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ground will contain both ideal spots to pitch your tent and some that are not so ideal. It is best to start looking while there is still plenty of light; locating a site and pitching your tent at dusk or later is just looking for trouble. High ground is always preferable to hollows. Even if no rain or snow is forecast, you may be unlucky, and hollows get not only the downpour but the overground run-off. Even if your tent is watertight and no-one forgets to secure the flaps, stepping out into a mud pond is not the greatest start to the day.

Learn something about the local insect life before you go. Particularly the social insects like ants, termites, bees and some wasp species. Pitching your tent on or near a nest can be very unpleasant and potentially dangerous even to those who are not allergic to their bites or stings. Some may be migrating at particular times of year and transitory nests may be hard to detect.

While traveling an infrequently used track one Spring when I was young, I once stepped on a temporary bumblebee nest hidden in the debris covering the ground, and for those of you under the misconception that bumblebees don't sting, I can assure you that they most certainly can and when angry enough do. While wearing sufficient clothes to protect my body, one stung me through the eyelid into the eye. Fortunately it was in the woods above a friends house, so I was able to extensively bathe my face in cold water from his backyard hose and quickly obtain medical treatment. Even so, the facial swelling forced my eyelids closed and left me blind for two days.

It did at least gift me with some understanding of what it is like to be blind. Leading me to work in a seeing-eye dog kennels for a while later in life. Stepping on such a nest as the light fades at your recently pitched campsite would certainly be worse. Knowing the possible insect life and surveying your intended campsite for it, perhaps prodding the ground with a stick, before setting up camp is definitely recommended, and best done with plenty of light!

Many people arriving at a designated camping ground early enough like to pick an appropriate spot somewhat removed from others. This may work for you, but it may not. After all, those arriving late at a camping ground tend to be the worst neighbors. A good quality campsite close to people you can relate to is usually the better choice.

When it comes to selecting a camping site in the wilds, you have more to pay attention too. Always start looking well

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