What to do with extreme heat or cold at the campsite?

11 February, 2019

I previously wrote a blog entry about camping during heavy rainfall, thunder and storms, but you could also face extreme heat or cold while at the campsite. Are there specific things you can consider? Or tips to make your holiday more enjoyable? I have made a list for you.

A cotton tent makes your stay more pleasurable and it’s just that bit cooler than, for example, a nylon or polyester tent. This is mainly because a cotton tent ‘breathes’. A disadvantage is that cotton tents are heavier and that makes them a bit harder to set up.

Do you like sleeping in? Then make sure your tent or caravan etc. is in the shade for as long as possible in the mornings. Or at least, where you sleep. Then you can stay in bed a little longer than when you are in the full sun. If your tent is in the shade at the end of the day, then you can open it up and hope the worst heat escapes before you crawl into bed. One advantage of getting out of bed early is that you have a longer day ahead of you.

Another thing that can help is not sleeping in a sleeping bag but using a sleeping bag liner instead. You usually put it inside your sleeping bag but sometimes just using a liner is more than enough. In a motorhome or caravan, you probably won’t need a blanket and a sheet will suffice.

Cold at the campsite

A big problem with the cold is actually the damp. Make sure that everything in the tent or caravan stays dry. If you need to go to the toilet block or you didn’t get to your tent or caravan in time and are soaked, then put on some dry clothes before you crawl into your tent. And actually, you are better off hanging your wet clothes or towel outside your tent or caravan otherwise you will increase the levels of moisture inside and it is harder to warm up damp air than dry air. Always ventilate well too, because the air your breath out is also damp.

Use an inner tent, it can make a difference of a few degrees. An additional advantage is that you will have less condensation. You are better off using a sleeping bag made of down or synthetic fibres. If you are in a caravan you can of course take a nice duvet or even pack a hot water bottle if it is really cold. When you set up your tent make sure you are not in the wind, that will make it even colder.

If you would like to go on a camping holiday but you are concerned about the temperatures (either hot or cold), then you can also choose to hire accommodation with air-conditioning and/or heating. Such as one of the SunLodges with air-conditioning and heating, then you will be sure you will not be kept awake by the heat. And if it is cool in the spring you can simply put the heating on.