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The festival season is well and truly upon us and with at least one festival taking place every week it’s become busier than ever before.
People around the country are packing up their camping gear and heading off in search of great music and sunny skies at one of this year’s many gatherings. With the former being pretty much guaranteed all eyes are on the weather… Will we see another Glastonbury style wash-out - or will the sun do the revellers a favour and join in the party?
Here at BBC Weather we’ve decided to put together a handy guide to camping and coping in all weathers. So, whether it’s torrential rain and mudslides or 90F and no air con, you won’t be caught out.
Camping essentials…
Tent
Make sure you take one that comfortably sleeps you and your fellow campers. Buying that two man tent in the vain hope that you’ll squeeze in your four mates is not a good idea. If the weather is warm it won’t be pretty – things will get very hot and sticky. The same goes if it’s raining – someone is almost certain to complain about getting the wet spot. If it does look set to rain then make sure you position your tent on flat land or a gentle slope. Pitching at the bottom of a hill means only one thing- you’ll get flooded.
Waterproofs
You might be in party mode but it’s important to be prepared. We suggest taking a light-weight cagool or foldaway plastic poncho – have a peek around the house to see if you have one from a theme park – they come in very handy! Also wellies are a good idea too – flip flops are fine for when it’s dry but try walking in a wet, muddy field with them on…
Sunscreen and Aftersun
Time flies when you’re watching your favourite band - which means you don’t really take note of how long you’ve been exposed to the sun. If you don’t slap on the SPF you could end up with nasty burns and spend the remainder of your time cooped up in your tent smothered in aloe vera – not exactly what you had in mind for your festival weekend! We suggest at least a factor 15.
Protect your lips too as they fall easy victim to the sun’s rays – a lip balm with sunblock should do the trick. A hat is also a good idea, along with sunglasses – after all, you don’t want to be squinting at the stage.
Water
It might be a pain to carry in the first place but you’ll certainly be glad you bothered when the queue for the fountains are 100 people long. It easy to get dehydrated in the warm weather, particularly if you’re exerting a lot of energy and drinking alcohol. Try and carry a bottle around with you and take regular sips.
Antihistamines
If you’re susceptible to grass and tree pollen, living in a field for a few days probably isn’t the best thing you can do. The last thing you want when you’re trying to enjoy yourself is a sneezing fit and watery eyes. But don’t let that put you off, prepare yourself well and make sure you pack a good supply of medicine. Remember pollen levels may be high over the summer months even when the sun isn’t shining.
Antihistamines help with most allergies are also useful in treating bites and stings - with summer officially here wasps and other insects will no doubt be out in force.
General Clothing
Pack as compactly as possible. Check the forecast before you go to get a general idea of what’s expected.
We suggest the following essential items:
A good stock of underwear – you don’t want to be re-using those wet socks and pants the next day.
A good supply of loose-fitting t-shirts – remember you’ll be dancing with a very sweaty crowd so you want to be cool.
A long sleeved top or fleece – even if it’s sunny by day, nights can get very chilly.
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