurious as it should get. Give me an evening huddling over a pan of beans, attempting to shelter them from the rain any day. I’d rather camp properly than carry on with normal life – but in a field.