How to create the ultimate campout

There's nothing quite like a campfire, bringing light to the darkness, providing warmth on cold nights and also providing a back to basics cooking experience. In this guide, we share three steps for creating an ultimate campout night at home or out in the wild.

1. How to build the best fire

There’s something utterly relaxing about sitting around a crackling fire; talking, relaxing, listening to the owls hooting and watching the stars twinkling above. Once you've chosen your spot, you're going to need to build your fire. Whilst you could start by rubbing two sticks together, we don't recommend it unless you're a regular Ray Mears.

A simple fire-lighting technique is to lay two medium-sized logs next to each other, leaving a small gap between them for air. Place a firelighter on the gap and carefully place some kindling in a triangular shape over the firelighter. Light the firelighter and once the kindling has caught, slowly continue to add more. Eventually, you can start adding logs and the fire will be ready and roaring.

If the fire needs encouragement you can use the Blow Diamond technique. Form a small diamond by putting the tips of your index fingers together infront of your face, and the tips of your thumbs together to make a small diamond. Blow through this and with a little practice, you'll create a little horizontal tornado.

2. Get toasting s’mores

We love toasting marshmallows on the fire, but why not go one step extra and treat your gang to a campfire s’more? What are those, we hear you say? These little pockets of goodness are made up of melted marshmallows sandwiched between chocolate digestive biscuits. Here’s our tried and tested recipe:

Toast your marshmallow using a stick. Keep rotating to ensure you don’t burn it! You want your marshmallow to be soft and gooey. Pop the marshmallow in between your two digestive biscuits. For best results, wait a minute or two to ensure that the warm marshmallow melts the chocolate.

3. Campfire drinks

When the night starts to draw in and the fire starts to turn to embers it can be a good time to rustle up something warming. We've got recipes for a few of our favourites below.

4. Swap screens for stargazing

One of the best feelings of being on holiday is completely switching off from our busy lives and getting away from technology. Time previously spent around phones and computers are swapped for days out in nature, spending quality time with loved ones.

Stargazing is a brilliant way to get away from screens in the evenings, and research has shown that it can instil a sense of perspective and grounding that has wonderful benefits on your well-being.

We've put together this handy guide, including helpful tips on how to build your own observatory and what to look out for in the dark skies.