Happy Campers

Whether you’re a virgin V Fester or a pro at pitching up at your favourite music gig, Condor Properties has been searching the net for the latest tips on making your festival camping experience memorable and enjoyable this August.

A Successful Pitch

You arrive at your chosen festival, bursting with energy and smelling like Johnsons baby powder. That won’t last long! However a successful pitch could make a massive difference to you walking around in clean, dry clothes or smelling like a wet dog all weekend. Here’s some handy tips on a successful pitch:

· Park & Ride – most reputable coach companies provide a park and ride service direct to the main gate. This is normally a lot closer than the main car parks so you don’t have to drag your camping gear miles across fields.

· Being a sheep won’t help you sleep – its human nature to follow the crowd. But, overcrowded camp sites at festivals are noisy 24 hours a day which won’t help if you like your sleep. Ask a steward to point you in the direction of a quieter site if you need your beauty sleep.

· Aim high - In the event of a down pour, it’s better to pitch on higher ground than at the base of the hill. Your tent won’t float and neither will your onesie.

· Eau de Toilet – as much as it might seem appealing to be close to the nearest toilet block so you don’t have to clamber over tents to spend a penny, porta loo’s are notoriously smelly at large events.

· Burger off – There’s nothing better than smell of a bacon butty first thing in the morning. But pitching next to a burger van could attract unwanted guests and a long queue on your door step.

So you have found the perfect pitch for the weekend. Your front teeth were nearly taken out by your pop up tent, your box of beers has fallen apart and your only carrier bag has split. Meh…its time to party!

Personalising you pad

As you stagger back to your “supermarket special” 2 man dome tent, you suddenly realise as far as the eye can see, EVERYONE has the same tent as you. Here are a few ideas on how to make your canvas castle stand out.

· Artwork not hard work – personalise your tent with coloured paint. The bolder and brighter the better. A simple design will take a few minutes and could help you spot your tent a lot faster.

· Light it up – battery powered fairy lights are the perfect festival accessory this year. You can pick up a pack of 15 lights for £1.99 at Pound Stretcher. Not only will this make your pop up palace pretty, but it will be a lot easier to see in the dark. Take spare batteries and a spare pack of lights just in case…..you never know when the fairy light thief will strike.

· Flag it up – flags are the perfect homing device for festival goers and can be made cheaply. If you are creative make a statement flag or if not just keep it simple. Whatever you chose, don’t forget your mast. An old car aerial, fishing rod or selfie stick will do the trick. Anchor this to your camping gear for the perfect PIN DROP.

· Photo diary – Take a photo as you leave your base camp. Take photos on your journey down to the main arena. On your way back, simply flick through your images, starting from the last image taken and follow the images back to your tent.

· Tent Tech – For smart techy types who would rather use technology to get them home, try the free “tent finding” apps. These use GPS and map the precise location of your tent, following your every footstep around the site. Once it has finished storing your data, you can then use this to take you straight back to your front door. Just make sure you have charge on your phone. Apps for both android and iPhone can be downloaded for FREE. Festival Buddy and BC Tent Finder are worth testing.