Top tips on packing up camp

In reality, it's a key part of looking after your camping gear and needs more consideration than it usually gets. If you have children with you, a decision has to be made as to whether packing up becomes a game for all to enjoy regardless of getting wet and muddy or sees the youngsters whisked away or banished to the car. A game sounds better but can be stressful.

On a fine day, dismantling a tent is a doddle. Taking your time to air off sleeping bags, clean pegs, roll up guylines, dry inner tents' groundsheets and pack everything properly can all be done in a relaxed, even casual way. It's rather different in the rain and very different in a torrential downpour. For the cruel, callous and uncaring, watching people pack up in strong wind and heavy rain probably counts as entertainment. Obviously, that cannot be condoned and we should always extend a helping hand rather than watch others struggle to stay dry and maintain their dignity in trying circumstances.

There's more to it than speed and not getting too wet, as packing up is a great opportunity to check your tent and gear for problems, even in the rain. A little thought, forward planning and time management mean that you can leave the site in an orderly manner, pride intact and fairly dry. If you're heading home, then you'll get by even if chaos rules. On the other hand, if you're on a touring holiday, then taking good care of your clothes, tent and gear is vital.

As the rain hammers down on the tent,
pack up as much as you can inside bearing
in mind how it will be packed into the car

With one person geared up and braced to cope with the weather, the bags and boxes can be passed out and loaded quickly with a minimum of fuss and little chance of it getting soaked. Reversing the car up to the tent makes sense if possible; trying to get it inside is probably optimistic.

With most bags packed and dry, it's time to deal with the inner tents. If pitched directly on the ground, the groundsheets will be damp at best underneath even in a heatwave. More likely, they'll be running with condensation. If you can, hang them up to air - it's surprising how quickly they'll dry. If it's raining, just pack them away. Either way, check the pockets for personal items; retrieving head torches can wait until later but glasses and wallets cannot. If you can, brush them out or shake debris out before stuffing them away.

By this time, most of your gear will be packed and dry and at least one of you will be the same. There's no advantage in putting off the challenge of tackling the tent so, with shoulders braced, and waterproofs zipped up, it's time to pull the pegs, loosen the poles and jam the tent into its bag. Don't bother pausing to clean pegs in the rain. They'll come to no harm lying in their bag for hours, days or weeks but do pack the poles as you go. With vision obscured by a jacket hood and being in a hurry, that's when they're stepped on and broken if left lying around.

Fold up your tent footprint or cheap tarp groundsheet with the muddy side inside and have a large bin liner handy as a temporary storage bag. A quick last look around and it's time to hit the road putting to one side the prospect of unpacking at home.

Friends once spotted a couple packing up in torrential wind-driven rain wearing only flip-flops. When all was squared away, they jumped in the car and drove off, peering through steamed up windows, into campsite legend. On one memorably wet Lakeland morning, a couple pitched next to us commented, "You've done this before," as everything disappeared neatly into the car in about 20 minutes, adding, "We're staying until it stops raining."

• If you can, brush or wipe gear clean as possible before packing it away; a mini dustpan and brush set is really useful
• A few large plastic bags make all the difference in packing away wet, muddy items
• Keep a clean dry pair of shoes handy to change into for driving
• Pack dirty clothes in a separate bag so the washing machine can be loaded as soon as you get home
• Grab a quick wash and loo break when everything is packed away, taking the time to regain your equilibrium before driving home
• Pop any rubbish into the right bins
• Have a last look around to check for anything you might have overlooked
• Stop at the nearest cafe for a pot of tea and a bacon roll or two
• Unpack it all and start to dry thoroughly as soon as you get home.
• Wash all pots, pans, dishes, cutlery and food storage again when you get home

 Images:

1. If you have the opportunity, clean off mud and bird poo before  packing away your tent
2. Heavy rain and strong wind mean you need more time and thought to pack up
3. Leaky groundsheet or condensation? It needs checking and the sleep mat will have to be dried thoroughly at home
4. Take down the inner tents before clearing the tent and pack them away
5. If the weather is fine, grab the chance to dry off inners before packing them away (the site owner suggested hanging them off the wall)
6. Leaving the tarp/groundsheet until last means the tent can be collapsed without dragging the inside over muddy ground. A couple of strategic pegs ensure it won't be whisked away by the wind
7. Sort poles neatly as you go to avoid stepping on them
8. Muddy pegs can be cleaned at home but don't pack them with the tent
9. Two pairs of hands are better than one

 

 

 

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